THE MOST-MARRIED MAN

NZ Truth, Issue 873, 19 August 1922, Page 4

THE MOST-MARRIED MAN

Has More Wives Than He Can Count

Church.. Used as Recruiting Ground, ■ ■ '

The most married man world is probably Isaiah Moore; a choir singer and church worker, who is awaiting, trial on 11 charges of bigamy. Investigation by the police has revealed two other women who are said to have a legal right to call him husband, and it is believed the list will easily reach 20 before the inquiry is over. In his selection of wives his choice ran free — there was evidently no preference for blondes or bruntettes, or for women of the bantam or the. Amazon type. Apparently they all looked, alike to him. "I just wanted someone to make a fuss over me," he says, m explaining his marrying proclivities. "I wanted, to be petted and babied." Continuing, he said that m all his matrimonial adventures he "never picked but one lemon m the garden of love." Moore explained to the detectives that it was difficult for him to remember all the women to whom h« was married, because he only lived with them for three days' m a ' weeK He said that at one time he carried a complete list of wives, but later ha tore it up because he didn't want to have it m his possession if arrested. In van- apparently highly nervous condition he waived a preliminary examination m the City Court at Indianapolis, and was held to the grand jury on; £1000 bail. -.•••.' : FORGETS NAME OF ONE WIFE, iMoore ,was first married 12 years ago, and by that marriage had one daughter. He admits that he went through the wedding ceremony on 11 other occasions. Miss Johnson, who recently obtained a divorce from him, said he sang m the .Congregational Church choir, and .took an active part m all church doings. She asked to be pardoned for laughing when told that her former husband was under arrest for embezzlement. "That seems to have been a popular stunt with him," she said. "He stung my mother and me for £140. He told me I was his first love, but that, ha had once proposed to a girl m tha South, who threw him over. At that he realised that he never loved her half as much as he did me." Moore married and deserted another girl , a short time later, after trying to get her mother to advance him about £3000 to . start a bakery business. „ ■''...: The sixth wife died m Spokane, Washington, five months ago, without suspecting that she had been duped by her husband. r ' ' „ . She .was married to Howard Melviri, as alleged, three years ago. He v/as. employed.. as a. chemist m Idaho. He seemed religious, talked religion, and attended church regularly. Soon after they were married, Howard disappeared. A SITTING IN THE CHURCH CHOIR. . Using the name of George Melrose, Of Chicago, it is stated that Moore proposed to a girl after a few days' acquaintanceship. For some time they stayed m an hotel, and. detectives assert that while Moore and his -wife were staying at the "love nest" hotel, Moore also "engaged a room at another hotel, and arranged to meet some of his women acquaintances at that place so his bride would not know about it. Moore's first wives were church acquaintances." "I never ill-treat any of my wives," said Moore, "and I don't see why they should turn against me. I was good to all of them." "BETTER TO BE MARRIED THAN TO BE LONELY." Moore has . evolved a novel philoso- * phy. . . , ...... .... . "It's better to be married- too many times than to be lonely," he says. "I . always wanted someone to make a fuss over me. I thjtak my troubles are all due to my nervous condition. It seems that so long as I was petted and 'babied' my condition was improved- At other times I would feel greatly depressed and lonely, and want to run away. Then I would find someone •else and fall m love with her." Moore's leaning has always been towards the church. In fact, it was m church that he met and picked out most of his wives. Singing m the church choir was his specialty. "My one desire is to lead a Christian life," the much-married prisoner continued. "I always have desired to enter the ministry, but I know the preachers would not let me, so I'll become an evangelist, and do my bit saving other boys."