The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-01-04
Teacher Douglas in Trouble.

| A1dfIlSUu. ALEX. Il. AEkRy
Principal.
Teacher Douglas in Trouble.
| w. W. Douglass, who taught school at
Pleasant Valley, below this city in 1882
and 1888, and who is known to many peo-
pie in this vicinity, and somewhat to the
town, is in hot water, at Leedsville, Mon
mouth county. He has been prominent
in temperance and other work there, and
while it was gossiped about that he had
two wives, it was not generally believed
until he was arrested last November. A
Monmouth paper says An officer from
Trenton arrested Douglass on charge of
bigamy, on an indictment found against
him in Mercer county. He was taken to
Trenton, where be was under arrest until
Tuesday, November Goth, when he re-
turned to Leedsville and stated that the
case had been dismissed. He was given
charge of the school again, but he resign
ed in few days. Upon hearing the facts
of the case the Board of School Trustees
took action aud reinstated Douglass for
two weeks, allowing him that time to se-
cure papers from Trenton proving to
them bis honorable discharge from arrest.
From the official board the discussion
as to the guilt or innocence of Douglass
spread until it included nearly the entire
population. The majority were appar-
emily in sympathy with Douglass. Mr..
Davis, member of the Board, was
strongly opposed to Douglass, and de-
nounced his actions emphatically. To
give his neighbors his reasons for acting
thus, meeting was called at the school
house on the evening Of December 10th,
when the following letter Of facts, gath
cred from the Prosecutor of Mercer coun-
ty, was read: civilian w. Douglass,
whose real name 10 Wallace W. Douglass,
was first married to Marietta e. Qast
name unkuown), at Lyons Falls, New
York, in 1878. On the 25th day of July,
1877, he left her and has since never lived
with her. Douglass married second
time, June 2sth, 1884; neither at that
time OF since has the marriage been dis.
solved. His second wife was named Re-
becca T. Bottles. She lived between
Princeton and Trenton, at her home
Douglass lived with her until Christmas,
1885, and then deserted her, too"
The grand jury of Mercer county in.
dicted Douglass for bigamy, at its recent
sitting, and Douglass was put under ar
rest, taken to Trenton and imprisoned
Douglass lawyer presented to the court
an affidavit, sworn to by the prisoner, 10
which the charge of bigamy was practi.
cally admitted, but the prisoner claimed
that tao years had elapsed since his sec
ond marriage, that marriage having oc
CURED in June, 1884, and that during The
two years the prisoner had not fled from
| justice. After reading the affidavit Doug.
lass lawyer than raised the point that
since two years had elapsed during which
period the prisoner had not fed from jus
tice, therefore under the Statute of Limi
tations the prisoner could not now bs
prosecuted. The Court held that the poinl
was well taken, since the statute in ex
press terms says: For the crime of bigamy
! prosecution must follow within two year.
of said crime, unless the accused has flee
from justice. His affidavit stated that b,
had not SO fed, and as there was no evi
dence to contradict this statement, there
fore nolle prossqgi was ordered and th,
prisoner was dismissed.
AS an Offset to this meeting was call
ed by Douglass last Saturday evening
when he read extracts regarding his tria
from Trenton papers, and also lette
from Boston clergyman, who married
4 Wallace w. Douglass and Rebecca r
Bottles, in which 1t was stated that Wal
lace w. Douglass was short, fair-com
plexioned man and music teacher. =
Teacher Douglass is just the opposite
and the inference was that 1t was cas-,
Of mistaken identity.
| Douglass, in conversation with repor
ter, stated that be was single man, ant
that evidence was being gathered to prov,
his statement, and unless the residents Of
Leedsville retracted their reports b,
would inst ituted suits for SANDER.
| The Douglass who was arraigned il
Trenton for bigamy, the Gazette states
lived several months in Warren stree
clearinghouse with young woman
whom be introduced to his fellow board
ers as his wife.