Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-01-08
Willy WHITEHEAD.
MS Outraged wIfe,s version Of

the NtOheH GnNNOEBH FA0@
Some days ago the Associated Press
teleprams contained an item that Charles
Whitehead, OF unsavory fame IN TINS
city, had succeeded in recovering his
two children which bad two years ago
been stolen from him by his wife, who
ran of, taking the children and $4,000 in
money which Whitehead had accumu-
lated. This statement when read in Los
Angeles caused broad smile. particu-
Lnrly the part about Charley ''accumu-
latinV $4,000, for II is probable that his
only accommodations in this city consisted
unpaid whisky bills. He was never Of
known to have more than four dollars
at time after he embarked ia the pub
Iication of that rabid, vicious, low,
EoeHing Republican, which was stencil
ia the nostrils Of every decent member
Of the Republican party. His career in
this city from the time he started this
paper until he left, including the Incl.
dent OF his boing shot by an outraged
partner, is well known to everybody
here. consequently no reliance was
placed in the telegram slanderiDg his
wife.
Yesterday Mrs. Whitehead, the in
jured wife, called at the HERALD office
and made statement which bears the
imprint Of truth, and which brands
Whitehead as an ninexpressible scoundrel.
Mrr. W hitehead said ~ wish to pre-.
face the story OF my life with White
head. with the remark that left him
because he was drunken wretch; did
not support me and disgraced me. My
maiden name was Florence Westfall. 1
was married to Whitehead in 1871 in
Richland county. Ohio, where | lived
with my father, wealthy farmer. We,
my husband and myself, moved to Kan
sas CITY, where we lived ten years. He
did newspaper work, but could not hold
position for my length Of time owing
10 his habits OF drunkenness. | bad
81, 600 when we went TO Kansas City,
the greater part of which he absorbed.
lie didn't have cent. While there my
three children were born. We went to
San Francisco five years ago, and he
worked on newspapers. ] stayed there
one year and went TO Santa Barbara,
where with $1,000, all that ro-
mained +. of my little fortune, ]
bought small ranch. / went
there on account of Whitehead's drunk
en- habits. After living in Santa Bar
bara two years sold my place for
$4,000. gave Whitehead $500 and he
came to Los Angeles and sunk it in the
Evening Republican. | remained in
Santa Barbara until w got shot. and !
came down here to nurse him. When
he got well he began drinking terribly,
abused me In the most shameful manner
and threatened to kill me. | then real
lied that | could no longer live with
him, aud made up my mind to go to my
mother, who lives in Toledo, Ohio. |
had enough money left to pay my ex-
penses East. When the time came for
my departure Whitehead went to the
depot and bade me good bye. | took the
little girl and youngest boy and Mr.
Whitehead kept our Oldest son
Ernest. That's how | ran away from
him.
sAfter my arrival in Ohio l wrote to
MIR. w. nine times, but received no an.
swer. put my little girl in the Ursu-
line convent in Toledo, aud the little
boy in the Soldiers and Sailors Orphans
Home at Xenia. came back to San
Francisco in January. 1885, and went to
Mr.. Whitehead and pleaded with him
to support myself aud the children,
which he positively refused to do. All
last summer earned my living as house
keeper at the Long Beach Hotel.
Whitehead knew all the time where |
was and where the children were.
81 am going to get divorce and try
to regain possession of at least my little
girl.
81 left Whitehead because he was a
drunkard, i'll treated me and did not
support his family"
The people of Los Angeles will in.
cline to the belief that Mis-. White.
heads story is true. 1t is understood
that this wretch is still holding Gov.
erument Office. Ii 80 1t is to be hoped
that some Of the 'powers that be" will
get Mrs. Whitehead's version, and if
proven true let his official head fall into
the basket without delay.