The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-07-23

after she had left Lagrave how much he
had stolen from her. The child had re-
ceived ten thousand dollar bond as a
present from its grandmother. This La
grave had stolen, as well as all her jewels
and bonds. Mrs. Lagrave had sold house
for $32, 900, receiving checks for $14, 900 in
part payment. Having stolen this check,
he forged her endorsement and drew the
money.
On inquiry at her bankers she learned
he had drawn check against her account
until it had been exhausted. Her silver,
which he had once tried to beat her into
giving up, she had sent to the State De-
posit Company, and that was saved; and
that was all. She had been robbed of $70,-
600. She afterwards learned that her
wedding ring had been her own property
before her marriage, and that Lagrave had
stolen it and had the stone reset, giving it
back as wedding gift. She also heard of
losses of diamonds by others which she
now had reason to suppose had been stolen
by the same flend with whom she had
lived. Under advice of her brother-in-law,
she began proceedings for divorce, Mr..
John Graham being retained as counsel.
The lawyer set to work for points on
which to ground his suit for divorce.
Detectives hunted proof, and the suit was
begun. The proceedings were placed in
charge of referee, who began taking tes-
timony. Meanwhile the detectives kept at
work, and they learned that Lagrave had
been married before. The clue was traced
back to the record of marriage, and follow
ing it the detectives learned that the first
wife was living. Little by little the story
unfolded itself, and when put to gether ran
thus:
The first wife was Miss Kitty Bird,
daughter of ]. d. Bird, the Broadway hat
ter. Lagrave became acquainted with her,
captivated and secretly married her. He
persuaded her to keep the fact from her
parents, and she did so. She lived at home,
and though she was his wife, she never
gave up the secret, for she adored her hus-
band and blindly obeyed him. When La
grave married Miss Bird he expected to
gain fortune. This he failed to do, for
her property was so placed that he could
not command it.
1t was some time after this that he met
Evelyn Beals. He was struck with her
beauty and covetous of her wealth. He re-
solved to marry her. He presented himself
as single man, and the success of his suit
has already been told. To accomplish his
purpose he must be divorced from his wife,
and he at once proposed to her a separation.
She would not listen to him. She loved
him and could not give him up.
He persisted in his request with cold
blooded pertinacity. Miss Bird was an es-
timable woman, but Lagrave's influence
over her was SO great that she dared not re-
veal the situation to her parents, and SO
she suffered in silence. At last the day ap-
pointed for his marriage to Miss Beals
being near at hand, he forced his lawful
wife to consent to the separation and to
begin proceedings for divorce from him
on the ground of adultery. A divorce was
obtained, and Lagrave married Evelyn
Beals a few days after the entry of the
decree.
Here is revealed one of the most inhu-
man acts in the villains career. Miss Bird
still loved him. She was weak woman,
he was powerful man, and she blindly did
his bidding. After his marriage to Evelyn
Beals, Lagrave brought about an acquaint-
ance between her and Miss Bird. What
object could have served is unknown. More
likely the act was prompted by the innate
devilishness OF the man. Miss Bird visited
often at Lagrave's house. Evelyn liked
her, and the two soon became intimate.
Miss Bird dared not tell who she was
and IL had dared her love for her husband
and her desire to shield him would doubt
less have sealed her lips, Evelyn had nc
secrets. She was an impulsive woman,
and in trouble. A friend was boon tC
her and this was the woman to whom she
poured out her sorrows. She never dream.
ed that Miss Bird was married, much lesi
that she was the wife of her tormentor.
In this way the drama was played through
all the acts of the dreary years and 1t wal
not until the separation from Lagraye thai
Evelyn knew that her companion and con
fidant had been the wife of the man who
tortured her. The shock was too mucl
for her, and with shattered health she wen
abroad with her mother to seek rest anc
new life in Europe. fNHA
When her counsel learned Of the exis
tenca of the first wife ha saw of conraa