The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-03
THE SERPENT.
Enters q Brooklyn Domestic Eden
with the Regulation Result.
Piymoath Church Congregation Fur
nishes Another Instance OF
Marital Infdeiffy.

BRooKLyN, May "A domestic scan
gal OF great import has created another moral
tornado IN the congregations of Plymouth
church, and the evidences of the wreck now in
sight are a ruined home an exasperated hus-
band, and sIoo,o suit for damages against
the alleged seddcer.- The husband is Eli
Johnson, formerly of Chicago, who lost an in
come of Sl,oq0 week by the Chicago fire. and
was afterwards chosen to disburse the 500 coo
contributed by Cincinnati for the flood suffer
ers During the entire war he was member
of the executive committee of the United
States Christian commission In Gin
cinnat he built up the largest
Sunday school in the United States,
leaving it with unincumbered property worth
sl5oOO0 He traces his ancestry back to Will
lam the Conquerer on the paternal side, and
to the earl of Salisbury on the ma ternal side
of late years he has been professional tenn
perance lecturer, and has been Jealous, elo-
quent and successful He has crossed the
ocean four times on lecturing tours, and the
earl or SALISBURY has presided at his lectures
in London Mrs. Johnson is a fne-looking
woman, with rudy complexion and rounded
form and iron-gray hair. She was born in
Ohio, and was married to Mr.. johnson in Ind
lana according td The Quaker rites, in 1875, he
being at that time twenty-three and she nine
teen years old.
The alleged serpsnt in the Johnsonian Eden
rs Mr. Henry A. Higley, wealthy grain and
provision broker of 33 Pearl street, New York,
a member of the New York Produce exchange
and the New York representative of NJ
Nichols and Robert Lindbloom & Co, of Chi
cage He lives in elegant style. with his wife
and family, at lS7 Park place, in this city, and
is prominent member of Plymouth church
The storm burst to-day when a summons
and complaint, in Mr.. Johnsons suit against
Mi. Higley, for $Ioo, 900 damages for criminal
conversation, were served upon Mr. HigIey
The complaint alleges that on fifteen specified
dates, the defendant adtintimate eations with
the pialnt1ns wife. The dates are between Feb
ruafg 1882 and April 1883, during most of which
time Mr johnson was in Australia on lectur-
ing tour, and during which time Mrs johnson
lived at the Remsen house and attended Ply
Higley's pew with him and his family, Mr.
Johnson returned In March and was welcomed
at public reception in the Academy of Music
of which Mr.. Higiey was the principal organ
Izer and the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher the
principal speaker. Soon after his return Mr.
Johnson's suspicious were aroused, and to test
his wife's fidelity, he told her that he was going
to Saratoga for a few days She accompanies
him to the Grand Central depot in New York,
batse him good by affectionately, and then, as
alleged, sent the following telegram to Mr..
Higley:
Arm Is. 1888 To Fl. A. HrGLE9, PRopucE
ExoHANGE:-Left on 4 O'Clock train-Grand
Central Tremain uptown.
Mr.. Johnson employed two detectives, who
have Swallowed his wife and Mr.. Higley, and
claim to have discovered some very significant
facts The employees at the ReInsen house
also make affidavit to very frequent visits by
MIR, IilSiey to Mrs Johnson's room, and to sHs-
pieious circumstances connected with tho
visits. Since Mr.. Johnsons discoveries of the
alleged improprietIes there have been many
violent quarrels between him and his wife,
which eliminated few days ago when he dis
covered letter in her hand writing supposed
to be written to complete arrangements for a
tight to Europe with Mr.. Higley Mrs John
son has separated from her husband and is civ
ing with married sister in New York. Mr.
Hlgleys friends say it is case of blackmaii,
and stat Higley is not worth 500 900 any way.