News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-11-18
GABE TATE'S ROMANCE.
Married, Divorced, Given Up for Dend, and
Again Married to the Same Woman.
[From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat.I

(From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat.l
The death Of Gabe Tate at Henderson,
| Ky, brings to mind the romantic career
of his life. Tate was born and raised in
this country. His father was one of the
prosperous planters of ante bellum days.
| The large tract of land he owned was in
Walnut Bottom, in the most productive
part of this section He had a large
number of slaves, and, better still, a
large bank account. Ga5e had grown
in an atmosphere of luxury until lux
uries were common He had been ac-
customed to having his own way and to
have every want supplied. When his
father died the estate was divided be-
btween him and his sister, Mrs Dr. J.
A. Harding, who had gone to the home
OF her husband in Jefferson county, how
a part of Louisville, XIV. There he met
Miss Annie Shotwell, the daughter of
Col A. L. ShOtwell, man who was
rich in a dozen different ways. His
steam interest was only second to his
landed estate, and his commission mer-
chant business but barely outstripping
his mining rights. The vast coal fields
of Union county, now owned by Brown
u Jones, the Pittsburgh coal kings,
were his individually. At that time, in
1862, there were only two coal mines
| operated On the Ohio River below Pitts
| burgh, Pa, the one at Cannelton, Ind,
and the ShOtweli mines in Union coun-
/ ty. So exhaustIess is the supply Of coal
and so superior the quality that rail
road has Just been completed to the
mines from this city Fabulous for.
I tunes have been made from the fleets of
! coal sensSouth from these mines. 1t is
seen by this what Oriental grandeur was
! in the reach of Gabe Tate and Miss
Shotwell. with their fortunes when uni
ted in marriage at the residence of Col
Shotwell, in Louisville. After marriage
MI. and Mrs. Tate went to the Shotwell
mines. where the products of u thousand
miners supplied their wants. For some
years they lived at the mines, and all
went well. Two or more children
blessed their union. Mr.. Tate left his
home, and to this day the public do not
know the cause. Surmises were plenti-
full, but no knowledge of the cause
was ever had. 1t was known that his
estate was gone, hut that was of small
importance for his wife was rich.
Some time after Mr.. Tate left home
Mrs. Tate procured divorce, and short
ly afterwards married Sam Churchill, a
prosperous planter, who had lived near
the mines. and with whom size was &C
quainted during her married life at the
mines. In the meantime Andrew Tate,
an old bachelor uncle, had died and left
his vast estate to Gabe and his sister.
Hugh Tate, another bachelor uncle, soon
died, and added his fortune to that of
his brother Andrew for the benefit of
his nephew and niece Not long after
that Miss Nancy Tate died, and left her
increased fortune from her own right
and undivided interests in the estates of
her two brothers, Andrew and Hugh, to
Gabe Tate and his sister. These changes
covered a period of nearly ten years.
Notwithstanding the fact that considera-
bic advertising had been done, nothing
could be heard of Gabe Tate, and he
was suspected to be dead At last he
was heard from Cairo, ILL.,, and found
Arriving home, he found himself rich
man again. He wrote to his wife to
send the children to HIM at Evansville,
Ind, as he wanted 70 see them. She |
met him there with the children. Short
ly afterwards a divorce was procured |
from Sam Churchill, the second hus- |
band, and speedily following that di- |
vorce was the marriage of Gabe Tate to
the same woman who had procured
divorce from him years before.