Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1884-05-22


letter that Mrs Williamson did not de-
sire to institute criminal proceedings
against her husband and would not be-
come u party to such. Chapman being
a member of the Baptist Church, noti-
fed I. +. Spencer, one of the deacons
last week, Of the correspondence. On
Monday, about II A. NJ. T. +. Spencer,
A. Ii. Ondcrdonk and j. +, Trumbo,
dcacons Of the church. called on Will
hanson and taking him into the church,
asked him if he had another wife; he
said he supposed that hi, wife was dead;
that she had left him about five years
ago and taken about all the property he
had with her and that he had spent the
balance in trying to find her, that he
had seen in Chicago papers that she was
dead. The deacOus informed him of
what they had learned. He then said
that the only thing for him to do was to
resign; that he could not preach under
the circumstances. He was told that
he could write out his resignation and
leave it with any one Of the deacons.
Thcintoryicw lasted about Il half hour
and he went to his home near the
church. He sat down to dinner
but ate nothing, saying he was not
well. On getting up from the table
he went into the pantry where he kept
his medicines, and there in all proba-
biIity he prepared the dose diution of
pruS4ic acid which his knowledge OF
medicine assured him was sure and
speedy death. Placing his pocket-book
and gold watch in bureau drawer, he
went ont and went into the church
about half past one o'clock. He re-
manned there all alone until about =
O'Clock when he went to the spot where
he was found dead four hours after
ward. In his pocket was found letter
from his sister at Empire City, Colora-
do, and a letter in his own hand adj
dressed to his wife, which read as fol-
lows:
My DEAR WIFE:
| have just heard to-day news that
will be- distressing to You rs it was ter
riblr to me. II is that my wife who left /
me several years ago and whom sup |
posed and regarded as dead is still liv- |
img. Darling, forgive me if have done /.
you any wrong in not telling You all be-
fore our marriage. married You in |
good faith, and You are my only true |
and lawful wife in all equity.
| cannot bear up against this disgrace |
TO you, to the Church and to myself. |
have been most fcarfully. wrongcd. |
do not care to live. had hoped to
spend many happy days before | died; |
hut that il not to he. GOd bless and |
keep YOU. On what Il sad ending to
our blissful expectations.
Ever your own true husband,
Robert.
p. 81 had not the heart to tell YOU
face To face; you looked and felt so
poorly.
When Williamson came here to
preach, it was not on any special sal
AIRY. The church was poor and could |
not pay him much. He told them he .
did not expect them to promise him
any particular amount; that he did not |
like the idea Of stated salary any
how looked too much like hire
ling. lie said he would come and do /
the best he could and that he felt sure .
the church would support him if he de-
served it, Between $500 and &lOO was |
subscribed for his years pay, which |
WAS paid in monthly installmcntS, in
advance, the ninth month expiring ON |
the day Of lis death. He was Il very |
quiet man and his conduct while here,
as observed BY his ncighbors and the
members oi his church, wa, most cX-
emplnry. He had made but few ac-
QUaintanccs here and no intimate
friend to whom he could 60 for advice
and to unbosom himself and thus re-
licyc the pressure in his heart which
drove him to self-dcstruction. Ills
wife Sarah, has the sympathy of the
community, and is held innocent.
Williamson was born in Troy, n. Y.
and was about IS years of are. He .
was a fine looking man. and was high
ly educated. lie was, We learn, Il
graduate of Williams College, Will
liamS, u. Y.