Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-18
LOCAL NE w s.
ADVENTURES OF A BIGlMOUS CLERK,
Neds n Girl of Siyteen


after Three Years Absence Sac Returns 20 tsis
CITY and Dsoorers HIS Perfdy-4 Heart
PENDING Scene at tse Home Of Wife No. l.
Tao Tr0 Itcfths Con frost AS Clerical BOrenite
IN HIS Office = He SuPptiodfes for Mercy and
WIFE No. Relents-<xke Returns 30 NeW York
VITA Pref. q HIS cri~e-WiH tas Cylinder 90
We have a sad story to te,-"an DER tree
tale and one, which, while it must stir up
general indignation against the villain who has
blasted two lives and broaght di-grace upon him
self and his innocent children, must melt the
hearts Of all who read IL with pity for the vic
tins OF his base duplicity. For the sake of the
ladies and children concerned We suppress names
for the present The time may come when jus
tice will Overtake the latter, when necessarily
the exposure will be made.
RAILROAD FLIETATIoS.
In order that the history of the case may be
Clearly understood we viii go back to the year
-1S63. Sometime during that year an old gentle
man with his granddaughter, whom we will call
Jennie l., beautiful girl of about seven
teen. was travelling on a railroad train from
CIestliIe, Ohio, II his home in New York. When
the train was near Pittsburgh a collision oc-
Cured, which detained it TOR several hours.
While waiting for the train TO start the old gem
tlemsn and his grand daughter became engaged
In COnyersa ion with a young German lieutenant
OF an Ohio regiment, and twas soon evident that
nc onecI was quite smltten with the charms OF
Miss Jennie, who, young and artless, entered
with Zest into decided Irritation. The result
was an =
EXCHANGE OF CARDS
and n request fiOm the young lieutenant for
permission to correspond with her on his return
10 The seat of war. This request was thou ght-
lessly granted, aud a correspondence, especially
ardent on his part, followed In January OF the
kame year be visited her while sac was staying
with some relatives in New York city, and there
PROPOSED MARRIAGE.
He represented himself as a gentleman of prop
eTty, and averred that he was in the Union
Army solely fTCm patriotic desire to serve his
adopted country against her enemies. In the
meantime Miss Jennie discovered that she had
mistaken a passing liking for the man for love,
and hcsitated about bestowing her hand where
her heart was not. In fact, she considered the
young officer acceptable simply as a gallant, but
he failed to come up to
HER IDEAL OF HUSBAND.
She therefore put him of from time to time
much against the wishes of her mother, cher
father being dead, y who urged the match a
very desirable one. The young officer, whom
lest ? limb at Winchester, on the 18th OF Sep
fember, 1854, been promoted to a captaincy and
brevetted lieutenant colonel for gallant ser
yices,) well know ing the influence OF the mother
over the daughter, Piled his suit in that direc-
ton. and filled her mind with delightful visions
of the future should Jennie become his wife.
The widow was poor, and listened to his repre-
sensations with great interest Filled with the
belief that his marriage with her daughter would
Int them from poverty TO sfifuenee, she urged
mel Jennie, however, had formed an attach
mt for another gentleman, and finally gave a
decided refusal to the young officer: Ii was OF
no use, Colonel Z persisted in his suit, and
the mother daily chided her daughter for re-
fpsing hat she considered
A MOST ELIGIBLE MATCH.
At last, in ut of desperation, she concluded to
accept the offer, and they were married on the
Sd OF June, 1861, in New York city. by the Rev.
Mr. Curry, of the Jayne-street Methodist
Church.
THE COLONEL BECOMES A GOVERNMENT CLERK.
In the meantime Colonel Z had left the
army and entered one of the Departments OF the
government in this city a clerk. His services
IN the army richly merited recognition, and,
besides, he was gentleman of education and
possessed OF unusual clerical aptness. At the
time Of his marriage with Jennie he occupied
the position OF a third-class clerk which he still
brOusht
ms YorSG AND BEAUTIFUL BRIDE
to this city, and for "A few months nothing oc-
CURED TO mar their enjoyment of domestic life,
except his occasional indulgence in strong drink.
Although her love for her husband not a
deep-seated passion, she entertained a sincere
feeling Of respect ard affection for him, and de-
ttfmII cd that she would not fail in any wifely
duty; she amiable and industrious; was an
excellent house keeper, and endeayOTed in every
way u reform his habits. From month to month,
however,
NJ GREW MORE DIssIPArEp,
and fTegue nfly at the end OF the month, after
paying IaIt Of his bills would find himself ac-
tUaliy in ia bt and with NO money 20 furnish his
wife with which to defTay necessary household
expenses. When taken 10 task for .his prOdiGal
EXPENDITURES he invariably had some excuse, a
favorite one being that he sent large sum to his
brother.
RUMoRs OF ANOTHER WIFE.
e Months OF systematic i'll treatment followed,
and his wife despairiDg of his reformation finally
concluded TO abandon him altogether since he
no longer provided for her maintenance. And
here We may state that they had children.
She had heard rumoTs TO the effect that he had
another wife living, but a. low as he had sunk
i'm her estimation she would not believe it. ON
several Occasions, however, she made attempts
at investigation, but in every case failed to find
any foundation for the reports. -.e.
SHE ABANDoNs HIM.
Under the pretext of visiting her mother for a
1G6s, with the firm intention of never returning,
at least not as his wife, since she had been en-
tirely alienated by his ill treatment. Finding
that she had no idea OF returning, the Colonel
obtained a leave of absence in September, and
went to Sullivan county, n. Y, where his wife
was then living with her mother to endeayor her
10 return - Washington.
HEwEPT, PLEAD, AND BEGGED,
but 10 no avail; she remained firm IN her
determination; and finally he ended by getting
gloriOusly drunk, threatening murder, suicide,
wards returned To Washington, although he con-
tinued TO write to her, using every argument to
his letters unopened, and he then commenced
correspondence with her mother and brothers,
but all was unayailing.
THE WEE IN WASHINGTON.
On Thursday last the wife cameto Washing
ton to ascertain il her husband had obtained
divorce, 10 which he was Of course entitled, by
reason other abandonment. Staying with some
friends ON 18th street, she began investigating,
and found that he had taken no steps in that d.
rection. On Saturday she heard a report that
the Colonel was living in the northern section OF
the city with young girl whom he called his
daughter.
A HEART-RENDING SCENE.
Fully believing that he was living with another
woman, whom he passed OF as his daughter, she
ascertained the number of his house, and on
going there was met at the door BY pretty miss
of sixteen OF seventeen, of whom she inquired
" Are you Col. Is laughter" al am"
" Do you keep house for him?' "No, nam;
mother keeps house" At this juneture a woman
about forty years Of age, ON whose face sorrow
had left its fndelible traces, appeared and asked
what was wanted. - Are YOU the hOusekeeper of
Col. TT" inquired the lady from New York.
a. i am not only the housekeeper of Col. .,
but am his wife" 80 His wife or how many
years." Z" Hin wife OF twenty years,- Ii is I'M
necessary 10 describe the scene that ensued.
Explanations followed, by which il appears that
wife No. was married to Col. q in Ohio
nearly twenty years, ago and by him has had
four children, three of whom are living, viz: A
young lady IN her seventeenth year, and two
boys, aged respectively ten ami fourteen years.
At the breaking out OF the war her husband en-
listed in the amy, and as she did not hear from
him -o.i -s.-t
SHE BELIEVED HIM DEAD
until June, is6S, when she learned through a
friend that he alive and i'm Washington.
She thereupon set out for this city arriving here
about the time that wife No. 2 abandoned her