The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-05-21
TOM SHANNON'S BRIDE.
An Adventures Wins a Husband.
Who in Turn Gets a Divorce in
Twenty-Five Minutes.

Who i'm Turn Gets a Divorce i'm
Twenty-Five Minutes.
[Cor. Cincinnati Times.l
In 1910 Wilson Shannon, of st. Clares-
vile, was the Governor of Ohio, and
Tom Shannon, of GAINESVILLE, q brother
OF the Governor, represented the Bel
mont county district in the Ohio Sen
ate. Tom Shannon was Jolly old
bachelor when he entered the Assembly.
He was fairly good-looking man, pos
sessing some wealth, and being, withal,
brother of the Governor. he was con-
sldered by the fairer sex what match
making would-be mother-in-laws now
call "good CATCH" He was also a.
great admirer of female beauty, and
often boosted that he could appreciate
all of the beauties of virtuous woman
hood.
Shortly after his entrance on his legis-
latlve career Senator Shannon had occa-
sion to take trip South, and on his re-
turn from Memphis going up the Ohio
he met on the boat beautiful woman
with whom he became acquainted with
out the formality of an introduction.
The woman-Ler name it is not
necessary to give-was of striking intelli-
gence, sparkling wit, of MAGNIFICENT
form, and wonderful beauty of the South
ern brunette order. She was handsomely
dressed, and her costly jewelry led to the
belief that she must be possessed of con-
siderable wealth. Tom Shannon be-
came infatuated with her at once. and
this infatuation deepened when she told
him that she was planters widow from
near New Orleans, where she owned a.
large estate and numerous negroes. She
further informed him that she was 90
ing north to Columbus, and was de-
lighted to accept his proffered company.
To cut this part of the story short, it
sutfices t. say that the acquaintance ex-
tended so rapidly that by the time the
boat reached Columbus it had ripened
into mutual love, and the two souls had
been united in the bonds of wedlock.
Senator Shannon brought his bride to
the American House, and there received
the congratulation of his friends. But
| scarcely had the fact of the marriage be-
! come known before a rumor started.
and rapidly flew from mouth to mouth,
that his beautiful bride was an advent
uress; that her Louisiana plantations
were Utopian idealites; that her wealth
consisted of multitudinous debts, and
worse, that she was an old mistress of a.
well-known gambler then plying his
trade in Columbus.
The next morning after this rumor
had been circulated Senator Shannon
and his wife entered the American House,
dlning-room, and were seated directly
opposite the gambler above spoken of.
AS they took their seats the gambler
caught Mrs. Shannon's eve. She was.
seen to blush and bow. This confirmed
the rumor. The fact that Shannon's
wife, the sister-in-law of the Governor.
was prostitute spread like lightning
throughout Columbus, and the scandal
was the sensation of the town. The
politicians held an immediate caucus, at
which it was decided that the evil must
be remedied at all hazards.
In those days the Legislature granted
all the divorces The caucus decided
that Tom Shannon must be divorced
from his wife. This was on the same
morning of the breakfast-table scene.
before the opening of the daily session
OF the Assembly, Immediately after
the reading of the Senate journal mo-
ton was made to suspend the rules for
the introduction of bill. This carried,
and a bill was introduced providing for
Shannon's divorce. It was read
three times, under suspended rules,
and passed. Tt was then hur-
ried over to the House and there
passed in the same manner, The whole
affair did not take twenty-five minutes.
1t was settled, probably, the quickest of
any divorce case on record.
AS for Senator Shannon, the affair was
the cause Of his death. He left the Leg
islature on the exposure of the fraud and
returned to his home in GAINESVILLE.
He was of a high, sensitive nature and
his brooding over his wrongs brought
on a sickness from which he died about
a year after his scandalous marriage.
The weight of the average male adult