The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-18
STEALING HIS FATHERS WIFE.
Oscar Dawson, Perry Township Farmer,
Elopes with His Stepmother.

The marital experience Of John W. Dawson
has been of somewhat notable character. He
has had four wives and been married five times,
twice to the same woman, divorce intervening
between the two ceremonies He came to Marion
county sixty years ago, when twelve years old.
Always hard worker and frugal in his means
Of living, he accumulated handsome fortune.
He had fondness for money but many times
friends have been generously assistedby him. No
farms in the county are better cared for than
those owned by Mr.. Dawson. The home farm,
in Perry township, is model of cleanliness, fer
tility and equipment 1t was no trouble for
him to gather the most profitable harvests
In his family government he was stern and ex-
acting, but the children, eight of them, grew up
to occupy honorable positions IN society. If
good cheer was wanting in the family circle it
did not keep away the virtues that mark upright
man and womanhood There was an exception,
however, Oscar, the oldest son by the last wife
but one. His inclination were for a fast life.
He is said to have no steadiness Of purpose and
wanted many of those qualities that won for the
other children the respect of friends and &C
quaintances.
Thus was the family in October 1879, when
Mr. Dawson married for fifth time. Six months
before he had, then widower, procured house
keeper, one Kate Messersmith, twenty five
years of age. She had llegitimate child,
but at the Home of the Friendless, where
she was an inmate, her credentials
were sufficient to satisfy Mr.. Dawson The
children, learning that the young housekeeper
had become the mistress of the family, with
drew from any connection with her, and except
at intervals had very little to do with the father
year later, son was born, and about that
time the sons became somewhat reconciled to
the change in the household. But previous to
this the feeling toward the father was anything
but filiaL On one occasion he went to an ad-
Joining farm worked by two of the boys, and
sought to instruct them concerning certain
work. They turned upon him and gave the old
man whipping
For year or more Mr.. Dawson has noticed
growing intimacy between his son Oscar. who
lived at home, and his wife. He tried to break
up their frequent meetings, but both persisted in
doing as they pleased. Recently he began to
miss household goods of value, and little by
little he saw his possessions of this class dimin-
Ish. Mrs Dawson became exacting for large
scheme, but confessed to a friend yesterday that
he was powerless to check their demands for
money and carrying away the goods. Saturday
night the end came in the wife and step-son,
Oscar, stealing away from home. They came to
the city. to the house Of one Strangmeyer, on
Shelby street, where they had sent large
trunk From that place they went to the Union
Depot and took a train but for what place is
unknown. All the goods they had taken from
the old man were sent to the city and shipped to
distant place, the name of which has not been
revealed. Mrs Dawson abandoned both her
children, the father of one being, it is aupposed
cigar maker near Lawrenceburg from which
place she came to this city seven years ago.