The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-03-23
SOMEWHAT REMARKABLE STORY.

An extraordinary story comes from
Silver Station, this State, wherein a
young man is reported to have married
his step-mother, under the belief that
his father Was dead. Twelve years ego
the WIFE OF James Swingle, a wealthy
farmer of the locality named, died, and
year and half afterward the widower,
belEg sixty years OF ge, married young
woman who had lived in his family.-
She was twenty-five. He had siA chill
dren by his first wife, and three of them
married. Old Mr.. Swingle was one Of
the most prominent men in the town
ship, deyout member of the church,
and q man generally respected. in 1865
Mr.. Swingle disappeared, and was sup
posed to have been robbed, murdered
and mysteriousiy buried. Eighteen
in deep forest near his home, and be-
lieving them to be his bones they were
buried in the churchyard by the side
OF his first wife. 4 stone setting forth
giles death was placed at the head of the
grave. An administrator of the estate
of the deceased was appointed, and his
estate equally divided among the GILL
dren. The homestead fell to the lot of
the old farmers widow, and the Young
est son, also NAMED Jan2oE, continued to
live there and suueriDseId operations
on the far10 n 1869 he married the
widow of lis father, and the couple were
living in uis.I;tii-J ease with three chill
dren that hal been born 10 them, when
in the early fart oi la.st month tie young
farmer was given 4 letter at tie village
postoffice, adlllesse.i TO any living
member of the Sw4.s.e family" The
letter was postmarked at Cleveland, Ohio.
Opening the letter the farmer was as
founded to find that it purported to be
written by bis father, long believed to
be dead It was as follows
CLEVELAND, Dec. 30.
] am very sick, and pennileSs among strang-
ers. / was on nay way home when taken sick.
Some of you come to me at once and viii eX-
the lake. JAMES SWINGLE.
The letter was written in q cramped
and trembling hand, but it resembIod
specimens Of the old farmers writing of
years ago. He was visited and found in
Cleveland. He was very i'll with fever,
and became delirious soon after the az
rival of his son, and it was some DAYS
before he could be removed to better
quarters. Three weeks passed before
he was in condition to be taken home.
and during that time he could be Undue
ed to say bat little about his strange
disappearance. He said that he left
while under the influence of an impulse
which he could not control, and after
travelling about for. q few days he was
ashamed to return, and resolved to go
West with about s., geo he had with
him and investe ed il in some way, and
after he had increased it sufficiently to
return home and surprise his family
He Went to California and from there to
Australia, where he made $3.50 in
i've years, ana came PACK TO California,
where he lost it ALL Thinking he was
drawing near his death he determined
to return home, and was taken sick with
the fever at Cleveland. He refused to
enter into any details OF his ten years
absence till he recovered from his Illness.
He was brought home, but died few
days after his arrival. The son and
step-mother were remarked after the
funeral. The skeleton was that of q
murdered drover.- Pittsburgh (Pa)
Leader.