The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-01-25 00:00:00

ANOTIIEt E/40CH • ARDEN CASE IN
AMERICA.

The RoehetterVpress ITS.) of the 2nd inst. says
An Enoch Arden case has recently occurred here, in
which one woman was claimed as a lawful wife by
two hushande i each of whom had been legally mar-
ried to her—the last marriage taking place when the
first humbtend was believed to be dead. As the story
is told, the facts are these: Two young men were
very friendly to each other. One of them had a wife,
for whom lie cherished all of a loving husband's re-
gard; the other was an ardent student and experi-
menter in scientific matters, and a bachelor, having
devoted hiunseff to perfecting a scientific instrument ,
to demonstrate a formula which he had conceived in
his mind. On the outbreak of the war the young on Saturday last the Registrar of the Chelmsforn
married than went into the army, and before doing no County Court held a sitting for the examination of
exacted from his frieml a promise that in case he was debtors then detained in the Essex County Gaol,
slain and never returned he (the friend at home) would Among those who presented themselves for examine-
marry his wife iind give her a permanent home and tion upon their own petitions to be adjudicated bald,
support. With this assurance that his wife wae pro- rupts was Matilda Griggs, aged seventeen, the young
vided for, the soldier went to the war. After a while, woman who at the beginning of last year was the
report came that he %VW killed in battle, and his wife victim of what was then popularly known as the
mourned for her lost husband, lie aid not return, at Buckhurst-hill tragedy. The warrant explained that
all. events, even at the end of the war, and after a sine was detained in custody to satisfy .a claim by the
Clue space was given to mourning, the promise given Crown of 1:40, the amount of recogntsances entered
to the absent and supposcd-tonbe deceased soldier was into by her to appear and prosecute the person who
fulfilled ; the widow became the wife of the husband's attscked her; and she was arrested "by order of the
find, and their joy was crowned by the birth of a Barons of the Queen's Exchequer because she did not
handsome child, on which the parents donated. appear at the Central Criminal Court to prefer a bill
There is another incident in this so far simple of indictment, and prosecute the law with effeet
tale, ssixich gives it greater interest. Soon against Frederick Alexander Watkins for felony, as
after the soldier marched to the South, the student she was bound to do by her recognizance." In reply
was taken sick in his forlorn dormitory, and he wan to the Registrar, the debtor gave the following ac-
believed by his' kind physician to be very near to count of what had occurred :
death's door. lie • must have carreful and constant She stated that her father, who is very poor, Is a well-
nursing, or most inevitably die, with the longing of sinker at Buckhurat hill. Sheba. no sisters, but one brother.
his soul unfulfilled. In this emergency, the soldier's When she was sixteen years of age she made the acquaint-
wife, who was earning her livelihood by mewing, WM axes of Frederick Alexander Watkins, and was engaged to
call-d in. She went tifthe lodgings of the young man he married en him. About Usarteen nionths ago she gave
birth to a child of which he aas the father, and he came
a I 'hick in the centre of the city—and there nursed regularly to see her after that time. When the child was
him throttgis the fever, and back to convalescence and alsnt three months obi he called upon her one evening, and
labour. In this way, the larly had established a claim they west out for a walk together In the emirie f their
on her own part to the fulfilment of the pledge given ramble they had a dispute, gond he stabbed her with a dagger
tn friendship for her husband. The marriage, as we in thirteen places, leaving her for dead. After Watkins had
Hee staid, wan duly conaumtnated. and neither party left her she recovered consciousness and !Tole llvtranylfroox
Ii reason for regret. since fate had taken away—as:efe!riaarrth4letrho: iler,e:tt= Vmh,7BTri.itTet 7,liu:iie re the'ate
they supposedv,-the former consort. Now comes the tempted murder was committed, and they followed her to
conclusion : A short time since the long-absent soldier the place where she fell the second time. When she fell
reappeared, explained the reason nnf his long absence down the two calves lay down, one on each side id her, arid
(the circumstance which detained him we have not their warmth kept heat other, or she musthhave ili,elf7imn
I earned), and claimed his wife. The second husband the odd of the night and li.se of blood. S e was f 1
was loth to surrender d
his wife, who was the mother of that codndition on the following monies. The reason why
ahe i net appear to prosecute was because she thought
his child also, and he declined to give her up. The that without her evidence Watkins would not be convicted,
question as to which had the best right to the woman although she had deposed to the facts when it was supposed
was submitted to a legal tribunal, and on Ow last day she was dying. She had promised In a letter written to