Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-10-28
THRICE MARRIED.!
A FEMALE BIGANIIST
SHE FIGURES IN THREE DIVORCE CASES

SHE FIGURES IN THREE DIVORCE CASES
Extraordinary Expedition Of Her Second
Husband.
Wannall tho Wanderer-No. Seeks
No. /, whose name it was Smith, from
Florida to Alaska-Searches for two
years, and Interviews several thou
sand Smiths-Gives up in despair
Returns to Washington-Finds Smith
embrace-They fraterni2e-They join
forces to circumvent their fair enslav-
er-Papers for Divorce Case No. 3 in
Court.
James q. Smith was the name Of young
man who, shortly after the breaking out of the
rebellion, enlisted in the 18th New York volun-
teers as q private, and was promoted during
the war by being made a non-commissioned
officer. In 1868, he was wounded and was sent to
Mount Pleasant hospital, just north OF this city,
detailed to work in the carpenters gang. In
December he was in the habit of visiting a
house known as. "Auges," near the northern
terminus OF sth street, and here he became
acquainted with girl calling herself
"NRTTIE BROWN"
who was then about fifteen years old. Smith
says she stated to him that her mother had
driven her away from home on account of her
staying out at night. On the 9Th OF January,
1854, he was married to this girl by Rev. Father
Walter-she under her assumed name of Brown,
her real name being Sheldon. About ten days
afterwards, her mother. having heard that she
was married, went to the hospital and enQuired
Of some of the officers as to the character of
Smith, and, receiving for answer that he had
been q steady man, but had recently married
and subsequently took to drinking. she stated
that he had married her daughter under her
assumed name Of Brown, and she intended
January 16, she invited several parties to see
the ceremony, and the young people were
MARRIED AGAIN
ty the same clergyman who first married them
Rev. Father Walter--at st. Patrick's Church
she giving her correct maiden name this time
and they proceeded to the residence Of the girls
streets east. Here they lived for q short time.
but subsequently removed to q house near the
head OF sth street, where, It is stated, they did
not live happily together: They, however, CON
regiment was ordered home, TO be mustered out,
about May, 1864, when he proceeded to New
York, where he received his discharge, and
shortly afterwards she Joined him IN New York
city and resided with him there a few months
and then returned to Washington in
WIDOWS WEEDS,
saying poor Smith was dead. Several months
elapsed. when the disconsolate widow % dried
her tears and went into company, and while in
charge Of fancy table at q fair Mr.. Charles p
him in an artless manner that she was the widow
Of an officer, to whom she was married at noon
one day, and be receiving orders to march was
same afternoon, and she had never seen him
since, and that she was then employed in a
cloak factory.
CoCETIN9
followed, but it was carried on at other places
than her home, she telling wannall that she
was an orphan and under the guardianship OF
hav ornf -uhr
beau. She managed to meet him frequently
in defiance Of the mythical aunt-and in
August, 1895, they went to Baltimore, and on
Thomas Burrow, in that city; he giving his resi-
dence to the minister as Richmond, Va, and
she giving her name as Lettie ii. Smith, of
city, and the marriage was kept concealed for
some time, but finally was made known to
Wannali's relatives, and in due course Of time
CHILD WAS BORN,
In the summer Of '6s the child became sickly,
and as she at that time was not in good health,
she took her babe to the country. Notwith-
standing her assertions that Smith was dead,
vOrce from him, which was granted by the
court here November 1st. 1867. This fact be-
coming known to Wannall, he examined further
and satisfied himself that he had
MARRIED ANOTHER MANS WIFE.
He therefore, in August, 1868, while she was ABB
sent, filed bill for divorce, which was refused
Her bill for a divorce from James Smith, pre-
pared by Mr.. NJ. Thompson and filed on the 18th
OF January, 1885,! 1--WE and half months after
che was married to Wannall y set forth that she
was married to Smith cher maiden name being
Sheldon,) in st. Patrick's church, on the 9th
day Of January, 1868, by Rev. Father Walters,
she then beirg in her sixteenth year, and after
they had lived together nine OF ten months he
deserted her and they did not live together
afterwards; that he had been incorporate, idle
and dissOlute, and treated her with great cruelty
III ulnnh her lnv
the stairsteps, hurting her so that she was
able to speak for two or three days; that in
April he
THREATENED TO SHOOT HER,
in her fathers house, on A street north, between
Sd and 4th streets, but was prevented by her
shutting the door; and about the same time he
threatened to kill her with bayOnet, but she
escaped. And she also charged that he COM
mitted adultery in house on 9Th street. in De-
cember, 1863, and also at other times and places.
The testimony in this case was taken on the
23do April following, bv Mr. +. f. Brown, COM
missioner, the mother Catherine Sheldon) tes-
tifyiDg to the acts of cruelty, and Samuel Sheck-
ellis testified to having seen him iii a house kept
by woman named Clarke, with one OF the
girls, in December, 1865, and also in January,
1't4, with the same girl. There was no appear
ance for Smith, and Oil the first OF November,
let,, Gecree was made in the Equity Court
dissolving and annulling the marriage, giving
petitioner the right to assume her maiden name
OF sheldon, which she could not very well do,
for she had then borne the name OF
HER SECOND HUSBAND,
WanDall, more than one year.
The bill for MIR. Wannall, filed in August,
1865, sets forth that they were married in Balti-
more by Rev. Thomas Barrow, on the 31st of
August, 1866; that as the fruits of said marriage
there was one child; that she represented that
she was the widow of James q. Smith, an officer
OF the United States military service, and con-
fding in this statement he married her. AL
though he was but twenty years of age at the
time, and she some six or seven years his senior
"a fact she concealed from him. and being un-
der the control of his relatives, he gave his resi-
dence as Richmond, Va, and she her residences
as Baltimore, both desiring to
KEEP THE MARRIAGE CONCEALED
from his relations. That after they had been
married come time, reports we're in circulation
that said James q. Smith was still living, but
she insisted that they we're false, and he was
dead; that he expected to prove that Abe had
full knowledge that said Smith was living at the
time Of said marriage, and that after he fSmithl
had eerved out his time in the military service
lie went to New York, and she folio we'd him and
lived with him there for some time: that Al
though she pretended and asserted her husband
was dead q the time Of her marriage with him.
she hled bin for divorce in January, 1861, and
ne referred to the proceedings in that case CS525
he fuItber ClarOed that che Frat -, an.;ol