Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-01-31
JONES, THE BIGAMIST.
Wife, No. 1, Writes That She Will
Be on Hand to Testify-A Peoria
Papers Story.

| 4uio uOIuluS mdISudl IOhcu 10
ceived from Mrs, Jones, wife No. Of
the man who was arrested month age
for bigamy, having married Miss
Rowe, of Solomon, when he already
had wife back East, letter stating
that since her return to Peoria, Ills,
her home, she had been quite i'll but
was now better and would be here
without fail to testify when the case OF
the State VS.. Jones. alias Freeland
came up for trial. She said that she
would bring with her her brother who
was present at her marriage with Jones
and other witnesses if necessary.
She wished to know if the recreant
husband was still in Jail or out on bail.
Mr.. Powell replied that the man was
safely ensconced behind the bars and
she need have no fears regarding his
appearance before the bar of justice.
The following from the Peoria (Ills.)
Journal of recent date goes to show
that the case against the prisoner is a
strong one and is likely to be still
further strengthened by the appearance
of Eastern witnesses. If he is guilty
as charged no punishment can be too
severe for wrecking as he has done two
innocent women's lives.
The Journal says:
And now come substantiated ac-
counts of lively domestic ruction out
in Abilene, Kansas. Abilene is a town
that seems to have strange attractions
for wandering Peorians. A goodly
number of our people of all grades and
classes of society have migrated thither
and many who left this city headed in
an entirely different direction have
pulled up il Abilene. Among others
of this last variety is genius formerly
known here as doom" Jones.
Doom" flourished in Peoria several
years ago and figured in society as
clever, respectable and gOod-hearted
fellow. He is full brother in the
flesh to George Jones, the eX-gOvern-
ment Store-keeper, who went down to
Arkansas year or two ago and had
such fearful tussle with fever and
other demons of the canebrake.
Doom" Jones married a Miss WATSON
of this city, a highly respectable girl,
and finally drifted away from the town.
The family went out West to better
themselves and grow rich with the
country, and remained absent until
some little time ago, when Mrs. Jones
returned alone. The lady settled
among old friends here and told how
things had not prospered with herself
and husband as they anticipated. They
had been bitterly disappointed in many
ways, but in place of giving up the ship
Doom determined to start out alone
and forage around until he struck some
thing permanent and profitable. And
so he sent his wife home to Peoria,
promising to write and furnish her with
means from time to time as fortune
blessed his efforts. The program was
that as soon as the husband managed
to get good foothold his wife was to
rejoin him. He did not want to expose
her to the vicisSitudes of rowing life
and his wife never suspected for mo-
ment that her liege lord had any SIMS
ter motive in furnishing her means to
revisit her old home. And so she came
back with light heart and waited for
letters which never reached her. She
wrote repeatedly to her husband, but
the promised remittanceS never came,
and at last horrible suspicion was
born and grew ia the deserted wife's
mind. She was greatly distressed and
finally applied to Mayor Warner and the
chief of police for relief. Now Chief
German is worldly minded and takes a
practical view of life. He listened to
the lady's recital and made up his mind
at once that there must surely be an
other woman in the distressing case.
He went to work on this theory and
finally found that one j. w. Freeland
had married and settled down in Abb
lene, Kansas. Freeland did not claim
to be Jones by large majority, but on
tracing the wanderingS of the faithleSS
Peorian the chief came to the solemn
conclusion that he had struck his man
under an alias. The description of
Freeland fitted Jones to a hair, and
after due elaboration Mrs. Jones was
placed in possession of all the proofs
obtainable of her husbands perfdy.
Considerable correspondence passed
between the authorities here and those
of Abilene, the final outcome being that
the identity of the amOrous Jones was
established to the satisfaction of all
parties concerned. The authorities say
there is no doubt of the fact that it is
clear case OF simon pure bigamy.