The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-08-24


! lieved that if she living she had left
J the country. In 1872 he was granted n li-
| vorce from her on the ground of desertiOn,
and soon afterwards married again. His
+ second wife died in 1915, leaving two chill
| dren.
| On the 23d of July last Myron Pool, one
| of the executors Of old Mr.. Gates's estate,
! was handed 10y the village postmaster a
| letter addressed to "Mr. Uri Gatps,' and
postmarked Litchfield, Minn. The letter
was opened by Mr.. Pool. aud the following
is a copy of what he read
'IITCHFIELD, Mimi, July 1s, 1877.
"FATHER: L am alone here, sick and
wretched with remorSe. l know would
pity and forgive me if you know what I
have suffered. l have been wicked enough
hut not as wicked as | know you think !
am. Let me come home. if only to he ser
want. My punishment for my recklessuess
has been great, and il will he a comfort to
me to hear from you, even if il is to repulse
me. l have been struggling long time for
courage enough to go home and ask your
forgiveness and that of others have wrong
! ed Let me hear from you, father. l will
await a letter with almost unbearab ble ankle
ty. Your wretched daughter,
''ELIZA.''
Executor Pool handed the letter over to
Mr.. Timer at once. \ consultation was
held between Them and it was decided that
both should 60 to Minnesota and learn the
condition of the long missing wife, now
heard of FOR the first time in nearly ten
years. They reached Litchfield the last of
July. Mr.. Pool undertook :he search for
Eliza and found her working as a scamstress
in private family under her maiden name.
She recognized Mr.. Pool on his entrance to
the room where she was at work ano rose
To greet him, but fell fainting to the floor
| before she had spoken word. When she
was restoi ed to consciousness he told her
Of her fathers death, but mentioned moth
ing about the will. She was greatly griev-
ed that her father had died believing her
unrepcntaut and greater sinner than she
really was. After she became calm again
Mr.. Pool told her that Mr.. Timer was in the
place and that any communication she de-
sired Ia make q him could be made through
him (Pool). She replied to this that after
her sufferngs during the ten years past,
although she knew she had brought dis
grace upon his name. that she could meet
Mr.. Timer herself-a and that she should, but
only to beg his pity aud forgiveness. Be
fore meeting him, however. she said she
should tell the story Of her life since she
left home, SO lie might judge whether she
was the abandoned wretch it was natural
foi him to believe her to he. Her story as
told to Mr.. Pool to carry to Mr.. Timer, and
as subsequently told in my hearing, was as
follows:
''My elopement was arranged between
Mills aud myself the day before | went
away. | was to go to Indiana. procure a
divorce from my husband soon posi-
blc, and then be Joined by Mills and mar
iied to him. We went together as far
Wheeling, an6 when we reached that place
he wanted me to give up the idea of going
to Indiana aud accompany him to ST. Louis.
This | refused to do, ard separated Ia
meet when | was divorced. lie went to
St. Luuis aud | went Fl st to Indianapolis
aud then TO LayfayeIte, Ind. | put my
case into the hands of u lawyer named
BovGitch, and he gave me decree of di-
vorce in two months. charging me 500.
Mills had given me 5000 aud had $50 of
my own.
at was some weeks after | got the di-
vorce before heard flom Mills. Then
received a letter from him from Central
City, Col. joined him there aud we were
married by an Episcopal minister named
Whitehead
"We remained in Central City for year,
and daring that time Mills treated me very
kindly. He made great deal Of money,
supplying wine stores to the region about
there. At last lie acquired The habit of
gambling. and in a few months squandered
all the money he had made. He began to
treat me cruelty also. and one night, after
he had lost considerable money, he beat
me. Shortly afterward went to Utah.
There Mills went to clerking in a wine
store. He was vc~y steady for several
months and treated with something of
! his old kindness 4; bu: the life he was lead
| ing was not exciting enough for him, and
| he resigned his position and forced me with
| threats TO accompany him to Sail Lake
! CITY. | had always a horror Of that place,
and look back Oh my life there with
| Shudder.
ssMills never gave me a kind word after
| we went TO Salt Lake. In company with
| miner named Bill Oney he started a faro
| bank and a house of Ill fame. He became
! lost to ali sense of shame. He compelled
me to snperintend tie kitchen of his horiid
| establishment and beat me at the slightes;
| provocation. The place was broken up af-
| ter running a year and half, and Olney
! and Nils opened Il gambling house on a
| small scale. In 1871 Mills, protesting to
! have Joined the Mormons, married another
woman. and installed her in the house.
! Three days afterward lie married still an
| other and brought her TO his house The
! cruelty of this man for whom | had left
everything, wasall forge by me in these
crowning indignities, and | determined to
! hy from him. at whatever risk. One night
| in ctobpr, 1871, | disguised myself and
| left Mills house. had but little money.
! but 10y walking and wol king whenever |
| could succeeded in reaching Denver abou:
| The 1st of January. | WORKED. in the City
| Hotel there for year and Il half as dining
| room girl. and Just before | left here read
! in the Rocky Mountain Ne,os he account
! of the killing of George Mills by his part
ner, Bill Oluey, in Salt Lake, during
quarrel over the division of some mbling
| profits
.The desire 10 write home and tell of my
sufferings and beg forgiveness Of those |
had wronged was always strong with me.
| but sense of shame aud pride prevented
| me.
.'In The summer Of 1878 party of Eng
| lsh tourists came to Denver, aud | went
with them tn the Spanish Peaks as wait
| ing maid for one of he ladies Of the party.
! From there | accompanied hem into New
Mexico and returned with them 10 Denver
! in ihe spring of 1871 The party were
making tour of the world, and il was ouly
the uuconquerable desire | had of ulii-
| II atelY returning home hat prevented me