FULL TEXT: Four women in hysterics or on the verge of collapse gave United States Marshal Stockham and his deputies plenty to do in resuscitation when Mrs. Carrie Lanahan appeared yesterday before Commissioner Supplee for a hearing on a charge of receiving money from the Government as the wife of a soldier whom she married while she had a husband living.
Mrs. Lanahan was the first one of the quartet to be
overcome. She was highly nervous and wept when taken before the Commissioner. Then
she fainted, thereupon her cousin, Mrs. Mamie Markland, 1767 North Gay street,
screamed and fainted also. This was too much for Mrs. Markland’s sister. Mrs. Ella
Knorrs, 1763 North Gay street, and she became hysterical, as did another woman
who accompanied them.
Mrs. Lanahan is the wife of Walter W. Lanahan and lived with
him at 1618 North Bradford street. Some time last November she became acquainted
with Sergt. Virgil W. Hiller, of the Twenty-third Engineers, then stationed at
Camp Laurel, and on November 25 they went to Annapolis and were married. As the
supposed wife of Sergt. Hiller the accused became entitled to $15 a month of
his pay and $15 a month from the Government.
For the purpose of concealing her alleged bigamous marriage,
Mrs. Lanahan is charged with having her mail sent in care of Mrs. Markland, 1707
North Gay street. On April 1, it is alleged, she cashed a check for $76 from
the Government, and May 23 another check for $30, spending the money. She was
arrested by bigamy after an investigation by Headquarters Detectives Kahler and
Kratz.
L. Meriweather Smith, solicitor for the War Risk Insurance
Board, came from Washington to prosecute the case. He said that there have been
reports from all over the country of attempts to defraud by obtaining soldiers’
pay, but this was the first prosecution on that charge.
[“Held On Fraud Charge – Woman Faints When Taken Before
Commissioner. – Companions Near Collapse – Alleged War Bigamist To Be
Prosecuted On Charge Of Obtaining Money As Wife Of Soldier.” The Sun
{Baltimore, Md.), Jun. 1, 1918]
[418-8/21/21]
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Read the several-part "Baby-Farmers" article I believe you linked to in a recent AVFM comment stream. I am astounded. I would like to ask you some questions by e-mail as to how the subject might effectively be incorporated into a novel I've just outlined (whose "theme" is in large part a sister-topic to such "farming" and could easily be widened in that direction). wholebrainarts-at-verizon-dot-net
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