September 8, 1905, John H. Harris, 168 Hamlin avenue, editor and
publisher of The Pilot, a marriage agency paper, and manager of
a cheap mail order house, was raided and arrested by Detective
Wooldridge.
Among the letters seized were complaints from his patrons. They
received no returns for money paid him, and averred his paper was
being used to blackmail men and women. Complaints were also made that
many of the names which appeared in the paper were not authorized, and
other names attached to the order were forgeries.
The following is the copy of a letter dated September 1, 1906, and is
only one among hundreds of others sent out by the thousands by Harris.
Many more thousands were sent through the mail to his sub-agents, who
worked on a commission. This agent employed other agents, who started
an endless chain by copying the letter and having the friends do
likewise.
Chicago. Ill., Sept. 1, 1905.
Dear Sir:
We have a very recent application from a brown-eyed widow
of 41, medium size, musical, has no children. She informs
us that she has recently come into possession of a fortune
of over FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, and that she wishes
to marry an honest, affectionate gentleman. We also have
a recent application from a pretty, blue-eyed lady of 20,
who estimates her present means at FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS,
and her inheritance at twenty thousand dollars. Her form is
graceful, her education good, her disposition gentle and
she desires a steady, honest husband. We believe she would
start her husband in business. And to accommodate those
ladies and quickly find a husband for them we make the
following SPECIAL OFFER:
Fill out the coupon at the bottom, and send it to us with
one dollar (and six postage stamps) and enclose a sealed
and stamped letter to either or both of the ladies referred
to above. We will immediately mail your letter to the lady
or ladies, and place your name on our books, and send you a
certificate of membership for six months, and send you the
full names and addresses of the handsome widow of means,
and the handsome blue-eyed maiden of means, and also send
you a list of names and addresses of other ladies of means
and otherwise. And until you are married, or until the
end of six months, we will, on or about the first of each
month, mail you a list of descriptions, names and addresses
of ladies of means and otherwise, without application from
you or any expense to you. We have good reason to believe
that either of the ladies mentioned above would make you a
good wife, but if they do not meet your approval you can
select one who will from the stream of ladies of means
and otherwise who are constantly requesting us to secure
husbands for them, which enables us to introduce you to
those whom you would be pleased to meet with a view to
marriage.
Faithfully yours,
JOHN H. HARRIS.
_Pub. of The Pilot._
JOHN H. HARRIS,
Chicago, Ill.
Dear Sir: