The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume] (Mesilla, N.M.) 1877-1879, 1879-05-24
AN AMERICAN ROMANCE.
A Judge on the Bench Under an As
sumed Name-Not Dead, but Shanming.


Correspondence Of the Ses.Alsany LesiSsr- -stsras-
eni9
Pressly 0,Bannon disappeared from Leay-
enwortll, Indiana, seven years ago. and was
supposed by all to have been murdered. BE
was about thirty five years Of age, possessed
of some wealth. and was successful lawyer
in this county. He was 1ne-looking. and
lived in peaceful domestic relations with his
wife. by. ahom Nc bad two children. The
wife was many years his junior, bnt Ioe.ked
up 70 him and loved him 10 ldolatry.
The skeleton in the closet. with his fam
ily was, that the husband, though not an
hAtaluai drunkard, Eould at times indulge
m gsroionged sprees. Ii was. during one of
these ti.at he started to ATTEND . Masonic
lodge in this>town, distant some i've miles
frnin home. !.
He only, remembers aaw that he strolled
around town until after dsfk. and that when
some steamer landed at the whaff be went
aboard Of her
When be came to himself, weeks afterwafsi,
he Kas saving VIZ j for = farmer ia Southern
illinois. He made up his mind never 10 re,
turn home his fan,ly. he argued, would
be better OF without him, His wife con.d
procure divorce, marry sgaiu, and he hap
pier than she had ever been with him. He
settled finally at Vienna, Iilinois. lsecaEne so-
Ler and industrious, Amassed wealth, and
rose inaIty e the position Of Judge Of the
Circuit Court.
He brought woman with him TO Vienna,
who was introduced to his friends IS his wife.
lie had picked her up in his travels, and she
was wiling TO accept the position he offered
her, with the understanding between thela
that he might abaaaon her Al any moment.
So, as o'Bannon Ia bis new hfe l.as taken
the name of Brown, the wcman entered vi
emma society as Mrs Judge Bronn.
1twas ssfy strange fact that the man,
leaving ~ publicly as he did, was never
traced out Of LeaseaWnFtll.
The horse he rode there was found tied in
10 op.-of-the- Fay ssle sss.te days aftfs Ti
and As Il was thought he left home With mo-
ney his pocket. to the amount u several
huadred dollars, his friends concluded that
he had met with foul play.
The neArfy craSed wife spent small for
tune ID trying to discover either her hus-
.t . 1 aAft - |a 4 5i
band Or the means Of his death but she
spent in VAN, and filic1 at last the
position Of seamsress'in a lawyers family
in csxyasas sIndilsa. { She Nas described as
being apretty, giri,sh looking woman" I
bsaE portrait 0fhes, and tlsoagiIs she had
sthe saddekt face Iessr saw als2ra
81 N 3han ilisTfrisaas beligSsa AZ last
alsas he skssideats tisay resssmb mbessil,tasas Ne
liAd amlnauranss On dis life for i've aAnubs
and dollars solawger gFsasswcl, an. able
attorney he thissplssp, vsal employed TO gel
the money for her, and wns promised the
EAulfUflitt he surCeeastls ~ ~ saa'''
4 apswaa saccsssfnA and ON. shegl lathsofthls
nrnnth she wsz % hase ssosivea the aasaey.
AIseawwsaks aHsoees this. ~ Bannpnas asaage
BsSvn, 6aediose Aim Hadson Of NlsahAs
fsr soaie tEifling ues stAsam sf eIOa Had-
son had seen 0'Bannon when he was Gap.
tain 0'BanAOn ID tie arany, gears teforq !
and he had though; for i l5ag slAss that he
aad Judge Brown we're ems and the sanr,
] but sa,d nothing about II. a'sw sa's