The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-05-03

The saginaw Republican Of : recent

A~C ooSiHoW Htpuctc0H VI ~ kcccu0
date has the following singular story:
Some three weeks ago rumor was
current on the streets that we'll known
business man and large property owner
" this city had separated from his wife,
owing TO family trouble. The stories
told As TO the character Of the trouble
and its origin we're various, but one fact
was apparent, and that was they had
separated. The interested parties In the
case are Josiah Etheridge and his wife,
and the facts, as cleaned by our re-
porter are as follows: About Is years
ago they were married near the city OF
Flint and shortly after removed TO this
city, where Mr.. Etheridge engaged in
his business and by his industry accu-
INFLATED competence. Nothing arose
TO mar their matrimonial happiness un-
I'll two years ago, when n seedy- looking
individual arrived in this city and in
formed Mr.. and Mrs Etheridge that an
uncle Of the lady had died in the State
Of Illinois, and by will had left her
about $4,000 in money and some very
valuable real estate; the news was as
founding, and Mr.. Etheridge, who was
always very cautious, consulted Mr.. C.
w. Wisner upon the subject. After
several interviews between the parties,
Mr.. Wisner and the bearer Of this
good news, they became satisfied there
was something in 1t, and it was decided
to investigate the subject. So Mr.. Wis
ner, having received power of attorney
from the lady, accompanied by Mr..
Etheridge, started for Chicago, where
the bearer of the good news was to meet
them, and together were to- proceed to
the place where the deceased uncle had
resided. They remained in Chicago
several days, awaiting the appearance
Of this man, but as he did not come,
they concluded to investigate the mat
ter alone and without help. After ar
riving at the place designated, where
they had been informed that the uncle
had resided, they found, much to their
surprise, that the story was a canard,
and that no man by the name had ever
lived in that place. They then returned
home, and, rs matter of course, Mr..
Etherldge was very much incensed at
the shabby trick played upon him. Mr..
Wisner did not say much, but he made
up his mind that something was wrong.
and set himself to work TO find out what
il was. He left no stone unturRed until
he fathomed the mystery. He gained
the confidence Of Mrs. Etheridge, trav-
eed miles after miles TO obtain evil
dence, and after he had got the chain
complete he took his friend Joe one side
and told him the story, which in SUBJ
stance is as follows: "That the man who
told them about the fortune
left to Mrs. Etheridgc by
an uncle was former husband
Of the lady from whom she had never
been divorced. and that he, although
married to her, was not her husband.
Mr.. Etheridge was 10th to believe, but
as link by link was unrayeled to the sor-
rowing man, and piece by piece the evil
dence was brought 10 light, he was Fore
ed to believe; and then, with hope
that all might yet prove false, he went
to her who had been his companion for
the past years, and with tears in his
eyes asked her to tell the truth in the
matter. She was taken by surprise, but
she confessed that the story was all true,
and that, instead of one, she had two
husbands living, and that she was not
divorced from either. Mr.. Etheridge
was heart-broken, but, after taking adj
vice, concluded to separate from her
and placed the matter in the hands of q
friend. The lady consented to the sep
aration. and then Mr.. Etheridge pre-
sented her with check for $500,
gold watch and chain, handsome dia-
mond RUG, all the household furniture,
paid the freight on the same to San
Francisco, and purchased ticket for
her TO the same city and wished her
Iiodspeed on her journey. The gentle
man then disposed Of all his property in
his city, and, after investing part Of it
safely, put the balance in his pocket and 4
went out into the world q wanderer with
,ut home or resting place.