Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1872-12-19
A Great Sensation mt FeIln.
a Prominent Citizen Elopes wsth a
LddY Friend.

For the last few days the air has
been filed with reports, now certain
ty, in relation to the fall Of one of the
most prominent men of Pella, and his
with fair damscl. false as
well as fair.
Our pen almost refuses to write The
name of the fallen one, and il by any
possible means the dark record which
he has thus made for himself. and still
darker and hopeless path which he has
chosen to tread:conld be erased or COW
er ed from human eyes, this duty
would and should be taken from us.
Letters from Pella, confirm reports,
and evidence which admits of no
doubt, compels us to say that James
ii. Better, editor of the Pella Blade.
and postmaster at PelIa, in total dis
regard of his obligations as man who
had been honored and esteemed by all
who knew him-and of the claims of
wife and children, has chosen the road
to ruin, and in his course goes attend
ed by a young but guilty siren.
Several weeks since, Mr.. Better left
Pella. with the ,ostensible purpose of
visiting friends in Illinois, and the
promise of returning in few days.
Before leaving, we are informed that
he borrowed several hundred dollars
and also, we understand appropriated
a large amount of money belonging to
the government, and which came into
his hands as postmaster. Having
overstayed his time in Illinois, dis.
patch was sent to the point where he
was to visit, and the return enclosed
the fact that he had not been there at
all. This was the FIRST intimation had
of the fact that something was wrong.
A gentleman of Pclla hearing of the
trouble. disclosed the fact that he had
seen Mr.. b. at Pekin, Illinois, in COM
pany with young lady, and from the
fact that Better represented the lady
to be his relative he did not suspicion
anything wrong. 1t has since leaked
out that the young lady met Mr.. B. at
Keokuk, and from that point they trav
eled as man and wife, and will contin-
ue to so travel we suppose, until their
dark race is run.
We have heard several stories in re-
gard to the guilty intimacy between
Mr.. Better and the Young lady who
has Joined him i'm this last act Of des-
peration. One who pretends to know
tells us that about two years ago.. Mr..
b. noticing a personal" in an eastern
paper, written by young lady, desir-
ing to correspond with some gentle
man. answered the "want." not think
ing perhaps that anything would
come of the venture. He received an
answer from the young lady, and from
that time on for several months, letters
were written between the two, photo
graphs were exchanged. aud so wild
did Mr.. b. become that he visited New
York, tile home of ,,iis fair cnchantress.
aud persuaded her to .tgo West" She
came west. plying her occupation as a
Music Teacher, houyislse2rsery exten-
sively n ksokuk, Eddy vile, and other
places.
Last winter Mr.. Better went TO Des
Moines. accompanied by blooming
damsei. certainly not more than eigh-
years of age, bright, talkative, and an
accomplished musical performer. Her
rosy checks, flashing eye, and dark
cnrls, caused more than one member
of the Legislature to envy Mr.. Better.
The two stopped at the Jones House ;
he, in his proper name; she as Miss
.kish from New York. Every one was
delighted with her mastcrly perform
ances ON the piano. All went well
with Jim and his gay companion. The
Register announced the coming Of the
two to the Capital city. and both visit
.,1 - ", House nd vt-n,. kf :
edly interested i'll the deliberations Of
the Senate and House. John w. Jones
the landlord, though suspicious. had
his misgivings allayed by the boldness
of the game played. James was given
a bed in the room occupied by State
Binder Smart, then at home in Water
loo. Night came, and so came Mr..
Smart. unexpectedly to all. Going to
his room he crswled into bed, calmly
as a new born babe, and snoozed the
weary hours away. About day-break
his resi- was broken BY some one
seeking entrance into his chamber.
Not like the raven ofPoe, came the
gentle knock. knock, knocking at the
chamber door: but as burglar turns
the knob, so turned the knob of that
portal In answer to tho demand,
sswho's there" very meek and gentle
voice answered and begged ad,nittance
Mr.. Smart arose and unfastened the
door, and in walked Jim Better,
boots in hand. He had been delvine
in other pools, and grazing on richer
pasturage than the bachelor apart
mcnts offriend Smart. In fact he had
occupied No. SO, with Miss Fish. Of
New York, aud having calmly "rock.
ed her to sleep, mother he stole quiet.
ly, like the Arab away--to bed in his
own room.
The cat was out Of the bag. Tc
make long story short, the same gay
fascinating beauty, who accompanied
Mr. Il. to Des Moines, now goes with
him on the road 10 destruction
We are Informed that secret draw
ers about the Btdde0ffice has been op
ened since Mr.. B's departure, and let
ters found, written by Miss Fish. II
them she Threatens her victim, ant
they disclose the fact that a weakness
had taken possession of Mr.. Better
which he was entirely unable to throw
Off. Blackmailing has been going OF
| for sometime, and at last, not salts
fed with squandering his means, tn,
| wanton girl has forever destroyed th'
peace of one who has fallen victim
| to her wiles.
Mr.. Better leaves wife and seyera
children To mourn the fate Of hus
band and father, which would hav
been thousand times better off
death had claimed him.
| We do not know what the creditor
OF Mr.. Better, will 10 about the mat
ter. We do not know what should b
done. The whole affair is very strang
and greatly to be deplored. Mr..
has always sustained high reputation
for honesty, aud we suppose that W
can but take this as another evidenc
of the power efwoman. A few shor
months, or Years, and where win the
both be. And who can think of tn
deserted wife and children withou
dropping a tear over the weakness q
our poor human nature Mdriol
County Dem.
The Spanish are delighted becaus
the system of trial by jury is to go int
operation throughout the Kingdom o
the ist of Dccember. When they hav
found out the degree OF imbecilit
which il is possible for u Jury to attain
and have had few instances of emo