The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-15
An ASTONISHING CAREER
Two Young Ladies Infatuated with a
Blind Man, Who Marries Them Both.
Miss Annie Monigomery's Experience with
Bgamist-His Rich Montana Mines Myth
What Is Known Of Him at Butte City.

Atlanta Special.
A few weeks ago blind man. giving his
name as Samuel Fleming, came hsre ostensioiy
from Montana He was reputed 20 be an ex-
miner and worth millions, invested In Western
gold mines. and soon made many friends here.
Among these were tke members of the Altman
family Miss Sallie Altman became much at
tached to Fleming, and. although be was oiino
and atty five years old. and she had bright eyes
and handsome features. and WAS moreover, but
sixteen years Of age tbs pair were married. lt
was given out that after two weeks so1o1rn
in Atlanta, the couple would go to Montana
But q dark cloud came over the pair In the
shape of another Mrs. Fleming, born Miss Annie
Montgomery. of Bingham. ILL., She had heard
of his marriage and she asked for his arrest
Fleming was placed in jail and the young bride
was thunderstruck with the revelation. Flem-
ing gave her $500 just before his incarceration,
and while she was going home she was robbed
of the whole amount. which. however, was
afterward recovered. Late at night the Atlanta
wife called on Fleming. Chief Connolly said to
him:
FLEMING, the Illinois lady who claims ron
for her husband will be here 10 night II you
are guilty relieve this poor girl from embarrass-
ment by saying so, aad don't keep her in sus-
peuse."
The old man then confessed that he had
other wife.
Wife No. /. of Efingham, met her husband,
who called himself Bishop then, in the Gala
boose TODAY ana fully identified him as the
man who had won her heart last November in
that place. She enjoyed only two days of mar
ried life with him because, while In ST. Louis
on their bridal trip, her husband deserted her
AMI left her 10 return home alone In the
search for his Whereabouts and his record.
which has finally proven successful, she found
that he was man who had travelled a great deal
in bis time Using her maiden name she wrote
to the postmaster of Butte. Mont, in order to
locate the blind mans gold mines The post
master, Mr.. Salient, replied
II answer your letter with pleasure, because
know something more about your blind Mr..
Bishop. l will say first that Mr.. Bishop has no
mine whatever about Butte. as / know every
mine within radius of twenty miles of this
place and all the good ones which are within 100
miles of here. He does not own the Mt. Vernon
any part of it 1t is now owned by the men
who built it. I have known the place ever since.
and long before il was built This fellow is
fraud. think he is the same fellow who. dur
ing April, May and part of June last,
in North and South Carolina and told about
the same stories you mention. / told the
parties who wrote me TO publish
him. and was informed they did and be then
went away from North Carolina, and it was not
son in South Carolina asking the same questions
and describing the same blind man. He went
there under the name of A. q Fleming. My
predecessor. Mr.. Smith. told that he had
been receiving letters for the last two years in
curing about the same man from Wisconsin.
Michigan and Indiana, and In each place he pre-
tended to be very rich in town property and
mines. / can guess what he is attem ptng with
you, but please let me know all about him and
shall De very thankful indeed. have lived here
since the spring of 1871 and never heard OF this
man, and have never heard of any that did.
though have had many inquiries since L re-
eeived the letters referred to-
Miss Montgomery Is also 10 receipt OF infor-
nation that the blind man has wife in Ohio
who il anxious to see him. TIE young lady
whom the wretch married here is utterly pros
trated. and there is some fear that she will lose
her mind.
Notwithstanding Flemings confession to Miss
Altman, that he was & bigsmist she called up
on him to-day.
"Lst me hold your hand. said the old man.
A gloyed hand WAS slipped through the iron
near enough to hear what he seid. He was in
formed that quite number Of people were
attending near.
t.Then 1 ask the chief OF police to let YOU in
here with me. said the prisoner. Chief Con-
nelly was told of the request, and he would not
seem anxious to 20 into the CELL The Office was
cleared, however. and the interview was more
private The old man told his wife that
she Was the only woman he had ever truly loved,
and begged her not to SEQ or talk to the woman
from Efingham.
Il have given ron all my earthly possessions
and you ought to love me just little"
There is some likelihood of q lively quarrel
between the two wives the spoils. The
blind man had given about So 500 in money and
that If the Illinois woman could get this she
would leave the city and decline to testify
against her former husband. The trial will take
place Tomorrow. and if the women do not ar
range the matter tonight the old man will be
given O long job in the Georgia penirentiary.