Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-02-27
a st. Louis Sensation.


a st. Louis Sensation.
SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF A LONG LOST
RUSSIA AND N-DRAMATIC
SCENE IN COURT-A MOTHERS FATAL
SURPRISE.
A St. Louis special of the 10th says:
The developments in suit for divorce
are causing sensation here just now.
The plaintiff is William Waddlngham,
and the defendant his wife Pauline
Mr.. Waddingham has been resident
of st. Louis all his life, and is the pos,
SCISSOR of great wealth, being reputed to
be worth from $500. OeO to $500, 900. He
met his wife for the first time in st.
Louis about thirty years ago. She was
then known as Paulina Hulett. They
were married on August 80. 1853 The
plaintiff alleges that shortly after mar
rylng her he discovered that his wife's
repute was not entirely satisfactory,
and for this reason he left her, having
lived with her less than q year She
went to reside in Poultney, VT, where.
according to the allegations, she led a
questionable lite, though he RENTED to
her for over twenty years 500 per
month. A short Time ago he accident
ally discovered that at the time he mar
ried her she had another husband-One
Charles r. Gavin-stiH living, and 1t
was upon this ground that he brought
suit for divorce. In 1S43 Gavin, who
was then young man of twenty, and
Paulina Hulett, aged then about six
teen, lived together as man and wife.
Shortly after this period Gavin wan
dered eastward, and being caught in an
act of grand larceny was sent to the
Auburn penitentiary for three years
While he was in prison his wife went
10 the bad, and he became sort of wan
derer. serving shortly thereafter term
ia the Columbus Ohio) penitentiary for
countsrfeiting For the past few years
his family and acquaintance have lost
sight of him. and his mother, who had
not seen him for thirty years, supposed
him dead
In response to these damaging charges
Mrs. Waddingham enters q general de-
NAL. She alleges in her answer that
she was never married to Charles X.
Gavin, but that a cousin of hers, who
greatly resembled her, named Martha
Jane Haskins. was the one who mar
ried Gavin. AS to the testimony con
corning her habits of lie in POultney,
she simply AYERS that the Witnesses have
sworn falsely. Mr.. Waddingham was
kept busy for several menthe eHdeavor
ing to discover the whereabouts OF
Charles R Gavin, if still living. He
employed the services of an advertising
agency. and advertisements were print
ed extensively throughout the country.
About Two weeks ago he received let
ter dated Shreveport, La, signed by
Charles r. Gavin, saying that hl wss
still alive, and asking TO knOW what
| was wanted of him. Gavin was at once
sent for. and has bepn ip st. Louis for
several days, though his preeeHpe was
kept rather quiet. Monday was the
day set for the hearing of further depo-
sitions in behalf of the plaintiff, and the
defendant had been duly notified to be
on hand at the office Of Waddingham' 8
attorneys The purpose of Mr.. "tr
bingham was to surprise the defense by
the production of Gavin. The plaintiff
! and his attorneys, with Gavin. were on
hand before 10 O'CLOCK.
At that hour the defendant entered
with her attorney, and here a scene in
tensely dramatic in its details ensued,
| Mrs. Waddinghsm. who is a well-pre
served woma6, Ssatningiy aboAG fpfty-
| five years of age, though older, and OF
small and shapely figure, came into the
room with smile on her face and en-
tirely unconscious of the trap that had
| been laid for her. Gavin was standing
against the wall, and facing the door,
when the woman who is said to have
Been his wifo thirty years ago, but
whom he HID not seen for over quarter
OF a century, entered the doorway no
looked her directly in the face, but gave
10 sign of recognition. ahe gaged at
him for u moment as if she had sud
denly been confronted by an apparltion,
throwing her hands into the air, and
staggering toward corner of the room,
called out in frantic tones, "Charles!
Charles Uh9PiesI' and then fell on the
carpet in q hystericai Ct. Water was
tashpl in her face, and after being re
vived she Looked wildly around and
said, 10 scarcely audible tones, II
thought lie was dead" Gavin stood
there all the time with his hands behind
his back, staring at his wife, but not
saying a word His stolid face betrayed
ns emotion whatever. and he looked on
with the indiHersIs air of spectator
who had no concern Ia Whist Vag trens
piring When the lady was led away
he eooIly remarked, That's her" He
gas then put on the stand, and his dep
0sition pToseeded The most sensational
rs well as uelane10iy spigoHe pf tHis
extraordinary domestic drama is yet TO
DE told. 1t was the intention of plain
tiff's attorney to place the defendant on
the stand and Try to obtain her admise
sion, uDder oath, that she was lawfully
welded to Charles r Gavin and had
never been divorced from him, but it
was discovered that she had left the
city On Monday night, and there was
left i no fifther aoabt Sp ing f4estf!oa o.
Mr.. Nichols left for Detroit Tuesday
night to procure additional TESTIMONY,
II H00t The actpal record. Hetook Gavin
with him, ab4 i vas part of their
trip there to have hilh iueItiaaa 'ag tps
Charles r Gavin who lived there III
lS45 Gavin's mother, Mrs Mary
Marsh-she having been married q Sec
has been living a Detroit for fifty years,
her recent home being at No 101 Cath
crime street. Yesterday morning Gavin
Eht BIS atto-ney, Mr. Nichols, called
there to Zee Stfs #arah, and a tele
graphic dispatch reSeiVeG yes,e flisy af-
ternoon gives an account of-ths 5ad re-
suit of the call. It appears that Mrs
Marah has been in weakened state of
health for MANY years, and ON account
of her age and many family Affections
had lost vitality both Of body aud mind
A short time ago she lost her favorite
son, Knox Gavin, a lawyer in Detroit,
and she had believed her son Charles
dead for many years When the two
callers tapped at the door yesterday it
was opened by a girl, Wild Conducted
them to room wl1ete the old lady was
seated She rose to receive Them. but
the same moment she recognized her
l0sl SOP, end screaming out his name,
fell dead.
Johnny Wise. who desires to repre-
sent the whole State of Virginia in the
Congress Of the United States, has new
er yet learned the philosophy of the
wise man, who said: "A soft answer
turneth away wrath ;" nor yet that