The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-03-18
SHOCKING SCANDAL.
Xenia Grocer's wife Devotes Herself to
Religious RevivaIs and the Comfort of
Loving Brother of the Church,
While Her Unsuspicious Husband
Is Engrossed in Business.

XENIA, O., March 14.-Xenia received another
social shock yesterday. 7. c. James, highly.re-
spected citizen of this city, who is engaged In the
grocery business has Just discovered that his wife
for some time past has disregsrded her marriage
vows. and that another man has been occupying
the place in her affections which should belong to
him. This intimacy on the part OF Mrs. James
has covered quite PERIOD but Mr.. James did not
On Sabbath while his wife was at church. he
found a batch OF letters in closet which, on ex-
animation, proved to be part OF correspondence
which had passed between his wife and a Mr.
Shumate, man who is employed at one of the
twine factories in this city. The correspondence
was Of such nature as to leave no doubt OF the
relations which existed between shumate and
Mrs. James. Mr.: James did not inform
sought the advice of his friends and,
as a result the services Of an attorney were Sc
cured, snd pre- ceedings for divorce will be insti-
tuted at once. Mrs. James was kept in ignorance
of her husbands knowledge of her guilt until
yesterday afternoon, when the Gazette made pub
lication Of the facts. which produced the most
startling sensation which has happened in Xenia
for some time.
In appearance Mrs. James is not prepossess-
Ing, and her public actions have always been
most consistent with true womanhood. Soc
was a member of the First NJ. E. Church of this
city, and il at this place of worship she often
met shumate snc he would accompany her home,
her husband always being detained at his place of
business until late hour. Shumate evinced a
wonderful interest In the meetings at the church,
and while the revival was i'll progress was reg
ular attendant Mrs. James was no less devoted
in her church duties. but the members soon grew
suspicious, and within the past two weeks there
has been some talk of the attention Shumate was
laying to Mrs. James.
None of this reached the ear OF the wronged
husband, however, and he would hardly have
been aware Of his wife's shame at this time had it
not been for the letters. In the letters which
passed between Shumate and Mrs. James they ad-
dressed each other as ''Sister' and Brother" q
term which is often used in the church. Among
the letters found by Mr.. James was one she had
written to Shumate, but had not yet found time
or opportunity ID mail it. II invited Shumate to
continue his visits to the James residence, assur.
ing him there would be no danger in his coming,
as her husband was always detained at the grocery
until a late hour.
Mrs. James is a daughter of John Hansel. of
Yellow Springs, most highly respected citizen OF
that place. and their daughters shame will be a
terrible blow to the parents. Mr.. James has a
little boy aged four years, which he will place in
charge of bis brother at Wilmington. He has no.
titled his father-inlaw of the facts in the case
and requested him to come and take his daughter
home If he desires to. Mr. James has been hon
orable IN all of his dealings and connections. and
has the deep sympathy Of the entir5 community.
A peculiar feature of the case is that Shumate is
a common laborer, and is far from being the style
of man which usually attracts the admiration OF
women.