Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-18
FAITHLESS FINCH.

sence She Discovers Him ana Proceeds to
Go for Him Very Literally.
Twenty-One years of consolidated felic-
ity with the welded partner of ones
choice is sufficient to. give most wives a
leasehold on the affections of their hIls-
bands that lasts throughout life Espe-
i cially is this so whensuch union is knit
together by the ties of fatherhood and
maternity.
But there is nothing new under the
sun, and the strange romance that is now
seeking a settlement in the courts of
this county has had its parallel before,
and the perversity of mankind will repeat
the lesson anon to rising generations
| The case IN point is peculiar from It's
strange mixture of fact and romance, and
| jumbling together of the true and mani
testify unreal
! And yet one, Eugene Finch, an appar-
emily reputable mechanic and for many
years resident of this city, is accused of
| having deserted his first wife some
| thirteen years ago to come West and
grow up with the country The circum-
police court yesterday, when an applica-
ton was made for warrant to arrest
Finch on the charge of polygamy
The application is made by William F.
Smyth, a practicing attorney of Mime
apolis, who is employed by Mrs. Matilda
Preston, formerly Finch, to prosecute the
whilOm husband. The story told by Mr..
Smyth is as follows: Some twenty-three
or twenty-four years ago Eugene F. Pol
lard (nOw sailing under the name of
Finch married a blooming young girl and
the couple emigrated west to Wisconsin
They had luck and prospered, and there
came at intervals to bless the union, a
half dozen children
The family resided on a farm, and
while the children grew robust and hand
some, thrifty labor and propitious har-
vests filled the granaries with plenty,
| and it was spoken abroad that the Pollard
family were becoming wealthy. But
| soon change came over the scene, and
the husbands face was clouded with dis
content, and one day in 1867, he prevail
ed upon his wife to sign a mortgage on
the place, with the understanding that
he was about to invest in a valuable en-
| terprise, and the next day he left the roof
| tree, to return no more forever.
The weary days, months and years rolled
on and it became a settled belief, after a
time, that the missing man was dead
Several years went by and the supposed
| widow cOnsoled her grief and divided her
cares by taking another husband--a man
named Preston. They were Only married
| and have resided together for wears
About year ago Mrs Preston received
tidings through her grown son that the
husband and father was not dead but tina t
he was residing in this city with another
wife under the assumed name of Finch.
Mrs. Preston who considered that she
had not only been shamefully deserted
| and deceived, but had been swindled out
| of her property, determined to hunt the
| man to justice. In addition to the charge
of polygamy, she alleges acts against her
former husband which are too indecent
| and hideous to mention. She aud her
husband came to Minneapolis, where they
are now residing, both invalids
VIM T. Smyth was employed as coun-
| sci in the case and he came to st. Paul
yesterday for the purpose of swearing
| out a warrant for the arrest of Finch.
Owing to the serious nature of the charge
| it was deemed best not to issue war
| rant without an oral examination and
for this purpose Smyth was put on the
stand He testified as follows:
Am practicing attorney at Minneapolis;
was retained by Mrs. Preston last Tuesday or
| Wednesday; board at the same house with her;
had been retained by her for the purpose of
getting back her money and seeing that she
had satisfaction for her wrongs; the real name
| of Finch is Eugene +. Pollard; at the time of
| his desertion there was coming to her seven
cows, nine hogs, the proceeds of forty acres
of wheat, the farm and all pertaining thereto;
| the farm was worth ST $50; she was persuaded
| to sign the deed by him, but realized nothing
from the sale; also $50 in money and gold
| watch; this was in Wisconsin in 1855;
| they were married in New York; he stole
| the marriage certificate. Witness had known
complainant for two months; she had been
| sick most of the time; she is known at the
| boarding house by the name of Mrs. Luther
Preston; she has a husband at the house.;
| witness intended to commence civil action
| to collect what was coming to her;
| she is fifty-eight years old; she lived with
| Finch or Pollard for over twenty-one years;
she married last in Chicago; could not say
how long she had lived in Minneapolis; her
son found out that her former husband
| resided in ST. Paul under an assumed NAME
Mr.. Egan stated that he had objections
| to the issuance of a warrant; the matter
| was in the discretion of the court. He
| thought, however, that it was due the
State that this woman should come to
| st. Paul and swear out the warrant herself.
The court concurred in the opinion of
MIR. Egan that the woman was the proper
party to come TO the court and state her
grievances. If the man was living in a
state of polygamy he ought to be punish
| ed, but the warrant should be issued to
her in person. If she wanted warrant
she should come to court and be examin-
ed; the coUr5 did not feel justified in is
| suing the warrant ON the hearsay evil
| dence of an agent.
Mr.. Smyth produced complaint which
| he said entitled him to a warrant
Mr.. Eagan examined the complaint and
| said that it was defective, as it had not
been sworn to by the presiding magis-
| trate
Following is a copy. of the affidavit
submitted by Smyth as agent for Mrs
| Preston:
The State of Minnesota vs.. Eugene f. Pollard
| VIM. Z. Smyth, being duly sworn according
| to law, upon his sworn oath deposes and SAYS:
| That Eugene f. Pollard, alias Eugene Finch,
of the city of st. Paul, county of Ramsey,
wrongfully, wilfully and unlawfully married
| one Miss Dwyne, on or about the LIST day of
January, 1867, the said defendant knowing at
| the time that he had another wife living by the
| name of Matilda Pollard; that said defendant
IS still living with Miss Dwyne, his unlawful