The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-01-02
A BAD MANS W,LES,
And Husbands Unforgvug and unre-
Ienting Heart,
Drive O Poor Deceived and Betrayed
Woman in Despair to Her
Death.

from lnulauapOlls tnls morhihB ahhouuSee
the end, by compromise OF the Grinlth-
johnson lawsuit growing out of the settle
ment of property on the l4-year'
old boy OF the latter, by John.
son, his wife. and Gritfithlhe lads grand.
father. II will be remembered how Mrs.
Johnson was recently found, after an even
ing spent with her husband, dead In her
bed with the evidences of murder or
suicide all around; how 1t was
limited that the poor lady
had for some time been partially Insane,
aud it was supposed that this had caused
her to take her own life.
Suit was subsequently brought by Griffith
to sci aside the cOnveyanceS. and the init
nation was made that Mr.. johnson knew
more OF his wife's death than 1t would be
safe for him to disclose.
In the course of the trial reference was
made to certain letters written by Mrs.
johnson TO her absent husband which
would strengthen the case of the defend
ant, but which he would not permit to be
read IN court. THIS, however, he was
compelled by the judge to do. These not
only sustained his case, but they unfolded
a tale of suffering and woe consequent upon
an involuntary sin which none but heart
OF stone could read without emotion OF the
proioundest pity for all parties concerned,
except the oatbsome snake who crawled
athwart the shadow OF their once happy
home of his friends and left his Shiny trail
upon all ii touched.
As fitting conclusion of this chapter OF
betrayed friendship and domestic woe, the
following letters from the erring but re-
pentant and heart. broken wife, are repro.
duced.
NOVEMBER 10, 1883.
My DEAR HUsBAND.-Yourl letter Of the
10Th came this morning just In time to
save the last act in the scene Of life with
me. have everything prepared, aud to.
| night would have been the sleep which
| knows no waking on earth with me. The
| only consideration which has deferred me
| before, was that then all would be known,
| aud for Grittith's sake, more than anything
| else, wanted TO see II there was no alter
| natlye-not to to save my life, no, never,
| for one moment. would have been will
| ing TO endure an eternity Of woe II / could
have saved you and him. The reason that
have implored you to let me see you all the
time, was that thought to you alone
could tell the truth. The most unaccount.
able part of the power possessed over me,
was that so long as was in G. could not
see and feel this as l knew should. l re-
preached and wondered to myself, but
every effort and determination | made
seemed OF no avail. was powerless.
will tell you the truth, as know and feel
it to be such.
There was never in any way by word or
deed any improper advance made to me
until YOU and G. had gone to N. G. His
manner and conversation were kind, and
such az to gain my confidence, such as
would feel toward one so much older than
myself. and In a position, as l thought, to
make any iinproprieties impossible. After
| you left he constituted himself my guar
dian. comingl to take me to meals
and showing various other attep
lions which did not receive without some
protest, as Mrs. G. and others could testify
il they would. He said you had left
me In his care, and l answered / did not
believe it, because you know could take
care of myself; still he persevered. I was
too confident. One day after you had been
gone some days, in the afternoon, he came
into my room, sat on the sofa, and he
was on a chair near the bureau. I was
(there had been nothing said to
alarm M. when | felt an intlu.
ence, and looking up met his eyes fixed on
me and his lips moving. When looked up
he moved on the sofa, took my hand and
stroked it. l said, "Don't Major, you
can't mesmerize me; that has been tried
BEFORE and he merely said, "Not, Z"
and kept my hand, and put the other on
my head and drew 1t toward him. felt
my will giving way, and begged him to de-
sist, but he kept me; and, though the door
was wide open, and knew any moment
might be exposed, could not help it; but
there was nothing criminal
| When the wronged husband, who knew
OF his shame from his l4-year old son, the
boy having intercepted a note passing be.
tween his mother and her seducer, wrote
back to his wife, urging her to tell the
whole truth, she made full confession:
| NOVEMBER, %, 1888.
Ny God help me, and you too, my hus-
band. As told you, there was nothing
except what told you In my room before
you come home from N. G. Then, after our
| lHtcIflcW III JOui loou u'uS iuuocu uiu
intend to break away from him entirely,
but he sought an opportunity in the office
to speak to me. l told him / could not
talk with him, and that our relations as
friends must cease. Then he commanded
meIro meet him in the parlors to come to an
understanding. So, think, 1t was In the
morning, soon after breakfast, when every
one had gone away. The rooms were all
vacant, l am sure. I met him there. I
was so agitated could scarcely stand. He
took me in his arms and soothed my nerves,
and talked to ME, and said II would never
do for us to break away from each other
in that way, that 1t would expose US more
than any thing else; that we
must remain friends, and then he
said 1t placed you and him In such
position. He said for me not to fret, and
he would make 1t all right. Then II was he
wrote you that letter. think 1t was the
next morning that he again compelled me
to 60 to the parlor, and sat by me on the
sofa. He talked to me there about bis
feelings toward me; said that 1t was pure
heart love; that it was not passion. tried
to release myself, and besought him to let
me 60. struggled to free myself, but all
Ut once he seemed changed; passion came
into his face, and he forced me down on
the end of the sofa and escaped to my
room, and after that did not see him In
the parlor. except with others, except &C.