One of the most successful operators who ever invaded Chicago with
matrimonial schemes was one John Carson, who, on April 8, 1908, was
fined $1,000 and costs for misuse of the United States mails after
he had plead guilty to the charge, which was preferred by Inspector
Ketcham.
Carson, at one time or another, operated no less than eighteen
concerns of this nature. He was first discovered in 1902 in Chicago by
Detective Wooldridge, operating no less than five matrimonial and fake
concerns simultaneously. These concerns were:
The Loretta Matrimonial Publishing Co., 98 Ogden Ave.
The Unida Matrimonial Publishing Co., 408 Ogden Ave.
Mr. John's Matrimonial Publishing Co., 565 West Madison St.
Mr. J. C. Hills Matrimonial Agency, 565 West Madison St.
The Chicago Mutual Securities Co., a Chicago Medicine
concern, 567 W. Madison St.
Carson evaded arrest and fled to St. Louis, where he was shortly
afterward arrested by the postal authorities and sentenced to eighteen
months in the State Penitentiary at Jefferson City, in addition to a
fine of $500.