The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-20
SOLD HIS SPOUSE.
One Hundred Dollars in Cash the Price of a
Wife and Baby.
Cleveland Leader.

Cleveland Leader.
Just after dusk on Wednesday evening a man
with his wife and little baby entered the Empire
House on Water street The former wrote the
following upon the register of the house: Henry
Sauerbier, Logan, o." He asked for room for
himself and the baby, and said his wife would
not remain. He was assigned to room s and
retired for the night, the woman leaving in the
direction of the union depot Nothing particu-
larly strange was thought of the conduct of the
parties. The clerk surmised that perhaps the
woman had friends in the city and was going to
pass the night with them, or that she had been
unexpectedly summoned home for the night
Sauerbier retired to his room and was not
seen again until yesterday morning when he
came down late to breakfast During the fore
noon the woman who had come to the hotel with
him the night before came into the Office in COM
pany with a man who was addressed as mir.
Mcfarland" and who also claimed to be from
Logan. The latter did not register. There was
a conference in room 8. which resulted in the
departure of the woman and babe in company
with Mr.. Mcfarland and the subsequent de-.
parture of Mr.. Sauerber for Chicago. Landlord
John P. Brennan, of the Empire House. furn-
ished the following information last night:
ut was clear case of man selling his wife
and child for hundred dollars in cash. said he.
''Sauerbier told me all about it. He said that
about twelve months before his wife had left
him very suddenly and mysteriously. He had
sought for her everywhere without success, un-
til he had finally discovered that she had run
away with Mcfarland He had the latter ar
rested for bigamy, he having left wife in some
other Ohio village. Then Sauerbier and his wife
started for Chicago. Before Cleveland was
reached it was decided that they could never
live amicably together again, and it was ar
ranged that Mrs. Sauerbier should 20 after Nc
Farland from this city. They came here,
and Sauerbier and the baby were left
in a room, while the woman went back
to Logan after the other man. She
brought him back with her, and he agreed
to give Sauerbier 800 for the woman and baby.
The husband hesitated, for he wanted more
money, but before noon to-day accepted, and
saw the 800 paid over. 1t was the first time
ever saw a wife and baby sold, but it was
woman and baby went back to Logan late yester-
day afternoon, and came up to an uptown
ticket Office and bought ticket to Chicago for
Sauerbier. The whole thing is strange all the
way through. In addition to turning over the
wife and baby to Mcfarland for the $780, Sauer-
bier agreed not to push the case against him
The woman cried a little as she left her husband
but seemed really anxious to leave with the
other man. Sauerbier was an intelligent appear
ing and seemingly well-todo German, while the
other man was stalwart Irishman. There was
an agreement drawn up which / glanced over
hastily The purport was that for the sum of
500 Henry Sauerbier agreed to turn over to -
Mcfarland his wife and child, and also to drop
all proceedings against him. The papers were
signed by BOTH" Mcfarland and the woman
left for Logan on the afternoon Bee-liIle train,
and Sauerber left for Chicago on Lake Shore
train No. 8. last night