Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-05
MARITAL MLSERIES
OF an Ohio Couple Who for Years Have
Been Apostles Of Temperance
Nr. Higley,
A Member of Henry Ward Beecher's Con-
gregatiOn, the Despoiler of Their
Peaee-Three Old Fools.

Peaee-Three Old Fools.
New YORK, May ELI johnson, the
temperance lecturer and agitstor, has begun /
a suit in the Brooklyn Supreme Court
against Henry A. Higley, grain and pro- |
vision broker, for alternating the affections OF |
his wife, Mary c. johnson, and for the great |
distress of body and mind he has suffered in /
consequence. Damages are laid at 100000. |
The summons was served on Mr.. Higley az |
soon az he appeared On the floor Of the |
Produce Exchange. Mr.. johnson has been |
almost as we'll known as her hueband in her |
devotion to the cause OF temperance. She |
was the recognized leader of the Woman's |
Temperance Union, of which tor nine years |
che was the president. For several years she |
has seldom been missed from temper ance |
meetings.
WHAT Mr.. JOHNSON ALLEGES.
Mr.. Johnson alleges that in the months Of |
February, March, April, May, June, July, |
August, September, October, November and |
Dece nber, 1882, and in January, February, |
March and April of the present year Mr.. |
Higley Wickedly, willfully and maliciously |
N maintained improper intimate relations with
his wife, and that thereby the affection Of
mis- wife was alienated and destroyed. Mr..
johnson left in February, 1852, TO make
tour a temperance agitator IN AHstralia,
and did not return until last March. Mr..
Higley's improprieties with HE wife, he says,
extended over the entire period of his abb
| sence. During her husbands absence, and
until few days ago, Mrs. johnson resided
| in a fashionable clearinghouse, known
as the Remsen House, in Clinton
and Remsen streets, directly opposite the
Brooklyn Club. Years ago tue Rsmsen
House wss the home OF the Long
Island Club, which no longer exists.
| Mrs Gloucester, colored, whose wealth
| is SAID 10 be over $4,000, owns the property,
| and keeps it as a boarding house. The build
| ing is one of the most ornate and pretentious
| on the nights. In the pretty green garden
| on the Clinton street side, are fountains in
which goldfish play in tae summer. Mrs.
johnson occupied two large front ROOMS on
the second floor. Mr.. Higley had been ac-
| quain,ed with Mr.. johnson and vile for
seven years, and deeply interested himself in
| the temperance crusade, and there we're many
social meetings between lhpn. While MIR.
johnson was absent on his Australian trip,
Mr.. Higley frequent visitor 10 the
| Remsen House. AT first his meetings with
| Mrs johnson we're in the parlor, but alter
ward he was received il her apartments,
where he would remain for four and five
hours. 1t is said he had latch-key, and
came and went like regular boarder.
MR.. JoHNsoN's RETURN.
Mr.. johnson returned on March 12th, and
Joined his vile at the Rsmsen House. 1t is
alleged that for three days before his arrival
Mr.. Higiey's visits ceased. On March 9th
a grand reception was rendered Mr.. johnson
at the Academy of Music, Mr.. Higley being
the chairman OF Inc committee. Among
those who welcomed Mr.. johnson were Mr.
Beecher, the Rev. I. l.. Cuyler, the Rev. T.
Dewitt Talmage and the Rev. A. j. Hutton.
For a short time the relations between Mr..
johnson and Mr.. Higley were OF the most
friendly description, and the latter, in one Of
their conversations, projected European
| trip the coming summer for himself anu Mr.
and Mrs. Johnson. As late az the 29,h of
March he addressed the following letter to
them:
| Mr.. and Mrs. johnson:
| DEAR FRIENDs-I am glad to say t. YOU that m y
| health is better this morning Ny cod seems to
be passing away. Hope that this will find yeu
| both rested and well. L would like to hear the
Bell Ringers tomorrow evening, and would like to
! attend the Plymouth prayer meeting. Do the
ringers perform Saturday evening for the Wayside
Home? Would ike to go with you some evening
90 hear them, and will go to MORO or Saturday
YOU. Tmouid ike Is attend the circus Saturday
afternoon and will invite you 70 that and to din
after 10 9Ss o. ,se best aSs up tow No
| convenient and agreeable? Maybe l will call on
| you on my way home this evening and arrange
Mr.. JoHNsoN's sUsPIoIoNs VERIFIED.
