The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-02
BEDELL's TWo MARRIAGES.
The Peculiar Story on which H. Based the
Claim that One Of Them was Void.


In 1876 Willett p. Bedell, carman in
Williamsburgh. married Mrs. Mary Il. Jones. a
comely young widow They first met by means
OF an advertisement. in which Mrs. Jones ex-
pressed her desire to become housokeeper in
widower's family. and "a Bedell had three
motherless children he went to see the adver-
tiser at l4S Broome street and engaged her as
his housekeeper. Bedell says that all he could
learn OF her first husband was her story that
she had found his dead body In the Morgue, II
having been taken from the river. She said
that she had II removed to Greenwood and not
liking the spot in which 1t was first buried. she
caused II to DO oxhumed and rcbured. Tho
Free Masons, she ayerred. had given her $4,000
on account OF her husbands death. One day
che excused her absence 10 Bedell by saying
that she had been 90 Greenwood to garland her
exotics. Afterward Bedell married her and
lived happily with her for year She attendcd
the Lincoln mission in Taylor street, and pro.
Bedell after thotr marriage TO attend the SER
vices and ono evening while she was on her
had secret which she wished to disclose to
him, but she hesitatad to do 1t for fear that he
at her request he swore not 10 desert her Then
she told him that her first husband was living,
and that she had fret been made aware Of the
at first believe her eyes when she saw her first
husband living. for she felt sure before that
uA ulb WIS the Dout sue nhu Outleu IN Ofeen-
wood.
This news didn't disturb Bedoll. and they
agreed TO continue 70 live as husband and wife
as before. Mrs. Bedall was tempted she said
10 20 back to her firsf husband. Jones. but she
yielded 70 the temptation only so much as TO 20
back to Jones's mothers house for a few days
when she grew tired OF caring for Bedell's
children. She returned 70 Bedell in two days.
but was reckless and soon went away again.
Then she returned to Bedell once more. but on
Sept 26. 1877. abe quilted his house for good.
FIVE days before that her husband, Jones. died,
Bedell sought another housekeeper, and
found one Josephine Briggs OF l43 Skillman
street Brooklyn. She WAS known as Miss
Briggs but she confessed TO Bedell that twelve
years ago she was married. and that after she
had lived with her husband for two years she
learned that he had two wives already living
and she left him. Bedell married Josephine
Briggs on Jan. 10,
Yesterday Bedell was before Justice Elliott on
as the complainant. The case puzzled the
Court Bedell maintained that he was not
guilty OF bigamy, because his marriage to Mrs.
Jones was void. her first husband being alive
live with Mrs. Jones after she became q widow.
last September the lawyer for the complainant
said that Bedell had made himself her husband
and could not marry again. Justice Elliott ad-
Journed the examination.
Mrs. Jones Bedell. who lives nj 1873 Eldridge
street this city, alleges that she was driven
from her home 10y Bedell. aud that he began
Systematically TO abuse her from the time She
told him that she had discovered that her FIRST
husband was alive. She says that her repre-
heard that her first husband had fallen from a
scaffOld and been killed while nc work in New
ark. and that before she got the news he had
been buried some time. She admitted that
first husband, who was then dying OF consump-
ton.