The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-18
WHOSE HUSBAND WAS HE?
Continued Sensationin Atlanta Over the
Remains of the Texas Cattle King.
Mrs. J. Pierce Weaver. Of Indianapolis, Says
She Is the Widow-Mrs. j. W. Pierce, of
Texas, Says She Is the Widow.

Atlanta Constitution, Tuesday.
Interest in the litigation over the remains Of
the late j. W. Pierce has grown so intense that
the sensation is discussed on all sides.
Mrs. j. Pierce Weaver is here, trying to have
the remains shipped to Indianapolis, Ird., for
interment. and Mrs. Joseph Warren Pierce, OF
Fort McCayett, Tex, will be here tonight or to-
morrow to contest the claims of Mrs. Weaver.
Mrs. Weaver mourns the death of her husband,
and wants his grave to be where she can keep it
green with her own hands. Mrs. Pierce objects
to allowing another to take into care and keep
ing the remains of Mr.. Pierce.
It's a strange question of identity. Yes serday
a lady of middle age, quite good looking, neatly
attired in black and wearing some jewelry, sat
in the Office of Lochrane G. Lochrane. Mr..
Walter R. Brown was present; so was Judge
Lochrane; so was Mr.. Elgin Lochrane.
A Constitution reporter, who had been detailed
to make a thorough investigation of the case,
and who was looking for Mrs. Weaver, found her
at the office of Judge Locnrane. Mrs. Weaver
consented to an interview, although her lawyers
said they had no desire. to try her case in the
newspapers.
AZ met him first at his mothers house. He was
born and raised in Indianapolis, and ! met him
just after his return from the war, in which he
had served for four years. My name was Louisa
e. Sigler, and l was born and raised in Jackson
vile, Ill. We were married in Chicago, while /
was on a visit to my sister there. The
took place at the house OF a minister, and here is
the certificate
Mrs. Weaver drew out of a hand-satchel a pa
per, which was as follows:
State of Illinois, Chicago, Cook county, Feb. 25.
1o67.-This may certify that l have this day, upon
license from Edward S. Solomon. clerk of the County
Court of Cook county, legally united in marriage
James P. Weaver and Louisa 4. Sigler.
JOHN P. CULVER,
Pastor of the New England Congregational Church,
Chicago.
where did you and Mr.. Weaver live9" asked
the reporter.
1--WE went to indianapolis in 1863, and lived
there after that My husband was first in the
paper-box business. At one time he had a
livery. stable and an undertaking business there.
He accumulated some property. and had at one
time several houses and lots. After some years
his place of business was burned out, and he
grew dissatisfied, and wanted to go West to seek
a home. He went away in IL June, 1883, and came
back in August. lie told me he had found a
hotel in Ufala, Indian Territory, and that
he was going to move his family there
in about six weeks. He wanted me to let him
sell everything so he would not have to come
back. l consented, and we sold out everything.
We then picked out furniture for twenty rooms
of the hotel, and he had it set aside as sold. /
signed a deed TO our homestead, and gave him
checks for all the money in bank. It amounted
to about SIS, 600. I made him a little belt out of
canton flannel, a little better than a quarter of a
yard long and about as wide as a bank note, and
put strings to it, and we put the money in it,
and he tied it around his waist aud went away
that night about IL o'clock. He went from there
to st. Louis to see his mother, and to see if he
could get a better bargain in furniture. He
wrote to the Indianapolis house that he could
get furniture cheaper in st. Louis, and he would
not take theirs. In about four weeks he wrote
me that the wife of the proprietor Of the hotel
would not sign the necessary papers, and he
would have to look somewhere else for an open
ing. He next wrote me that he was on a ranch
eighty-five miles northwest of Fort Worth,
Texas, and to direct my letters to Fort Worth.
On the second of February, 1884, he came home,
and two nights afterward was called out of the
house by a man named William Eden. who shot
him through the back of the neck. 1t developed
that he had been living with Eden's wife,, who
had disappeared about the time my husband had
left. My husband was in bed about a week. In
promising me that he would give the
woman up and arrange for his
family to go to Texas. I soon found
that he was at Fort Worth, and was there
known as j. w. Pierce. He wrote me letters to
address him as j. w. Pierce. so as to avoid the
possibility of trouble with Mr.. Eden. After
waiting for some time for him to keep his
promise, | went to Fort Worth and found him
living in the same hotel with Mrs. Eden and
passing her off as his wife. / had warrants is
sued for both. and my husband was arrested,
but Mrs. Eden avoided arrest and left the place.
On the trial my husband pleaded guilty and was
fined 81, 600, $500 of which was aflerward paid
to me. The trial was in August, 1884, and in
the September following / returned to Indian
apolis."
How many children have yous"
''Three-two girls and a boy. The oldest Is a
girl fifteen, the next a boy thirteen, and the next
a girl who is eleven"
"How old was Mr.. Weaver?'
HE would have been fifty. five had he lived
until the 7th of next September"
did you hear from him after the trialp
"His letters ceased after the trial, but he wrote
to my father, telling him that he had twice sent
Mrs. Eden away, but she would come back to
him, and that he loved his family and did not
mean to desert u.s."
"Was he a good husband before he left your
"He was; there never was a better one.
Everything we wanted We got. He never
drank
Mrs. Weaver has an envelope, mailed on the
Western & Atlantic train, which. she says,
brought to her an account of the killing, and in
closing a card which was used by Weaver when
ne was in the undertakers' business in Indian
apolis. The card was black as ink, and on it was
printed:
J. P. WEAVER,
UNDERTAKEN,
Nc. SO Illinois street, indianapolis, Ind.
(Telephone)
The envelope was addressed to Mrs. Weaver.
at No. l36 West First street, indianapolis.
There was nothing in it except the account of
the Georgia Pacific collision and the card. The
envelope and Enclosures were shown to the re-