Mr.. Johnson's suspicious we're aroused. He
4 not only negatiyed the proposition for the
European trip, bat resolved to keep watch
on his wife aad Higley. He employed two
| private detectives. He found quarters fol
= Them in The Rsmsen House. He let it be I'M
/ deratood he was going to Saratoga. Els wife
went with him 10 the Grand Central depot
Instead of tax ing the train for Saratoga h.
slipped out on another side Of the depot ant
a Swallowed his wife. He saw her go to tele
graph office and write dispatch. He aver
be got copy OF the dispatch and it is a
n follows:
: To II. A. Higley, Produce Exchange:
Il j. left on the o'clock train, Grand Central.
G rem ain up town. J.
The two detectives, who we're at the depot
e followed her to a Undressing establishment
II thence TO the Grand Central Hotel, wher
, she remained half an hour. Mr.. Higley dit
n not come. The presence of the detectives il
the boardpghouse became known 10 her
n who learned from ore of the detectives, who
E, it ia said, had espoused her cause, that Nj
It johnson suspected Mr.. Higley.
D. THE LETTER THAT GAVE HER AWAY.
Mr.. johnson suddenly returned. His vii
is was in bed, and Mr.. johnson says she was il
% the act of placing letter urder her piIlo'
e when he entered. He grabbed it and Sc
'' cured it in the struggle, during which, sh
; alleges, he treated her in a brutal manner
4 The letter, he Gays, ia in her handwritiRy
" and, although not addressed to Mr.. Higley
le was intended for him. Mr.. johnson regard
= this letter So one of the strongest points
his case. The following isa copy:
70 Mr.. Conklin can tell you all. I know what Ii
"a detectives are working The only me 1 hay
Sc seen the man to-day ne we he.e. Ii is not N
Is opinion he HIS let 50 of the case. thought afe
re obtained vast amount of info nation from him
I get more than hsf from Nj Gloucester, who
!, confined to her bed with. conge7 i've lungs. bl
X Keeps IN with what goes on, and tells me ever.
er thing. 1t will be Grelt trial for me to break
e. nv home before my summer walks or recreation
d / don't THINK it prudent to leave now nor chan
h Itwould do me-3reat injury and be made gre
oil handle by the Union. The difficulty will be ovt
OF in a week two. hsve gone through them b
fore on other lines and Understand well what NJ
~ ]. will do. They cannot make out a cas-
ie J. wrote Monday saying: ''should they {
OF TO MOUSE OF t iSsm baye nnE
=, out from time TO time. all they know and thin
10 they know. To-day have had the other bed take
~ from my loom and inclo-e the letter send 1
II morrow ID Mr.. j, in reply to telegram receive
last night. received "a sweet letter from hi
4 anything to have talk with you about going
n Europe. Are you clean out Of the notion? v
ri will, in day or two, have him where we can {
Re almost as we plea with him. 1 think that l ca
al see that our seeing each other is wound up II
| DO not You say nOInl0g ABOUT II III your no
ID received bv Mr.. Conklin. I cannot express Il
ne awful dread have of the summer here alone.
see only one of two steps ID tdk2-for US TO
abroad talked of, and lido tho tier oEer.
~ me to proceed to a separation and be logged 81
Mt harrassed for the resi- of my existence. am III
g, in nothing shCls of an entire separation
er a full, ,uare underst snding and that Of
&c friendship is not to be molested viii nal
er me on terms with him. To remain here with &c
as cut of the country, and have to meet ali sha
re have to, is simply dreadful The difficulties
list the past week have been no more trying TO
ne than what went through at Ocean Grove. TIL
was quite as bad. wonder have as yet kept
a, well In health under it as have. Must come
a6 church sunday? Mr.; J. is to return on Nondi
gu or Tuesday, the detective says. After Ieceivil
re this letter cannot tell whether he VII con
rs here or not; don't think he will at first If &c
s.; think you can swallow going to Europe, bett
!, telegraph him that 'canDot manage before seeii
u him. so he can have opportunity for retract1t
before committing ourselves to fr1endllness a5a1
81; 1 am pretty sure he will want to NAL up.
?" MRS. JOHNSON TAXES HER DEPARTURE.
Ga last Thursday MRS. johnson took h
departure from the Rsmsen House, and wei
ns 10 live with friend. The last interview
Is. tween husband and wife wac on Ssturda
n when Mr.. johnson, on entering, the room
ne which she was seated with lady, advanci
N and tried to kiss her. She turned scornful
Oh away, when he hurried from the hous
YES From that instant 1 have only thought
II Furnishing the man who has wronged me.
ID was as much as life was worth when l lot