The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-02-09
UNITED AFTER MANY YEARS.
Wedding Delayed because tho Groom
was WronGfulIy Convicted of Murder.

|
A special dispatch from ST. Joseph
| (Mo.) says: a wedding of moro interest
than is usually attached to events whcro
the parties are SO little known occurred
to-day about four miles west Of St.
Joseph. Tho contracting parties arc
| w. II. Potter, living near Denver, Col,
and Mrs. julia Crumm, who for a few
| years past has made her home with her
brother, Henry Withors, in Doniphan
county, Kansas. Both the parties are
of middle age, and had not seen one
another for years until few months ago
| When they were children they went to
school together in Carroll county, Ecn-
tucky, and when Potter was young man
of twcnty-ono years and came West he
was bctrothcd to Julia Withers, who
was tho belle Of tho ncighbprhood.
Potter went first to Kansas, and then to
the mountains, returning to visit his old
homo twice i'll five years.
On the last visit it was agreed that the
marriage should take place tho following
spring, by which timo he hoped to have
enough money to mako his homo what
he thought it should be. lie returned
| West and was not heard from for years
Some ono who had known him in the
mountains happened to pass through
his Kentucky homo and circulated the
story Of his death, founded upon Il rumOr
as it afterward appeared.
His sweetheart mourned him rs dead,
and in two years welded rival, with
whom she lived happily for about eight
| years. Her husband died in 1898, when
she camo to Doniphau county to make
| her home with her brother, having no
nearer relatives in kentucky. llcr hus-
band lett her a considerable fortune, AMI
as her forty years sat lightly upon her
she soon became tho centre Of an admir-
| ing circle OF friends.
y few months ago Potter camc through
st. Joseph, quito accidentally, on his
way to Chicago. IIo met Withera at the
Union depot, and, what is most sin
Gular, tho mon knew each otEcr. Expla-
nations followed, and Potter WAS driven
to the pleasant country home Of the
Withcrs family. He met ais sweetheart
Of early days, aud the old love, which
had not ceased to burn III their hearts
through long years, soon made itself
felt The cOurtship was commenced
where it had been broken of, and the
two were married, leaving this evening
for MIR. Potter's home, near Denver.
The strange part OF the story is yet &c
como. Potter, whio working in the
1hliiSoJ lthl DCtil uicuSC(A pl lhuLbcGlDi
his partner. Not being aOlo to establish
his innocence ut the trial, he was con
Victed, and tho sentence commutcd t.
Imprisonment for life, several goo
reasons .appeariu5 for this. Too prou
to inform his sweetheart or family of hi
disgrace, he did not write any letter
homo about it. Tho story of the Grim
did not reach thcm. Tho murder wa
committed i'll new claim which Pottc
and his partner had just began to worl
III Now Mexico, and it was not known
here what part Of the East he had conn
from. After he had been in prison
nearly five years n man who was to l.,
hanged mado IL confession clearly cstab
fishing Potter's innocence, and Io wa,
released. He went at once to Ghrnt
Ny., but found his intended bride was
anothcr's. Without making himself
known he left tho place and amnsscd 4
considerable fortune by speculation
lie was on his way to Chicago to dispose
Of some property when no accdcntly
met his old schoolmatc, Henry WithcrS,
i'll st. Joseph.