Nineteenth Century Mail-Order Bride SCAMS, Part 8

.

A murderer finds his victims through a matrimonial bureau.

Two wealthy (and married) women entrap unsuspecting swains into expensive courtships, engagements, and almost-marriage.

Broken Hearts.

Shattered illusions.

.

Murderer Uses Matrimonial Bureau to get Close to Intended Victims

.

Kristin Holt | Nineteenth Century Mail-Order Bride SCAMS, Part 8. "He Met His Victim Through a Matrimonial Bureau. Evidence That Tends to Show He Was Once Preparing to Kill Mrs. Kleineberg Also." San Francisco Chronicle of San Francisco, California on June 4, 1896.

1 of 2). “He Met His Victim Through a Matrimonial Bureau. Evidence That Tends to Show He Was Once Preparing to Kill Mrs. Kleineberg Also.” San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, California on June 4, 1896.

Kristin Holt | Nineteenth Century Mail-Order Bride SCAMS, Part 8. Part 2 of 2 from San Francisco Chronicle of San Francisco, California on June 4, 1896.

2 of 2). San Francisco Chronicle of San Francisco, California on June 4, 1896.

.

How frightening that a psychopath zeroed in on a susceptible woman (or women), intentionally, and located his victims in advance through a matrimonial agency. This method seems a surefire method of locating a woman without a husband (and therefore protection).

.

A Doctor Duped: A Gullible San Diegan Taken in by a Fast Woman

.

This next tale tells of shattered dreams and shocking revelations. A generous doctor’s wedding day is interrupted by his fiancée’s flight. To his surprise, he found she’d been married three times and remained undivorced [sic]. What was the bigamist up to? A rich man to pay her millinery and dressmaker’s bills (to the tune of $1500!). And cash for her reticule too. The criminal bride also lived in high style throughout the courtship: dining out, theater seats, and many gifts.

.

Nineteenth Century Mail-Order Bride SCAMS, Part 8. "A Doctor Duped: A Gullible San Diegan Taken in By a Fast Woman." Published in the Los Angeles Herald of Los Angeles, California on October 22, 1886.

1 of 2). A Doctor Duped by a Fast Woman. Published in the Los Angeles Herald of Los Angeles, California on October 22, 1886.

2 of 2). A Doctor Duped by a Fast Woman. Published in the Los Angeles Herald of Los Angeles, California on October 22, 1886.

.

In 1886, when the unfortunate and trusting Dr. Leo Berson, paid $1,500 for his would-be bride’s bills. A costly courtship cost the doctor even more.

.

“$1,500 of 1886 dollars would be worth: $38,461.54 in 2015.”

.

~Source: Dave Manuel Inflation Calculator

.

Easy Money

.

1 of 5). “Easy Money Found by This Woman. Married Without Waiting to Get a Divorce.” Published in the Akron Daily Democrat of Akron, Ohio. Dated January 24, 1900.

Kristin Holt | Nineteenth Century Mail-Order Bride SCAMS, Part 8. Woman's operation: "...she was making a business of marrying for short periods, incidentally picking up a snug sum from each of her new husbands. She did not even both about getting a divorce between marriages." Published in the Akron Daily Democrat of Akron, Ohio on January 24, 1900. Part 2 of 5..

2 of 5). Woman’s operation: “…she was making a business of marrying for short periods, incidentally picking up a snug sum from each of her new husbands. She did not even both about getting a divorce between marriages.” Published in the Akron Daily Democrat of Akron, Ohio. Dated January 24, 1900.

.

Kristin Holt | Nineteenth Century Mail-Order Bride SCAMS, Part 8. Published in the Akron Daily Democrat of Akron, Ohio on January 24, 1900. Part 3 of 5.

3 of 5). Published in the Akron Daily Democrat of Akron, Ohio. Dated January 24, 1900.

.

Kristin Holt | Nineteenth Century Mail-Order Bride SCAMS, Part 8. Published in the Akron Daily Democrat of Akron, Ohio on January 24, 1900. Part 4 of 5.

4 of 5). The Akron Daily Democrat of Akron, Ohio. Dated January 24, 1900.

Kristin Holt | Nineteenth Century Mail-Order Bride SCAMS, Part 8. Published in the Akron Daily Democrat of Akron, Ohio on January 24, 1900. Part 5 of 5.

5 of 5). “Easy Money Found by This Woman. Married Without Waiting to Get a Divorce.” Published in the Akron Daily Democrat of Akron, Ohio. Dated January 24, 1900.

.

“$150 of 1886 dollars would be worth: $3,846.15 in 2015.“

.

~Source: Dave Manuel Inflation Calculator

.

Invitation

.

What are your thoughts about these three vastly different cases reported in 1886, 1896, and 1900?

Have you read fictional accounts in mail order bride romance novels containing any sort of a

.

Up next! Nineteenth Century Mail-Order Bride SCAMS, part 9: Some brides-elect and grooms-elect actually had their intellect about them enough to recognize when things weren’t quite right…and made prudent decisions about their course of action. The first several articles are very short, and the last one a little longer and so worth it!

.

The interested couple meet face-to-face and call it off.
A bride-elect is duped by a small brokerage… and our infamous Detective C.R. Wooldridge comes to her aid, only to find the ‘missing groom’ is none other than the bureau proprietor.
A San Jose mail-order bride apparently discovered her husband was a serious crook…

~ and last but not least ~