St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-10-01
THAT CASE OF BIGAMY.
The Wife OF John w. Phelps comes
to Meet the Grand Jury.
story of Her Husbands Marriages
The case in Court.

Among the cases considered oy tne erauu
Jury yesterday was that OF Jonn W. fueips'
who is charged with bigamy Phelps was ar
rested at Fishkill Landing, n. y, lnJuly iast'
bv Detective A. c. Hartman OF Ohi-
cago, on warrant charging hi'h
with bigamy. The prisoner was Drought
to St. Paul on requ'sitlon Snu
TO avoid publicity the preliminary eHa mi.
nation was set To be heard before juS''0o VI
the peace at White Bear lake. When the case
WIS called on July 81, Phelps waived eXalnl-
nation and gave bonds in the sum oil So'oOo
for his appearance at the present term ol
ao5rt. The only witness examined before tue
inry. vesterda, was Herman Sm'ta, Al rela-
tlve by marriage of the compaIaaut'
who was present at the marriage ceremony
between Phelps and Mrs. Pne.pS IA 80 80
Mrs Phelps came on from Springfield Mass
To anpear. but the county attorney
decided that her testimony was not
needed Mrs. Paelps VINO IS q handsome
and stately lady ABOUT ~ years Vi
age neatly dressed and nuehC tdlher'
was seen at the Ryan last evening anu eA-
rlsinA1 how she had been Wronged by her
fo,.,,,ey husband. Her statement is that she
was married TO John W. Phelps in 1859, ana
resided at Springfield. her husband peinS u
1vaJl-knov-n railroad official, and the couple
living in fine style in that city. In 1874 Fam
ME Tbayer. of Windham, Conn. came TO
SPRINGFIELD aud was employed by Mrs fheips
as 4 dresSmaker. During her employlleht T as
such she succeeded in fascinating Jonn W.
pbplns 70 such an extent that Mrs. Phelps
ordered her from the house. she was cared
fo;. nv Paelps at q boarding house, ana al
thouGh he frequently insisted on her
coming hack 10 the Phelps man
sion. Mrs. Phelps demurred- In Decem-
Der. 1876, Phelps and FANNIE mayer
Dlol,,
old son being left behind. After al absence
of three mouths Phelps wrote his wife, ask
ing forgiveness, and he finally came back IN
Jnne 1877. He remained at home Tor SIX
months, and in January. 1878. he again
SAILED FOR EUROPE
Miss Thayer following him week or so later.
In July, 1873, Phelps wrote to his wlfe eX-
planning that he had experienced change OF
heart. aud asking his wife's forgiveness.
Hi wife after consulting with his father,
decided to forgive him, and at her husband
request visited him in England. Mrs. Phelps
returned home in January, 1879. and three
months later Phelps came back from England
In July he went to Maryland to look after his
father interest in a railroad enterprise ana
practically forSOOk his lawful wife. In April.
1881. Phelps visited Fargo and commenced
divorce proceedings from his wife, alleging
unpoyernable temper and abuse. He secured
q decree of divorce in October, and
Immediately came to St. Paul, where he
was married 10 Fannie Thayer, by whom he
had already had one child, born While the
couple were living in Cardiff, Wales, in July
1873 Mrs Phelps made no appearance at
the trial OF the divorce case for the reason
that she had received no notice of the suit.
1t was not until the decree had been
granted that she received word, and then she
at once set about having the decree set aside.
This was done in February, 1882, the afida-
Wits made by Phelps as to his not knowing his
wife's Whereabouts being untrue, and the
ground of perjury and fraud being held good
by the court. In July, 1882, Phelps made an
other attempt to procure divorce, bringing
the suit in Canton, OAK, but when the case
was called Mrs. Phelps
HAD AN ATTORNEY PRESENT
and the proceedings were dropped. After this
Phelps and Mrs. Phelps No. went TO Can
ada and took up their residence there. In
April 1854, Mrs. Phelps commenced proceed
ings for divorce, and in March, 1885, de-
cree of absolute divorce was granted her.
Phelps remained in Canada or kept out of the
way until last July, when he was seen on the
street in New York city by Mrs Phelps.
Detectives located him at FiShkill and he was
arrested The laws of Mass achuSettS are
such that Phelps could not legally marry
under his 'wife's divorce from him until two
years from the time her divorce was absolute
however, is for bigamy in marrying
the Thayer woman under decree which
was obtained by fraud.
Mrs. Phelps said last night that she had
been greatly wronged by her former hus-
band, who had approached her, offering money
consideration for settlement, which she had
repeatedly refused.
Phelps, who is brother Of Henry W.
Phelps of Minneapolis is said to be in the
city. but could not be found last evening.
His father, who died in 1888, left by will his
property in trust to his sons, John w. and
Henry W. The estate was heavily en-
numbered with debts, but the executors have
paid S200,0 of the debts and have arranged
things so that the estate will probably net
the heirs $500, 600. One of the provisions of
the will is that the woman then known as
Fannie Thayer is never to receive any part
of the estate. The issue of Phelps marriage
with his first wife is son, now 20 years old.
who is at present in an Eastern college.
AS to whether an Indictment has been found
against Phelps is not definitely known. Mrs.
Phelps said she had not been informed and
Detective Hartman refused to say anything
about the case, whatever. announcing that
the facts would all come out on the trial.