The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-29
The vin.snv or Shirt, u.lism.



LAAENTABLE CASE OF DEsKRTIoN AND WRONG.
from the Chicago Times, Oct is.
In the Superior Court yesterday, before the Hon Grant
one Of the most remarkable cases or evil DOING growing
oat o. prsnastic humbug which has been develop
weak heads with their ridiculous knockngs.
The writ Issued upon the petition OF Mrs. Charlotte
LOUIS. Holmes praying the court TO award her the cuso-
~ q ee children detained in the possession OF her hns
band, William Holmes also for an injunction upon said
William to restrain him from selling or otherwise dis
posing OF MS estate until decree shall providing for
tho support Of the wife and children and also writ OF
nc eedt yspabca to restrain said William from goin4
have been determined.
From the petition and accompanying documents we are
enabled to present history Of this remarkable Of
spiritual delusion and wrong doing
William Holmes merchant in the city Of Troy,
New York. man Of reported wealth, and lived in aaluent
style with his family ut - Third street He married
TO Charlotte Louisa December 8, 1892 at Albany N "
by the Rev Mr. Kipp tnow Bishop Kpp). For ten years
,hey lived happily !Sseher all the time except two
Of this union, one Of which is dead.
In 1858 Holmes became interested in g Spruaism,"
and joined the sect OF fanatics by that name His
interest in their charatan proceedings grew with all that
he witnessed Of them until he became believer and
joined their sect From this time his Kindness 10 his wife
oegan 70 aminsh and soon marked change in his de
meanor took place He had frequent sprhal circes
a. ms own house ana kept one or more female me
duns constantly about him. ready at his bidding to
woke spirits from the Vastly deep of insane credulity
In the fall Of 1853, Holmes discontinued business m
Troy and removed to Beloit Wisconsin, where he pur-
chased farm and brought his wife and family 70 reside
For the farm was paid the Of $4,000. In thsr
place Mrs. Holmes fondly hoped the demon Of "Sprua
is'ic affinity would not follow them; but her hopes
doomed to disappointment The conduct OF Holmes grew
most daily more outrageous He became great scof1er
at religion and would wax violently angry if his wiic or
Of the family attended upon the of The church
He kept medium at bis house, and invited there all
the spirituasfic vagabonds TO be found in the neigb
hood Yet for the sake OF their children, the wife and
mother bore bravey under the heavy load Of domes
tic trouble hoping still that the time would when
change should take place for the better.
The family remained together in Beloit until December,
1858 Some time prior to this date, Holmes made quilt
claim deed OF small piece Of land TO power
pany they desiring to overflow it, Mrs. Holmes examined
and readily signed the deed for the purpose specified
Afterward, and shortly before he left the place,
Holmes came to his wife day with the statement that
the water power company wanted warranty deed Of the
piece Of land mentioned. He produced such q deed,
which she examined found that described the same
rac: previously quit claimed. She accordingly
sign it. Holmes took the paper from her hand aud
she preceded him into adjoining room where notary
| was in waiting TO take her Acknowledgement. Holmes
came in and placed the deed partly folded the table
for her 10 sign. Without suspicion Of wrong, she affixed
her signature and signed the acknowledgment which
certified by the notary. Holmes then took the paper
away
On the 23d of December last Holmes to Troy
for the purpose OF engaging again in business taking with
The other children remain with their mother in
Beloit until the first of May following, when they
remove to Troy. Holmes went into the mercantile bust
ness with his brother n-law Homer n Lockwood, under
the title OF Lockwood, Holmes Il Co." He also found
a"spritnasic affinity in the person Of Ms. Raney,
who Is said TO have absconded from her husband
in Illinois account Of lack Of such affinity He con-
nued however, to correspond with his wife, whose let
him were fraugh with love and Affection calcula
ted to win back his former affection for her. But
the poison OF basphemous and indecent nfaGaon had
spread through fibre Of his heart and transformed
its once pure desires to oathsome usts In letter dated
March O. 1852 TO sy wife y then at Belot he makes the
formal proposition that they separate. He that
during their sixteen years Of marriagei they have both
lived the very condition Of slavery that exists
the face Of the earth-matrimonial bondage" He
lie
that all their feelings disposition, temperament, &c, &C.
