The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-10-04
THE HUSBAND OF SO WOMEN.
IIIL N.SK1'H-N11 OA W O-t111-N'
a Jury Quickly Decides that Brown is Ex-
cessiveIy Narried-Sentenced to Four
Years and Six Months Impris-
onInent.

DETROIT, Michigan, September 26.-
About fifteen of the thirty-three wo-
men who have been married to James
! w. Brown, the champion Benedict,
since 1883, confronted him in the Re-
orders Court yesterday afternoon. The
list of victims included Helen Brown
lee and Annie Winters of Chicago, who,
with Annie NJ. Hazel, Mary Benjamin
and Nancy Robertson, were the only
| ones called on to give evidence against
Brown. The Benjamin woman was
the prosecuting witness. 1t was estab-
| lished that Browns method was to adj
vcrtise for 4 h0usekeeper, select as a
victim the one from among the appli-
cants who pleased him most, and marry
her as soon as possible. He would de-
sert her aftera few days.
Five clergymen of the city certified
to marrying Brown to as many differ
! ent women, and the case made against
him was so clear that the prosecutor
left it to the jury without argument.
Brown testified in bis own behalf and
made Il sorry mess Of it, contradicting
himselfat every turn. He professed not
to remember any of his dupes, asserted
that he was only once married and that
wife was dead, and that he had once
been confined as lunatic in New Or
leans. Brown was pallid and looked
like sick man. Duringthe trial Nam
cy Robertson's indignation could not be
repressed, and she denounced Brown
as peridious wretch. The jury
agreed with her evidence, for they took
only four minutes to find him guilty.
When Brown was brought into the
Recorders Court this afternoon for SEN
tence, several Of his numerous wives
were present. Judge Gartner asked
him the usual question, if he had any
thing to say why sentence should not
be passed upon him. Brown answered
that he had had his say yesterday.
''4As far as your case is concerned,
Brown" then spoke up Judge Gartner,
"you have been convicted of bigamy.
You have failed to rememberanything
about these numerous marriages, and
it seems TO ME that man ofsuch poor
memory as you is dangerous to the
community. The statutes prescribe
the penalty, but the court is left some
discretion in the matter. Your physical
condition seems deplorable, but it is
more matter for executive than judi
cial clenlency. 1t is the sentence of the
court that you be confined in the State
Prison at Jackson for four years and six
months"
The extreme penalty is only five
years, and Judge Gartner took into con-
sideration the six months Brown had
spent in Jail. Immediately after the
sentence three handsome brunettes,
tall, slender and fashionably dressed,
entered the County Auditors Office to
draw $50 apiece for witness fees in
Browns trial. Two of them were
Browns wives-Mrs. Hazel and Mrs.
Benjamin. The clerk, anxious to iden-
tify them, asked laconically, "Both
Browns wives?n The women looked
at each other, giggled and assented,
while the third, anxious not to get
mixed in with the wives, shifted un-
easily away.
"Wcll, it was q pretty bad case,
wasn't it::' queried the clerk, by way Of
showinga kindly interest.
Eyes" said Mrs. Hazel, the tallest
and handsomest member of the Nor
mon family. ave were very much de-
ceived in that old Brown" added Mrs.
B. spitefully.
Later more of Browns wives came
in FOR their fees, and all expressed the
liveliest satisfaction over his sentence.