The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-01-05
ract str.nrcr than Ftssaon.

Fact stranger than Fiction. "a
California has compound perplexity
composed of q person named Oades, who 10
described as gentleman OF good education
and address, who has proved hlnseI 70 pe
more practical than romantic, and VINO nnds
himself justified by tho new law code ol the
State, by which poiygamy has been lawfully
established, to the great astoniShment OF the
lawyers and the scandal Of n bucolic COM
munity. The story Of 0aies has excited
great interest in the State where the Incl.
EQUALLY interesting everywhere as striking
nroof or the way in which the law proposes
and man disposes.
Two wears ago Oades settled in San Ber-
osr1ino county. and realizing that it is not
good for man TO be alone, tell In love with
and married u young widow. The pair
proSpered and were happy. but after ten
months Of welded life startling change
occurred. A woman, wrinkled with years
and bardshps, and accompanied by three
cbildrep. appeared in the county town. she
made particular inquiries for Oades, ana
was directed to his adjacent farm. She
went there with the children, and was re-
ceiyed in the farmhouse. San Bernaroiho
was happy in the possession OF mystery
which might prove mystery. Ihe strange
woman aud Children remained IN tne oaues
house day after day, week after week. hu'
raj neighbcrhods in California are like such
reirssiorhoods geaerally, and ,cYerypQa9
knows everything about everybody else. so
il happened that everybody speedily Knew
that Oades was husband and father TO the
strange woman and children, no less than 10
the woman lie had lately married and ner
infant. There was an instant commotlon.
EVERYBODY agreed that something must be
done about it without delay.
Something was done. A criminal COM
plaint was fled charging OadeS with living
| unlawfuily with the strange woman. When
| the trial came on he astonished Gan Bernar-
dino, for he proved that the woman was his
lawful wife. to whom he had been married
twenty years before in England. There
| being no doubt of the~fact when his proofs
| were submitted. the complaint was dis.
missed. and UaGes returned TO his home to
| enjoy the society of his two wives. But the
| busy bodies returned to the attack, and had
| him again before the court on charge OF un'
lawfully living with Mrs. Oades No:2. Oades
| took refuge in shreWd lawyers and the new
| civil code. Admitting all the facts, he as
serted that conviction could not be had,
| because the siXty-tirst section Of the code
declares that " the marriage OF person hay.
ing former husband or wife living is void,
unless such former husband or wife was alb.
sent. and not known to such person 10 be
living for five years Immediately preceding
such subsequent marriaSe-in which case
the subsequent marriage is void only from
the time its nullity is adjudged by proper
tribunal" Oades easily proved the required
| fact, in doing which 4 most romantic history
was narrated. The complaint was neeessa'
ri!y dismissed, and again Oades departed 10
triumph.
| But Oades was indicted for bigamy. When
the case came on for trial we are told every.
body was present with his wife, while Oades
was present with bis two wives. The dis.
trict attorney attacked the jury with moral
holnlies and Latin quotations. lie admitted
that the accused was ignorant of the exist.
| cnce of number one when he married num-
| Der two; but argued that his voluntary
| eohabilalion with both was proof OF a
guilty intent ab iaitio. But all the learn
| ing and eloqucnce of the district attor-
| nev were thrown away. Counsel for the
defendant again found a safe refuge in that
marvellous code which "provides that no
person shall be held guilty of bigamy whose
| husband or wife had been absent for five
successive years without being known to
such person as being living" The learned
judge, declaring that this provision impera-
| tlyeiy controlled his action, directed an &C.
quittal. Oades went home flushed with vic
tory, the happy possessor of two wives, who
We're such in law after the trial as they had
before been in fact.
| There was great excitement in San Ber
nardino over this result. The rural lawyers
We're almost crazed by their mental eXer
ton in trying to tiud legal way to get the
better OF the man with two wives. 1t wa:
an awful fact that polygamy was Judicially
established in San Bernardino. The help ol
leading San Francisco lawyers was implored
and even that Of the makers Of the wonderful
code. at last there was Il great hope
raised. 1t was declared that a suit coulC
| be instituted to dissolve the second marriage
and San Bernardino was happy. Bu
| Oades and his lawyers again came uI
armed with the marvellous code, which Gle
cIares in section SO, subdivision 2, that Sucs
an action can be brought only by one OF th'
parties to the first marriage, or one OF tn
parties to the second marriage. Oades re
speotfully Informed the community that ht
would not bring such suit his two wives
rendering their regrets for the disquiet thei
decision might occasion In the minds o.
divers worthy persons, gave the same in
! formation. San Bernardino sat down il
sullen despair to contemplate polygamy a.
an established fact.
Here the story ends. Oades remains tn
lawful owner of two wives, and Californi
LAWYERS are absorbed in the mysteries OF th
new code. 1t was never intended, of course
that a man should have two wives, but th
law accords them, and the courts mas
award them. 1t is the old story Of the maj
in the stocks over again-he could not b
put in the stocks for his offence. but he wa
in. The moral Of this case of most pacifi
poligamy lies upon its surface. Let legtsla
tors beware of haste and carelessness il
legislation.-New York Times.
RELIGIOUS RULES IN WoRKHorsB.-Th
directors of the Cincinnati (Obio) work hous
have ordered separate services for Catholic
and Protestants in that institution, whic
rule was carried out for the first time o.
Sunday last. At the services according t.
~ - x,o otho1;o rhurob |t6aro xporn 0A1 qtfpnf1