St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-10
A Bright Streak Of Sunshine
Fell Athwart His Pathway
Yesterday.
The Charge Of Bigamy Was
Dismissed for Lack Of
Evidence.
A Ministering Angel Of the
Blonde Type Comes to Com
fort Him.
Emma StetSOn Has Flown to
the North, Where She Talks
Freely.

When John Wilkins, who is charged
with being the husband of four or five
more wives than the law allows, went
up to the municipal court yesterday
morning lady was with him. She had
gone to the Jail some time before Will
kinS was taken out and for reasons of
her own wanted to hear all that was
said at Wilkins examination. She was
the same woman who had been in the
court the day before when Wilkins case
was continued. The woman had light
hair and blue eyes, and was pro-
nounced blonde. She wore neatly
fitting plush jacket, an astrachan wrap
about her throat and carried a muff of
the same material. She kept very close
watch on the movements of John Viii
kinS and his first wife, Hillie, and at the
same time none of the movements of
the attorneys escaped her blonde eyes.
Many people who saw her thought
she was Emma StetSon, whom the
prosecution claimed John Wilkins had
married, and one or two reporters even
went so far as to paint the cOld-bloOded
looks that passed between this woman
and Lille. But she was not Emma
StetsOn. Emma is said, by those who
have seen her, to be fat, while those
who claim to be on speaking terms with
her say that when John Wilkins sings
to her, ''Silver Threads Among the
Gold'' would not be Inappropriate.
Emma Stetson has not put in an ap-
pearance in ST. Paul. After she came
down from Fergus Falls with
LILLE AND A DETECTIVE,
she tarrjp0 in Minnp1nnliS in u cac1u0p6
spot, and while the festive John grew
lonesome i'll the Ramsey county Jail,
Emma was growing lonesome in her
own apartments in Minneapolis. She
was not under lock and key. but came
and went at her own sweet will.
The woman who accompanied Mr..
Wilkins has never been limited at as a
wife of this gay citizen, and her name
has figured in none of the complaints.
She was simply an old friend of Will
kins and his family who had been keep
ing pretty close tab on all the interested
parties ever since the first papers were
filed. She was Mrs. Mary NJ. Jones,
who is engaged in the unrOmantic but
perfectly honorable paStime of making
corsets, at $685. Jackson street,St. Paul.
In the courtroom Judge Cory called the
prisoner up and informed him that as
the county attorney had moved dis
| misSal Oh the ground of insufficient evil
dence, he was discharged from the
charge of bigamy. MIR. Wilkins ap-
peared much relieved, and when he left
the court room Mrs. Jones went with
him. So did Lille, the first wife, after
she had cOnYersed few I&nuteS with
her attorney.
1t was but few minutes after John
had been set at liberty that his wife,
I h nj,
Mrs. Jones was present.
I SHE WANTS A DIVORCE. .,
Mrs. wilkins seemed to take it rather
hard that her affections had been trifled
with, and then John discharged. She
| said something to John about the wrongs
| she had suffered on his account, and
| tfat she would very much like divorce.
But John said: "Why did you make all
this trouble by rushing into print. You
have done your talking through the
! newspapers. Now Pin going to see if it
isn't my turn" Then Lille wept.
"John." she said, if the story is cor
rect, won't you wait at the Jail until
can send for my attorney and have pa
divorce. 1t will be easier to serve them
on you now that you are here, and it
will be quicker than to have the notice
| published in the regular Way.''
eff your lawyer comes with iSpapers
| before get my things packed up" said
John, "he may serve the papers, but |
cannot wait. | have business to look
after in Minneapolis, and Pm going"
The papers did not come in time, and
| so Lille Wilkins went away alone. and
John Wilkins accompanied Mrs. Jones
down to her home on Jackson street
and took dinner there-the first he had
| tciI fl,n io;I
| thing over a week. Then he took a
short line train for Minneapolis.
The reason Mr.. Wilkins is thus so
easily let off is that the prosecution
| needed all eye witness to establish the
| fact of the marriage to Emma StetSon.
| Mrs. Wilkins counsel, E. S. S.ThompSon,
who conducted the case for the proSecu-
| ton, claims to have the certificate of
the marriage of John Wilkins and Lille
b. Clark. signed by Rev. p. p. Pinney.
He had an authenticated copy from the
clerk of the orphans court of Erie
county, of the marriage certificate of
the union Of john Wilkins and Emily
B. StetsOn. But the Rev, Lucian L.
Clar k, of Erie, Pa, who solernnized the
marriage as alleged, was not present to
aid the prosecution, and there is nc
possible legal way to compel him to ap-
pear. Mr.. Thompson wired him five OF
six days ago to come. and he wired
back promise to be present. lie soon
changed his mind, however, and tele-
graphed that it would be impossible fol
him to come, Notwithstanding Ramsey
county had guaranteed the expense OF
his coming and returning. The absence
of the much desired minister left nc
other way for the case to go but to be
dropped. Mr.. Thompson does not say
what his next step will be.
SHE KNOWS ALL ABOUT 1T.
Mrs. Jones, with whom Wilkins dined
yesterday, has known the Wilkins
family long time, she says. She used
to live in Cleveland and knows Johns
mother and father She wrote to his
mother the other day and asked her il
she wanted to see John suffer under the
charges. She says his mother wrote
her that she did not, and that she asked
her to help John if she could. WheI
Mr.. Wilkins was here last year, Mrs
Jones used to go with him to the opera
house and other entertainments, anC
she laughlngiy remarked that she
hoped she would not be mistaken agail
for one of his wives. She has fOunC
out great many things, in one way
and another, about this whole affair
She was introduced to Emma Stetson in
Minneapolis as the wife of Pinkertor
defective who was working on the case
and it is said that to her Emma tol6
many family secrets. She is also or
speaking terms with Lille, and to hel
Lille told the story of her wrongs. Mrs
Jones does not believe that Wilkins was
ever married to Emma, and she scouts
the idea that he ever pretended any
such thing to the half-dozen or sc
women who are said to lay claim tt
Johns name.
Where are all these wives?" she said
to GLOBE man last night. "Why DOM
they produce their marriage certificates
and make it hot for John? l went tt
the court TODAY becauSe I wantad tf