Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-06-26
IN OHIO ENOCH ARDEN.
After Five Years Absence a Husband
Turns Up and Visits His Remarked
Wife,
From the Cleveland Leader.


The prevention of suicide yesterday
morning, by some workmen engaged in a
ship-yard along the old river bed, developed
a story that resembles that of Enoch Arden,
only in this case the latest Enoch did not
display the seIc-sacri6cing disposition of the
hero in the famous fiction, but acted much
like a selfish, self-willed mortal, devoid of
the geutleness that speaks the man.
Something more than i've Years ago a
young lady married sailor named James
Dyer, and lived with him some time. In
1876. or about there, Dyer embarked for
cruise in the steamer Harvest Home, but
soon afterwards the sad news came that the
vessel was wrecked and many lives lost.
Mrs. Dyer waited in vaile for. any tierngs of
her husbands safety, and she came to the
belief that he had been drowned Gradu-
ally the comforter. Time, healed the wound,
and another suitor came seeking her hand,
and promising to make her future life as
happy as he knew how. His name is given
as Wallace Andrews, and from all account
he is a man among men, worthy to take I'M
to himself a woman and cherish her as his
helpmeet. The widow looked with favor
upon Andrews suit, and after short court
ship they were married. The two lived
very happily together, no reason ever being
given the former Mrs. Dyer to make the re-
gret that she again changed her name.
Andrew is also sailor and is at present
on a trip. A Few days ago a man came to
the house where Mrs Andrews is living and
told her he was her husband ard had come
back to claim husbands share in her affec-
tiOns. There was no dou0t whatever about
the matter, the newcomer proving himself
clearly to be the lOng-missing Dyer. He
said he had escaped q watery grave and bad
wandered about the country ever since, but,
growing tired, desire to retUIl to his wife
and home seized him, and he had come.
The poor woman was thunder-strlcken at
the sight of her former lord and master,
and told him he must go away. Whether
the two had lived happily Or oshe:-
wise before, the woman did not say, but it is
fair to say that his long and willful absence
was not indicative Of overpowering atfec-
ton. She wished him to 90 away and not
disturb and break up her domestic happi-
ness. She coCld never again be bis wife,
and she would rather he would leave. This
he refused to do and attempted to argue the
point with her. BY threats and intinfida
ton, she says he remained with her in the
nd tired with the annoyance, she packed
L l. +4Cl anu AASHei eL40siI
shipped to Chicago intendiusa
to follow them. Dyer learned @
this, and, she says, he followed the goods
and had them shipped to Milwaukee in his
own name. Then he came to her again and
told her what he had done, saying she must
go away with him to where the goods were
shipped. She refused 20 do this, and was
very angry fof what had been done. AS Il
result Of her state of mind, and being sicL
OF life, she proceeded early yesterday
morning, about 40 O'clock, to the river
bed near the water works and de-
liberately jumped in, fully intending to
find re- ef from her complication of
difficulties in a watery grave. Some work
men in the ship-yard near by banked her in
this, however, and she was taken out and
conveyed to the residence Of Mrs. Atkins,
No. 80 Herman street, where she was re-
vived, being almost drowned. A few min
utes more would have finished her earthly
career When sufficiently recovered to talk,
Officer Ruckman, of the Fourth precinct,
talked to her, and to him she related the
story as given above. She will probably
recover, though, if her latest experience is
any indication of the future, it is question
with her friends whether success would not
have been preferable.