Omaha daily bee., 1884-10-31
CAMPAIGN CALUMMY.
St, John Swept laO The Vortex Of
Political Scandal,
a Woman Scrapa" Alleged
Against Him,
A Fine Story Of Youthful In
discretion.
How Hs Deserted His. Wife and
Child.
His Innocent Statement of the
Case.
Strong Evidence that His Treatment.
to ais Wife Was Not Unim-
pcachable.
ST. JOHN SCANDAL.
cial dispatch to the BEE.

Special dispatch to the BEE.
CHICAGO, October 30.-The Tribune prints
the records from the circuit court, at Olney,
Illinois, giving the bill for divorce which was
Brought by Prohibitionist st. John, and also
the following affidavit:
OLNEY, Ill, October %, 1SSi-ln 1852 l
was living in Calhoun, Richlaud county, Ill.
Ono John st. John married Mt my house my
stepdaughter, Mary Jane Brown. After living
her and her unborn child. Durng
the time he lived with her
he never provided single peuny's worth to
support or clothe his wife and she would have
suffered for the necessities of life If / had not
suppl d her. After waiting patiently seven
long years for his return, his wife sought and
obsaiued a dive CO in the courts of HIGHLAND
c,unty and was granted the custody Of the
child; but his cruel. heaTtless and lnsXcusable
desertion wrecked her lite, broke her heart and
caused her to fill a premature grave.
%(Signed) j.. II. BREWER.
TIE DIVORCE PROCEDURE.
The New York Tribune of yesterday morn
ing contained the following:
81, 14i-Mary Jane st. john
John st. John.
And now, at this day, comes the plaintiff
by her attorney, and, it appearing to the court
that ths defendant, John st. Jonn, has been
duly notified OF the tendency of the suit by
mmon duly served ten days before the first
term of this court, and the said st. John
comes also by his attorney, but having failed
to answer or plead to said cause; it is thore-
fore ordered and decreed that the complain.
ants bill be taken for confessed against him,
the said st. John. And the cause coming on
to be heard upon the proofs and testl nony of
said plaintiff and defendant have been
married, as alleged in compliments
bill, and that he did on or about
the 18th day of June, A. ID 1852, wilfully de-
sert his said wife, the complainant up to the
present time, without any just cause or provo
ca ion, and it appearing that Henry st, John,
child of complainant and defend mt uf the
age of six year., ia, and has been, in tho GUS
tOdy of complainant since the desertIon of her
by said defendant, and it appearing that
complainauant is the proper custo ian
of said thild, it il therefore o derad
decreeh hat the bonds Of III Itrim0ny hereIb-
fore existing between the sail cDmpla,nant
aud defendant be- disSolyei and hsreaFter null
and void, and that the said c,mpl tinant have
and retain the exclusive c ire and control of
their said child, Henry st. john, aud that
said defendant pay the cysts of the suit, etc.
State of Illinois.
Richlanl County. SIS.
|, Thomas TIppett, clerk circuit court in
and for said county, do hereby certify THAI
the within and foreg ling is a troc copy of a
decres OF divorce wherein Mary st j In was
complainant and John st. Jonn was defend
ant rendered at the June term of the circuit
court in the year Is 9, and recorded ia circuit
court record No. ;, at page 2Ij.
" illness my hand aud Off :ial seal at Olney,
Ill Clio, ssE NI .lav II 4 - 10
Seal THos. TIrPET, Clerk.
ANOTHER WITNESS.
!, Mrs. Margaret A. Brewer, being duly
sworn, depose aud say that | am c0gniH mt {
the matter set forth i my hu.b4nd's aft lavit
above, and know the statement to bs true in
every respect, and that mu h more could be
added regarding tho ill-trsatmeuG Of st John
to his wife. | m,ryied Mr.. b ever in 1864,
but | lived in the immediate neighborhooi
long previously, and knew all tho parties in
timately, especially Mary Jane st .Juhn. She
died in Haz-ltOn, Ind, Nov. z, 1873, and, az
she h I'd implored m, Co see that shs should
have IL decent bul,l, | went tn re- and had her
body brought to Olney. Poor soul, she lies
buried in the little churchyard, AMI but few
know the spot, as nothIog marks tho & ave.
Many n time did she tell me that ST. John
wrecked her life.
MAR7AREr \. BREWER.
AAAAA Nv. ~ - w. NRlbAo III khln - , u ~
d'y OF October, A ID. 1884.
IT. ". HUTCHINSON.
Notary Public Of Richlsnd County, ~Iliinois.
ACCORDING TO st. JOHN.
Special telegram to THE BEE.
CHICAGO, October 30. Regarding the charge
that st. John, the prohibitionist candidate,
had been divorced from his wife for desfrtion
and had neglected TO provico for their child,
Mr.. Van Vliet eGitor of the Lever" wa,
asked Tor Information rs TO the truth If the
rumDr aud said: when 81. Johu was in
Chicago he $ mt for me and told me- the story
Of his first marriage lie did this for fear, az
he said, the republicans might bare some
Slanderous story On it, ] don't remember
everything he said, but he told me that when
he was 10 wears old and while he was living
down in Riphllnd county, Ill | think, he
made a fool of HIM elf by marrying a youhg
Lady in that ucilhborhoDd. Som after he
married her he discovered that he h I'd been
deceived bout her in spmB way or O her, and
tnerenpDn he went To California to permit her
To get q divorce for deseitlUn A year two
after Yards he returned 60 Richland county,
where public sentiment fully sUs aimed him ia
what he had lone and mari Il his second
wife lie assured me th. Il he had acted an
honorable part about IL in every respect
These facts are IN o possession Of prohibi.
ton Leaders throughout tho country
hAIlth In FnFlapf. Ia. LH. 90 ~ 800 o.