The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-13
THE CHAMPION BIGAMIST.


Story Told by One Wife, in Detroit Times.
''The truth will come out sooner or later, and
l might as well tell it ALL she replied, nervously
my husbands true name is George Robert New
bold, the son of retired British army officer
now living at Peterboro, Ontario. He is about
forty one years of age From his early years he
has been inclined to be fast, and has brought
shame upon as good a father and mother as any
son ever had He is their only child, and not
withstanding his crimes they still love him, and
overlook much that others condemn. He was
married first in 1862, at the age of nineteen to
Miss Jerusha Wood, at Barrowfield Church,
Kingston Ontario, he taking the name of Charles
E. Stewart He lived with her for some time,
and when tired of the arrangement came to the
States and secured divorce-one Of those pat
emit divorces they call them. l do not know
what his career was until the time | met him,
but his subsequent actions would indicate that
he was running after the women. was mar
ried to the man Nov. 81, 1875, he still calling
himself Stewart, and claiming a legal divorce
from the first wife, which papers I have now,
though Lawyer Moore has tried hard to get
them. 1 did not know my husbands real name
until he took me to his fathers house. at Peter
boro, where the truth had to come out
'Will you give your maiden name and the
place of your marragep
For reasons that to mo seem good must re-
fuse just now. There are others whom would
shield but aside from that will try to give a
connected story. After our marriage we lived
pleasantly until June, 1876 when Newbold went
Adelaide Nichols, a maiden lady, aged thirty
five years, the only daughter of very wealthy
farmer. did not know of this for some time,
as he was going back and forth, living with me,
but claiming business as his excuse for frequent
visits to Campbellford After time it began to
be rumored in that town that Newbold had
wife in Peterboro, and some of her friends came
to see If the reports were true. The truth of the
story was so apparent that they returned to
Campbellford, told the deceived woman the facts,
and the knowledge so preyed upon her mind that
she became a raving maniac and was sent to an
asylum, where she subsequently died. He was
arrested for blgamy on three distinct charges,
the prosecuting witnesses summoned being Je-
rusha Wood, Mary Adelaide Nichols and myself;
but Jerusha was the only one who appeared
against him. He was subsequently convicted
and sent to the Kingston penitentiary for two
years. During his Imprisonment in jail l min
lstered to his every want and after he had gone
to Kingston | visited him twice. living with his
parents the while. Upon the expiration of his
sentence Newbold returned to his fathers home.
and we remained there six months. l treated
him as though he had always been true and
faithful husband. | wanted the past to be for
gotten, and took my husband back though
thoughts of that deceived woman who died in the
asylum came to me oftentimes in the watches
of the night and robbed me of many hours
sleep. After six months at his home we went
to Belleville, 1 remaining but short time.
There he was arrested, charged with falsely per-
sOnating government officer. He was sent to
prison for six months. While in jail he won the
affections of Mrs Myers, the ianitor's wife and
tam dave hAeo Tho
she left her home and went to Brockville, where
she was later joined by Newbold and they reg
istered at the st. Lawrence Hall as the Hon.
George Percy and wife. There they remained
six week, when the wOmans daughter found
her and reported the facts to Mr. Myers. The
infatuated woman, who had then passed her
forty fifth year declared she would not leave
her newfound love, for he was the only man for
whom she felt any affection. They went to
Mor11stown, n. Y, where | found them. | went
to where they were stopping knocked at the
door, and when he came to admit me lac looked
very much astonished ana said, What did you
come forE replied by asking, Didn't you tele
graphP OF course he denied this, which was
right but l went into the house and drove tire
woman away. l heard afterward that she went
back to her husband. After getting rid of Mrs.
Myers stayed with my husband two hours
and talked with him. trying to win him back,
agreeing to do anything he required if he would
become true man; but he would make no
promises and left. going to Brockville, and
thence back to Peterboro. 1t was nearly two
years before heard from him again; then he
was at Schenectady, N Y. and he wrote to me,
begging for forgiveness, acknowledging that he
had deeply wronged me, but insisted that he
still loved me with an intensity that grew as the
years of separation passed. Though writing in
this way to me, the man was then living
with woman he had married in the meantime
"a Miss Annie Henry, residing at ia Union
street. He then was calling himself John H.
Percy. That woman, lsee by the Times, has
one child These facts l did not know at the
time, and | wrote him an affectionate letter
asking him to return. When he had been absent
something over two years he did return to
his fathers house, and again | welcomed him
and hoped that comfort and happiness had at
last come to us, but my dream was a delusive
one. In short time he went to Toronto to
learn shorthand and telegraphy, and there he
picked up girl named ''Nellie'-the last name
has slipped my mind I heard of this in time to
prevent marriage, and then he went back to
Schenectady, where he staid until last July. He
returned to Peterboro and in November came
here l followed shortly after. The name
Neveille was assumed here, and l knew nothing
about it until my arrival. He excused it by
saying that if his real name was given it would
injure him, and consented He wanted Miss
Shaw to take the same name and pass for his
sister, but she wisely refused, and it is much
better for her that she did"
What do you know about the Newark mar
riage!"
II never heard of it till the Times came out
and published the facts. AS he was away for so
long time after locating in Schenectady, he
may have married two or more, for he seemed
possessed on the subject of marriage, and had
way about him that attracted women. His poor
old father is one of the most respected citizens
of Peterboro, and the shame that this man has
brought upon him is terrible The reasons for
withholding the facts so long were that hoped
my childrens future would be benefited
thereby. But l now see the thing in its true
light, and make this truthful statement so that
those who have been censuring ne may not con
tinue to judge too harshly That am not crazy
is a wonder. Ihave borne enough TO drive any
woman into an asylum, but thoughts of the poor,
innocent children have enabled me to bear up,
L am not blackmailer. l am not conspirator
to bleed money from anybody. 1 have said to
the Times frequently that did not care what
people thought of me. but that is not so, All
that is left to me is my reputation-and that is