“MARRIED” 80 WOMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20543, 19 February 1935, Page 1

“MARRIED” 80 WOMEN.

Man Seeks Protection From His Victims. LONDON, February 10. Konstantin Manev has “ married ” eighty women and become engaged to 297 others, says a message from Bucharest. He has now been arrested by the frontier guards as he tried to escape to ugoslavia, and he pleaded with them to give him machine-gun protection against the women whom he had courted, married and robbed. Manev was “ married ” to several women at the same time, and still found odd moments in which to court new acquaintances. Ilis line of approach was to insert newspaper advertisements describing himself as “ a baron, of elegant appearance.”

After meeting one of the foolish women who replied, he would first talk only of love, then, when his technique had established this approach, he would gradually, advance to money, and generally concluded with a demand for cheques. He wore various disguises—for instance, one night, dressed in dark clothing and wearing glasses and a beard, he would be courting a blonde; the next night, clean-shaven and in a light sporting outfit, he would be paying his respects to a brunette. In his diary, which the police now possess, he carefully noted the date, disguise and the name of the woman whom he was meeting that day.

Each woman was numbered, and No. 237 on his carefully compiled list is a princess of German descent.

But Manev’s commercialisation of love probably reached its apex when he bought 1000 rings wholesale. At his first meeting with a new acquaintance. he would carefully note her fingers, and from his collection was always able to find a ring to fit. The Hungarian police, however, say that he will probably be far safer in their hands and in gaol than if they turned him loose among his international harem.