of opposite natures and that for chem to live
gether again. with any assimilation some Of should be
made over OF very different materials" He proposes
settle their "business affair." (separaon in ga business
manner" and wishes her to the amount of pro-
| pery she will take her share-of this he treats
at length. He declares that he will be rejoiced TO
hear Of her marriage with person who viii be her
husband but he says he will marry again. He de-
cares that marriage Of the present day only censed
adultery and he will not add TO his present weight Of
| We can imagine the pain with which this unfeelng
epstle must have visited the heart Of true and aec-
the opening Of the next letter from him. infer was
written in tone Of noble forbcarance. probably in the
hope that all yet not lost. Such hope, however
must have disappeared upon perusal Of the following
brutal letter.
Mr. wrE-Your letter Of the Goth inst. TO hand
yesterday, and in reply must say you do az do moi
know what to say as II is plainly to be you
you always have been in condition that you do not un
derstand my motives. am sorry deceived you when
last with you was unintenonal, and only inform
you that you sadly mistaken between attention aud
affection. We are martyrs Of legal sensuaity, which
you deceive yourself for love- know it is So and
are committing a crime against the s.higher law
I OF our own souls, the penalty Of which is dis
| astrous and inevitable, and that our intercourse
not prompted by mutual love; is positive adultery,
and the sanction Of priest passion no
source of justification that will render private vice public
virtue II is but the fiery seat Of the animal Of the
swear will suffer for that SIM deceive you
any longer that love- and that the rock on which
we split which leads you TO think We did once have
wish had the words to express you my idea the
purity Of love and the beauty of the true nupta relation
Not housekeeping social humdrum, common place re-
aon for purposes Of physical comfort and
venence but that nupal union which soul to
| sou-tender, loving deep, steady, immutabe, divine
The true woman, therefore, with all the depth of her
Affections yearns for congena home the sanctuary Of
mans nature; while the man, with the strength OF
might and the tenderness of child, seeks to identify his
souls destiny with one embodied in the form OF woman
all this there nothing but crude poetry to him her
whose attractions sensual but the heart such
will touch the key note to which its every chord earfy
and gratefully responds; it is interchangeable with time and
eternity; 1t is not once love and then hate.
My dear madam, just look at lives, and trace il
through its many turns, and believe you will realize
cerned. Yet strove to be happy We endeavored to
assimate to each other and to become entirely congo
the fearful chasm which, spite of all efforts continu
ally widened between us. And thus we have lived
from year to year. calling each other "husband" aud
wie" while hearts hrobbed with agony the pro-
| family Of those holy words
Oh how weary am Of this controversy The godsl
the accursed masma and be with my dear children what
bliss would be mine. am unfit for life and business in
this condition. You do not and cannot understand me.
have just read over your letter. and it is but the oft
peated tale Of years could have told It all to you word
for word, before received it, and closed up with that
fearful tale Of crossing the river Jordan. read your
very soul and its promptngs know am actuated by
the purest motives for mutual benefit and happness
but you do not 0eeve me- The power all rests between
ourselves You do not see it, and therefore oppose it,
Opposition is your motto 44.n
Our experience has teached us beyond doubt that we
cannot live peacefully in the marriage relation, and
should have honor and humanity sufficient to the
relations Of sister and brother it is al! ask Why do
you call it "haefug Is happiness hateful? Then am
unacquanted with the term. Then you tell me II will
give Anna my love and confidence, she will return in
time, and charge with t'what must expect from
those in whom put trust" For Gods sake breathe
donabe; it's accusation will receive from you or
else; arouses the most desperate feelings with
in me. That position will relieve you and Of each other
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