The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-05-26
WHOSE CHnDi


An Important Question Raised In . VIII
Old Mans Darling.
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat :
The suit of Geo. w. Thomas and 9TH
ers, to break the will of the late Judge
David Thomas, was resumed yesterday
before Judge Wickham and q Jury.
Judge Thomas was always regarded as
one Of the most upright and moral men
of the county. He had lived nearly all
his life near Bridgeton with maiden
sister five years his senior, and both were
noted for their unbOunded hospitality
and correct department. Up to the age
of 65, the Judge had never ventured into
the dubious experiment of matrimony,
and as for Miss Polly, his sister, she
pursued to the last the quiet path of sim
gle blessedness, sin maiden meditation
fancy Free" Miss Polly had kind and
loving heart, but she was so wise, and
so imperious in her manners, that no
man ever had the courage to mention
marriage to her, and she was left,
A FAIR UNGATHERED FLOWER,
until, year or two ago, she was trans
plated TO higher sphere, at the honored
age of 20.
1t was not exactly so with the Judge.
He was noted for his bashfulness; and,
although fond of female society, lacked
the pluck to lay siege to a lady's heart
in dead earnest. 1t was thought that a
dread of the frowns of his hfgh-strung
sister withheld the Judge, and he had be-
come an old, gray-headed man before he
made the venture. And when he did
embark, he kept the matter profound
secret from Miss Polly for several years,
and only revealed it then when the hand
of sickness was laid heavily upon him.
The revelation produced the most pro-
found sensation ever experienced by the
good old lady, and cast shadow over
all her household gods. She and her
brother David had lived together all
their lives, and had accumulated between
them handsome fortune, which they
expected to leave to the children of
their deceased brother, Billy Thomas.
The way in which Judge Thomas be-
came
ENTANGLED IN THE MEsHES
was somewhat romantic. As admins
TRAITOR of an estate he had charge of
dwelling-house on Franklin Avenue,
portion of which was occupied by John
Gay, a river man, and his wife. Gay
was dissipated and improvident, and his
wife sometimes practised the art of for
tune-telling as means of earning a hv-
ing. One day, when Judge Thomas
called to collect the rent of the Gays,
he found Mrs. Gay in tears and COM
planning of sickness. The husband had
sold the furniture and left the wife in
destitute circumstances. Her story
melted the heart of the Judge, and he
took the woman to his house in Bridge
ton, where she remained about month
as a boarder. She returned to the
city, and we next find her living in a
couple of rooms near Heitkamp's Ho-
tel, with her son, Is years of age, as a
companion, and Judge Thomas a fire.
quent visitor. The Judge had hired the
rooms and paid the rent, and was in the
habit of passing one or two nights every
week with the lady. Gay, the husband,
did not modest them, if, indeed, he
knew what was going on. After spending
eight or nine months ut this coy retreat,
the lovers removed further down town.
A house on Ninth Street was rented of
Kraft, the baker, and about this time
Gay appeared on the scene. He made
this house his home, and was recognized
as the husband of the woman. Judge
Thomas repeated his visits and was
represented as the uncle of Mrs. Gay.
TIE CHILD ROsALIE
was born about this time, and, as mat
ter of course, Gay was believed by the
nainh hnrs fp hn hn,. f,xhnr ho
made several changes of residence, and
"Uncle Thomas "was always regular
visitor at every place she moved to.
The birth of the child, of which he
never doubted that he was the father,
had a wonderful effect upon the moral
constitution of the old man. He saw
the error of the course he had for years
been pursuing, and determined to re-
pent and make such PREPARATION as lay
in his power. Gay was dead and out
of the way, and the Judge thought the
best thing he could do was to
MARRY THE WIDOW.
He had all along confided the secret of |
his amour to his bosom friend, George |
Robinson, of Bridgcton, and he now told |
Robinson that for the sake of the child |
he would marry the mother. He took
the blushing bride to the office of JUS
tice Picker, and, in the presence of Rob-
inson, they were pronounced man and
wife on the 4th of February, 1878. The
old man did not dare to take his bride
home to brave the anger of Miss Polly,
but continued to maintain her in hired
apartments in the city. Matters went
on in this way for year or two, when
one day the Judge was taken sick at his
Bridgeton home, and was thought to be
dying. His wife fastened to Bridgeton,
but when she presented herself to Miss
Polly as the wife of her brother, that
spirited spinster refused to credit the
and would not allow her to
see the sick man. When, however, Miss
Polly had it from Davy's own lips that
he was a married man and father, she
became partially reconciled, and for a
while the parties lived together at the
Bridgeton homestead.
In August, 1874, Judge Thomas died.
He left will, attested by Messrs. Geo.
H. STEELE and ID. NJ. HOuser, by which
he made ample provision for his sister
May Miss Polly, and gave the bulk of
his estate to his wife and child. The
breaking of this will is the object of the
suit. The plaintiffs are the children and
of VIM. Thomas, a broth
er of the testator. Miss Polly died
about year after her brother. Mrs.
Thomas is now the wife of DIR. Hinck-
ley.
CnnS;Ioroblo ox-;Janoo ,x,o, ,fcorol -, |