The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-02-28
The Wife Fails in q Faint: the
Mother Fails Dead!

A st. Louis dispatch February l.
says: The developments in a suit for
divorce are causing a sensation here Just
now. The plaintiff is William Wad-
bingham and the defendant his wife,
Pailina Mr.. Waddin ,ham has been a
resident of st. Louis all his life, and is
the pOssessor Of great wealth. being re-
puted to be worth from $780, 600 to
s4OO. 900. He met his wife for the first
time about thirty a ago. She was
then known As Paulina Hulett. They
were married Oh August 80. 1853. The
plaintiff alleges that shortly after mar
rying 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 a year. She went TO
reside in Poultney. VT, where. accord
ing to the allegations, she I'D a ques-
tionable life, though he RENTED to her
for over twenty years 800 per month.
A short time ago he accidentally dis
covered that at the time he married her
she had another husband-one Charles
X. Gavin-still living, and it was upon
this ground that he brought suit for di-
vorce. In 1913 Gavin. who was then a
young man of 90. and Paulina IIulett,
aged then about l6, lived together as
man and wife. Shortly after this period
Gavin wandered eastward, and, being
caught in act of grand larceny, was sent
to the Auburn Penitentiary for three
years. While he was in prison his wife
went to the bad, and he became a sort
of wanderer, serving shortly thereafter
a term in the Columbus (OhiO) Peniten-
tiary for counterfeiting. For the past
few years his fImily and acquaintance
have entirely 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 entered a general
denial. She alleged i'll her answer that
she was never married TO Charles X.
but that a cousin of hers, who greatly
resembied her, named Martha Jane
Haskins, was the n who married
Gavin AS to the testimony concern
ing her habits Of lilp IN PouItney, she
simply AYERS that the witnesses have
sworn falsely. Mr.. Waddingham was
kept busy for several months endeavor-
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 a let
ter dated Shreveport, La, signed by
Charles r. Gavin, saying that he was
still alive, and asking to know what was
wanted of him. Gavin was at once sem
for, and has been In st. LOUIS for sever-
al days, though his presence was kept
rather quie4. Monday was the day set
for the hearing of further depositions in
behalf Of the plaintiff.
At the hour the hour the defendant
entered with her attorney. a scene in
t~ensely dramatic ensued. Mrs. Wad-
bingham, who is a well-preserved wo-
man, seemingly about 4t years Of age,
though older. and of small and shapely
figure, came into the room with a smile
on her face and entirely unconscious Of
the trap that had beeL laid for her.
Gavin was standil. against the wall,
and facing the door, when the woman
who is said to have been his wife thirty
years ago, but whom he had not seen
for over a quarter OF a century. entered
the doorway. He looked her directly in
the face. but gave no sign Of pecOgni-
ton. She gazed at him for a moment
as if she had suddenly been confronted
by an apparition, and then, throwing
her hands into the air and staggering
toward a corner of the room, called out
in frantic tones: Charles! Charles f.!
aud fell ON the carpet in a
hysterical fit. Water was dashed in her
faee, and after being revived she looked
wildly around ana said, in scarcely audi
BILE tones Il thought he was dead.'
stood there all the time with his
hands behind his back, staring at his
wife, but not saying q word. His stolid
face betrayed no emotion whatever. and
he looked on with the Indifferent air of a
spectator who had nc concern in what
Has transpiring. When the lady was
led away he coolly remarked: hats
He was then put on the stand.
and his deposition proceeded. The
most sensational. as well as melancholy.
of this extraordinary domestic
is YET 10 be told. was the in
of plaintiffs attorney to place
defendant on the stand and try to
obtain her admission. under oath. that
she was lawfully welded to Charles r.
Gavin and had never heen divorced
from him, but it was discovered that
she had left the city on Monday night,
and there was left no further doubt on
the question of the previous marriage.
Mr.. Nichols left for Detroit OH Tues
lay night to procure additional testi-
if not the actual record. He
took Gavin with him, and it was a part
Of their trip there to have him Identified
as Charles r. Gavin by his mother, Mrs.
Mary Marsh-she having been married
second time. Yesterday morning
Gavin and his attorney, Mr.. Nichols.
called there to seq Mrs: Marsh, and a
dispatch gives an account OF
the sad result of the call. 1t appears
that Mrs. Marsh has been In a weaken-
ed state of health for many years, and
0 n account of her age and many family
affections had lost vitality both of body
and mind. A short time ago she lost
her iayorite son, Knox Gavin, a lawyer
in Detroit, and she had believed her son
Charles dead for many years. When
two callers tapped at the door yes
terday it was opened by a girl, who con-
'ucted them to a room where the old
lady was seated. She rose to receive
Them. but the same moment she recog-
10 -. I~4