Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-09-19
Married his Own Sister.

AnlIIeeu year ago, says u NSW
York World, Thomas White, a yGtlhg
man of average intelligence, worked IN
a saloon at the corner of Smith and
Pacific streets, Brooklyn. He resided
in Bergen street with a young wor4an
whom he introduced as his wife. She
was really his sister. In 1873 they
moved to St Marks place. and in the
winter of that year a boy was BORN.
He was called Edward Henry. Six
years later another child. christened
Charles, was born. Then for the first
time the woman began't to realize her
situation and tried to leave the house,
but was deferred by her brother. She
persisted, but in vain. For weeks she
sat in her room and brooded over her
trouble. Finally her mind gave way,
and she declared that her life was
made miserable by magicians, and that
%sorcerers were over near. One morn
ing she would not let her brother leave
the house, saying that the sorcerers
were waiting outside to kill him.
Whites employer heard of this and in
sisted that she be put under proper
treatment. The brother consented,
and his wife, as he called her, was
taken 10 a private institution for the
insane.
She remained there several months,
and when she was released her reasQn
was partially restored. Much agaiy Ut
her will and despite her earnest pro-
testations she was compelled by her
brother to return to her old life. So
the matter rested till about two years
ago. when a young man, who lives on
Madison street, began to visit the
house. The weak-minded woman foil
in love with him, and her affectjon
seemed to be returned. They bec.( ne
intimate, and White was so overcome
by jealousy that he abused his sister in
every possible way.
third child was born last October,
and seemed to be doing we'll till Sum
day, July ~, when it suddenly sicken-
ed and died. The cause of its death
can not be learned. The atf1iction
affected the poor mother terribly. She
moaned over the dead body OF her child
that she had been bewitched by q
black cat and knew not what to do.
Her brother asked what was the mat
ter with her, and she replied vehement
~ that God had abandoned them be-
cause OF their great sin. Knccling over
the corpse she confessed her guilt and
prayed for forgiveness. This drove the
brother wild with rage, and with a
terrible oath he swore that he was not
the child's father and would never
bury it. The young man who had been
visiting the house, he said, must pay
the funeral EXPENSES.
Four days the wretched couple re-
manned in the same room with the
body of the child. Decomposition be-
gan. and neighbors demanded the
burial of the corpse. Their cry was
unheeded and the police were notified.
Both White and his sister, whose name
is Sarah. were arrested, and the child
was buried. When asked why he re-
fused to consign the body to the grave
White said both he and his sister were
bewitched. With no knowledge of the
previous history of these strange peo-
pie doctors advised that they be taken
to the Flatbush asylum for the insane,
and Judge Clement so ordered at the
request of William White, another
brother, who is q waiter iu u restau-
rant on Wiiloughby street. The guilty
man was so enraged at being taken to
the asylum that he told the whole
story, which is supported by facts. He
evidently considers his crime of little
Importance, and speaks with utter
disregard of his sister, who declares,
now that she is out Of the power Of her
brother, that she has hated him for
years and that she wants to marry the
young man above referred to. Of the
children only one survives. Edward
died in his second year. Charles is in
an orphan asylum, where he is kept by
the county. Besides tho waiter, there
is still another brother, named john,
who restless on Adams street.