DON JUANS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 119, 12 January 1932, Page 2

DON JUANS

LIGHTNING BIGAMISTS ONE SHOT BY ANGRY FATHER OF DUPED ■ WOMAN STEA-LS MONEY AND JEWELLER After having contracted something like- seventy " bigamous marriages Chas. Boyles, a white-haired old man, 70 years of age, was recently arrested in Baltimore (states a writer in thp Liverpool "Weekly Post"). It is doubtful if there has been a "lightning bigamist" to equal ' this : elderly Don Juan. Apart from his j seventy "marriages," hundreds of women' have been robbed hy him of their money and jewellery with which he would decamp before, the day fixed for the wedding. One ' of the most amazing eharacters of this description wliose exploits . literally girdled the earth and left broken hearts and rifled pockets in every country was the repulsive-look-ing Karl Weizenhoff. In England Weizenhoff's career was abruptly intqhrupted at Bristol. Through a malrimonial agency he received hundreds of replies to his stock advertisement : "Rieh young foreigner, musical and cultured, | would like to meet simple but charming English girl. Honourable." A young lady who narrowly escaped the snare disclosed her intending'nlafrage to a lawyer. The bride-groom-to-be was curiously insistent copcerning her fortune, and the lawyer made discreet inquiries. W'hile his career in BefTin and Paris was being pieced together Scotland Ysird go"t on his track owing to his desertion of a girl in Bristol. His arrest and the subsequent unveiling of the exploits -of this "lightning bigamist" — for he married a girl in Bath, another in Cheltenham, and so every few days — came as a' fearful shock to the young lady, who had such a narrow escape, and she became a sadder though wiser woman with regard to "fascinating men." Dr. Moran's Exploits The astounding escapades of Dr. Moran remain to this day an outstanding case in criminology. It was In connection with this astute "Don Juan" that an entirely innocent man was arrested and charged by Mr. Conquest, the famous detective. Dozens of women came forward at Bow Street and swore the accused "man was "Moran," while the police and even the magistrate thought there was no question about it. The wrongfully arrested man, Sydney Egan, was, however, eventually able to prove his innocence. Dr. Moran's career was somewhat wrapped in mystery. It was never established whether he was an Irish physiciaii or had stolen the papers of a dead doctor. A tall and strikingly handsome man, he very much resembled another medical Don Juan, the infamous Dr. Pritchard, of Glasgow, hanged for poisoning his.wif-e and mother-in-law. Both men had long, lustrous black hair and full beards, with large roving eyes and a fine white skin, and both dressed well. It was in 1887 that Moran first descended upon London. He pretended to be a man of independent means, a bachelor, looking for a "kind and tender wife." Women Dupes That he had money on arrival in London there was no question. For afterwards it was discovered he had "married" nine women in America, and had fleeced them all. With this capital he commenced the "business" of deception in London. The "doctor" was introduced to a wealthy New Zealand lady, a widow. Her age was uncertain ; he afterwards spitefully said she was sixty, but on the record of the bigamous match he contracted with her she gave her age as thirty-one. From this woman he obtained £2000 wortli of jewels, £8000 in cash, transferred from her London bank account, and many valuable securities. With a master stroke the gay deceiver left a letter behind when he decamped saying he was "sore pressed by difficulties he could not disclose." The woman's heart yearned for her mysterious and tender lover, and she engaged a private detective to find him. He, however, failed. Still Adored By a remarkable coincidence the very day the love-sick woman was driving in a cab to the station to return to New Zealand, she caught sight of a regal figure walking majestically along the pavement. It was Moran. Without hesitation she stopped the cab and alighted. Running up to the false "bridegroom" she burst into tears. At first he meditated flight; b'ut gradually it dawned upon him that "his own true wife" (as she persisted in believing herself) still regarded him with adoration. He did not tell her that the day before he had contracted another "marriage" at the Strang Registry Office in the name of "Seymour Mortimer" with a young lady who was something of an heiress. This bride was at the very time waiting for him at a Kensington mansion, where he had taken a luxurious suite of rooms. In all it is known that Dr. Moran contracted over thirty "marriages." Was he mad or simply bad? It is difficult to say. But all his victims atested to his silken kindness, xomantic manner of making love, and his tendern'ess for their welfare. That is, during the ten days he usually allowed for the idyll. Moran was never captured. He eventually made his way to America, and there pursued his female victims. His luck ran out at last. Eloping with a young girl in Philadelphia, he was hunted by the infuriated father. Drawing a pistol, the latter shot the doctor who died instantly. A verdict, based on the higher law of "guilty under provocation," freed the parent. The notorious "Mr. Gordon" arrived in London in 1922. By birth an Australian, he had been a waiter and afterwards a valet to a prince in Hungary. There he had received a veneer of culture that enabled him to be quite at home among wealthy people. A wonderful linguist, and : andeniably handsome in a florid fash- : ion; he deserted his wife and eight children in Vienna and started to • rove in search of romance. After "marrying" and deserting : several rich women in Berlin and ■

Paris he came to London. At a fashionable hotel 'he encountered a rich lady of mature years. In a few hours a friendship had sprung up. He ascertained she was both wealthy and lonely. Weaving his spells, "within three days they were engaged, and by special license1 were married at the Henrietta street Registry Office. Jewels Vanish He suggested a honeymoon in Paris. Prior to this she had given him a thousand pounds as his "vast oil interests in Rumania" called for all his available resources. Her jewellery she handed over "for safe keeping." When all was ready for the journey, he begged she would stay in the apartment while he saw the luggage off. She waited, until at last the bitter truth' came home to her; she had been victimised by a elever swindler. But barely twelve months had elapsed before once again "Mr. Gor- . don" returned to London. This time he called himself "James Harrow." As before he put up at the best hotel in London. Quiet and courteous, distributing lavish tips, it did not occur to anyone that "Mr. Harrow, merchant and banker," was anything but what he claimed to ,be. . \ He repeated his former coup al- i most to.the letter. A young widow, j very rich and with a roving forid- j ness, was staying at the hotel. She j was bored, and it was not long be- j fore she found in "Mr. Harrow" an j ideal companidn. A talk of love came j quickly; then a marriage; with the j fchorough stripping of her property. i Her jewels, valued at £5000, were j stolen by the man while the trusting \ woman slept. "