Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-06-30
COLONEL eAecocNs WIDOW
Chicago Has "a Matrimonial Mystery with
Murder Attachment.

Chicago Has "a Matrimonial Mystery with
Murder Attachments.
CHICAGO, June 80 Quite sensation was
caused in the probate court Thursday by the
appearance of an aged and infrm woman,
who made an affidavit that she was the
widow of Col. Walter S Babcock, who was
shot at Gardner, Ill, last August, and who
was supposed to have died without leaving a
widow Cob Babcock was brought home in
a dangerously wounded condition from Gard
ner, whittier he had gone to visit a woman
named Sarah Dodge, with whom it was CON
irCtured he sustained the relation of a lover
A strong effort was made to tasten the crime
of the shooting on Miss Dodge, and she was
arrested and held TO await the action
of the grand jury The latter failed to re-
turn an indictment against her, and she was
released Col. Babcock fingered in a semi
unconscious condition for several days, when
he died Before his death he stoutlv refused
to divulge the circumstance Of the shooting
and all efforts to make him tell how he came
by his death wound were futile His reticcnce
in the matter only deepened the mystery sur
rounding the affair, which was soon appa-
rently forgotten
Letters teStameDtary were issued in his
tate and, no widow appearing at that time,
his estate was divided between his brothers
and sisters.
The alleged widow, who is about 60 years
of age, gave her name as Mrs. Naomi Bah
cock, and was accompanied by Attorney A.
j Long She claims that she was married to
Col Bahcock in 1871 by n Chicago minister,
and lived with him as his wife until the fate
full day when he went to Gardner AS the
colonel signed all land papers and made
deeds a single man, tho appearance of his
widow, if such she proves herself to be, will
haS In
hands.
Judge Knickerbocker allowed the woman
to place her claim on file, and set the matter
for a hearing yesterday morning.
Mrs Babcock or Fairchld as she is called
by her neight,ors, was in court yesterday and
to Judge kniCRerbocker said she had been
married twice before she married Babcock,
the second time to a man named Fairchild.
She had known the colonel for thirty years, |
she said, aud he was a personal friend Of her
second husband, Fairchild, and had Dor
rowed $1,000 of him, which was never paid. |
died in 1871 and the same year she |
married Babcock, in October. The officiating |
clergyman she said, was Rev. w H. Burns, |
Of lilo North Halsted, and there were two |
male witnesses, whom she did not know.
In answer to questions, the claimant said |
that she was SO years old. She was living on |
street when Col Babcock came |
on the night of the marriage and took her |
out riding. They left after dark. Nothing |
was said about marriage. After driving |
around for awhile, the colonel drove her to |
a house on Wabash avenue. He said he was |
going to visit friends
"When l entered the house laid on the |
sofa. had been very ill. l was aroused by |
Col. Babcock taking my hand and saying: |
The minister has come. l didn't realize
what was going on until the ceremony was
half oveF. After it was performed | went
home with the Colonel"
Tho Colonel had lived with her off and on,
bot had never introduced her to his friends,
nor had he supported her.
This was the substance of her statement
yesterday. Her counsel says the case is
clear one and that Babcock's marriage was
a scheme to avoid the Payment of the money
ne had borrowed from her husband
To reporter, after the court adjourned,
Mrs. Fairchild said that Babcock lived with
l number OF women. whom he had BETRAYED
ali married women. He used to tell ner of
his amours, she said, and he described the
women to her. One of these women followed
8abcock to Gardner the day he was shot and
Mrs Fairchiid declares she will find out who
he was and fix the guilt of the murder on
Ter Miss Dodge did not do it, because she {
expected to marry him I