The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-10
A PECULIAR LIFE STORY.
4 Husband and Wife Who Lived To-
pether Twelve Years Without
Speaking.

a Husband and Wife Who Lived To-
gether Twelve Years Without
Speaking.
Chicago Dispatch to Philadelphia Press
A strange life story, with a remarkable
climax, ended to-day when James Hutchins.
a well-to-do resident of this city, was bur
led from his house on Sherman avenue. Mr..
Hutchins' death occurred just as the night
was closing on Saturday. The deathbed
scene in his comfortable home was an ex-
traordinary one. The dying man had not
spoken word to his wife in twelve years.
and for that time they had occupied separate
rooms. He was a singular and obstinate
man. Dr. Parsons told him he had only a
few hours to live. Mrs. Hutchins was cry
ing, and the dying man, with open eyes,
watched her. With sudden impulse of
a love that had survived the years of cruel
treatment, Mrs. Hutchins threw her arms
around her husbands neck, kissed him
fondly and begged him to speak to her once ;
to break, before he died, the silence of a
dozen years
There was a struggle apparent in his
countenance. His lips opened as if to speak,
but only an inarticulate sound came from
them. His face grew set and stern again
He slightly repulsed her, and he was taken
with a spasm of coughing He asked the
doctor for drink of water. Mrs. Hutchins
made no further attempts at q reconcilia-
| ton, and in half an hour her husband
| died.
The story of Mrs Hutchins' peculiar treat
ment has been a subject for the talk and
wonder of the neighbors. They were mar
| ried thirty years ago i'll England. He was
| a handsome foot soldier of the British army
and she was a friend of his mother. They
came to the town Of Lake sixteen years ago.
and he got work with the Union stock
wards company. He met Henry Barroff,
| and as felow-workmen they became strong
| friends, and BarroH, who was unmarried,
used to visit Hutchins many time at his
house. One evening Barroff dropped in
| before Hutchins had returned from his
work. He sat down and presently Hutch
ins came in.
"Hello, Barroff, how are your said he
''How dye do Jim," said Barroff, and
the conversation proceeded socially for an
hour or two, when Barrof went home
AS soon as the door closed behind him
Hutchins charged his wife with infidelity.
He broke into a frightful passion. He
would hear no reply or explanation, and
| ended the scene by locking himself up in
another room. Mrs. Hutchins could not
understand it. Their married life had
been happy until this time, and had been
| blessed by a fine boy. She got supper, dried
and told him supper was ready. He ate
his meal without a word, a d in sullen
silence smoked his pipe until bedtime. She
| made one or two attempts to say some
| thing, without avail. He retired to their
| bedroom while she spent the night in an
| other room. In the morning it was the
same way. He ate his breakfast and went
| to work mute as post. This life went on
| for days and weeks and years, he never say
| ing a word TO her. Sometimes he wrote
| his requests on piece of paper. Some
| times she called in a neighbours child and
talked to him through the child. He al
ways spoke pleasantly on these occasions,
but frowned and became stern if she ven
tured to address him directly. He made
her an allowance of $25 month for the
household expenses and her own clothes
Hutchins was a provident, thrifty man
and accumulated money, bought houses and
lots and made loans. He was Sc years of
age when he died. and during recent'years
he had not worked His wife, through
their boy, asked for more money than SIS
a month. Hutchins grew violent and threw
$40 at her. She never asked him for money
again Mrs. Hutchins, the neighbors say,
used to cry great deal, and two or three
times her husband was seen to weep vio-
lently when he thought he was not observed,
but OF late years both have gone ON in a
matter of-fact way. Their son married
and went west three or four years ago.
Their solitary life went on as before I'M
til a week ago, when Hutchins was taken
| i'll. DR.. Parsons said he had typhoid fever.
Mrs. Hutchins cared for him, gave him
medicine and performed all the Offices of
the sick chamber. He never spoke to her
and accepted her attentions in the same
silence that he had observed for twelYp,
years. Mrs. Hutchins has no idea Of what
property was left or what money was
loaned. The only business she did was once
In a while to collect rents for her husband
and give receipts signed by him.