Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-01-12

who received Nh. Waddell, that his over
coat was a tribe short, and seedy In APP
pearance. But this was nothing. Rlch
C~alifornians were not supposed 70 Hollow
the yaga1les of fashion. The bridegroom
elect, with his guard of honor, repaired to
his old home. under the hosplIaole rool OIL
his friend and brother, u. M. otrlckier.
Here he completed his toliet ny ooilll3 ms
abbreviated overcoat. HIS appaIel Win
out the overcoat was not al IhaC lne lasllr
ionable world Of M;ddletoWn hoped for,
and the elegant gentlemen who accompa-
MED him to the Summers mansion. for
getting that clothes do net make the mai,
were a trifed disturbed. AT two o'clock
sharp, the ceremony took place: AS the
lively Gaul would say, the elite OF the
beau monde was present-one hundred and
twenty-five OF them The happy couple
came forward, arm in arm. Do"ed, ana
took hold of a solid ring, said to be OF the
purest Estruscan gold.
THE RING
was SIX inches IN diameter, and lay on an
open Bible. The reverend gentlemen, Mr..
Fish, of Middletown. and Mr.. Goode, of
Richmond, then pronounced the impressive
Amidst the congratulations of
friends, the Middletown band, an amateur
organization. %discoursed mellitluous music
in a room up- stairs. Then cam the Il
rage feast-tables in the form of - cross.
fl 'wers,. delicious viands, pyramldal cakes,
tropical fruits ID feast fit for the gods.
The wedding ceremonies over, Mr.. and
Mrs. Waddell settled down to the placid
enjoyment of the honey month. MI. Wad-
dell, however, soon began to take Il lively
interest in his wife's financial affairs, and
she directed her agent, MI. John Carpen-
ter, to turn over to her llege lord sundry
notes in his possession, aggregating about
500, 600. Mr.. Waddell conceived the idea
that Middletown was not q proper llace
for him and his wife to dwell. There Was
not refinement enough there he said. In
dianapolis, the capital city, with its wealth
and culture was better suited to the Wad~
delis. 1t afforded. moreover, fine oppor-
tunities for capitalists, Mr.. Waddell said,
and he had little difficulty in persuading
his wife come two weeks after the mar
riage, to go with him to Indianapolis, Ia
king with them ST., 900 in gilt. edged notes,
Mr.. Waddell desired to improve the City
OF concentric circles, and he
PERSUADED HIS WIFE
that the Indianapolis bank would not be
averse to discounting paper secured by
first mortgage. The notes were accord
ingly taken TIC an Indianapolis bank but
as the bank did lot have the currency
or preferred to investigate a little, the
notes were not sold. Mr.. Waddell, how
ever, succeeded in disposing OF a note o1
$1031, for real estate and then returned
with his wife to MiddletoWn.
In the meantime the people OF Henry
| county had read the notices of the mar
| riage Of MIR. and Mrs. Waddell in the locaI
papers, and the people in the vincinity OF
%Straughn's in the southern part of the
county set to thinking. Some three OF
four years before, q miserable rascal, nance
Charles w. Willis. OF more fully. Charlie:
Waddell Willis, lived in that comm unity
He had years before married an estimablt
woman by whom he had three children
Worthless, profiigate and licentious, VIII
lis had gone from bad to worse, until TIN
community became justly incensed agains
aim on account of his brutal treatment O
his wife and children. Finally the con
duct of Willis became so outrageous, tina
the people in the vicinity Of Straughn's IN
sisted that his wife should get a divorce
Application for divorce was accordlngl
made and the decree was granted by tn
Henry Gil cult Court in 1872. Subsequent
ly Willis wen to indianapolis, where he i
said to have kept a house of ill fame. A
another time ne passed under the assumed
name of DR.. Goldsmith, aud claimed to b
a retired physician; and but for the time
ly discovery of bis true character, Woul
haYe succeeded in marrying an estlmabl
widow living near indianapolis. He after
wards married
A LADY FROM WHOM HE SEPARATED,
but whether divorced from her Or not, i
not fully known.
The simple transportation Of the tW
names would easily convert Charles Wad
dell Willis into Charles Willis Waddell
So the people living in the vicinity OF VIII
lis former exploits thought, Could Wad
dell and Willis be one and the sa'ne ? 4
gentleman living near Straughn's com
municated his suspicious to a gentleman
living at Middletown This led to al in
vestigation by Mrs. Summers friends
Their worst fears were confirmed. Tn
intended Californian was the infamou!
Willis. A grown up son of Willis, by hi
first wife, was taken to MiddletoWn, ant
broke down when his own son testified a.
to his baseness. and Mrs. Summers wh'
had been so cruelty Wronged, denounced
him for his peItidity. Willis afterWard
came near persuading Mrs. Summers tina
he was all injured man., and her frlend
thought best to have her removed from hi
sinister influence. They accordingly i'll
formed Willis that the citizens Of Middle
town would NOT tolerate Ills presence, ant
on Saturday morning last he VS. taken tx
Dalesville, where he took the C rs for som'
point unknown to the public. Before go
ing he surrendered all the notes in his pos
session, except the II he disposed Of TO
Indianapolis property. The famous ring
which figured in the marriage ceremon,
was manufactured in a Muncie carriag'
shop, Mrs. Summers has instituted pro
ceedings to have her unfortunate marriage
annulled in case Willis is u~ndivorced, ant
will institute proceedings for divorce il
case the marriage is Il legal one. 1t seems
strange that Willis, who is an impecuniou'
dead beat, could have practiced his infa'
m6as deception so successfully i'll the yer.
| country in which he had lived for years
without discovery, and it is another illus.
tration OF the fact that truth is Otter
| stranger than fiction.