The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-08-28
AN AGED BIGAMlST.'
THE GRIEVANCE OF MRS. PEAR
SAIL, LATE OF RICHMOND.

ltrltIhdN iH0u' Va Ah~ -'NN
Morning Journal:
New Workers OF half century ago will re-.
member the rearssn restaurant IN ths old
Fulton MARKET. ~ was kept by two broth
er.. William and Tobias icarsall. and was
one OF the besf known down town eating
houses OF the day.
William PeafsalI Is dead and TOBIAS Is liv-
ing at Richmond. Va, fcputed wealthy
man. His wife lives ~ a tenement house ~
narlcm-S so. 212 West one hundred ana
FOrty-third street
-ns is n lady OF sixty-nvc years, broken
down WITH ~ icalth and the struggle OF NE.
Yesterday she tOltered into the JoufHn once
and told, IN her feeble way, the story Of her
troubles. She Is too poor 10 employ counse ,
she SAYS. but She links her husband ought
10 support er
Her story is stranger even than fiction.
ssfobias pears.li and were married 90 mv
aunt's by The pastor Of the sullivan street
NJ J.. Church. ms was nearly MT years ago.
I'VE had two children, son and dnugh-
Ter. and vs. re very happy until illirm Pear
sall died. Then the restaurant ~ Iull1h
Market was closed and my husband took IN
interest In the III Dorado, restaurant ~
Centre street.
"Hcre he became infatuated with the young
ady cashier and cruelty neglected me. PUT
he was always tickle. ana 10 WAS not long be-
fore he tired Of the cashier
AZ this point in her narrative the Ola
lady paused to regain the strength 10 con -
"ihen he became interested So the daugh-
ter OF "a merchant ina Grand street. H. ft y
resented him-rlftO the family - q single
man ami proposed to the ofufhtci. lneF
b. came engaged and tie day was set for the
wedding
- do not recall now lu thow heard Of my
husband, peffidy, uut WIS surprised OF 10,
and with my TWO children visited the young
lad -
IL was graphic scene the old lady pictured.
young and thus ing lirl sIuck dumb With
the blasLrg Of her intenoed'- MANY
The hot Indignation oi AN honest iathtti thc
mouinful giOuping Of neglected wife and
"A'ier had told my story" the old lady
went on" Tobias WIS sell fDr. lie came mat
night an va. told never 10 adde's the
Young lady again. lie lhcitupOu denied
that was his Wifc. and thai ul- ht he stole
my marriage certificate from lhe Bible. bui
the family would have nothing more 10 do
with him.
"fobiIs soon got his ray RIBS cruel treat
meut Of tins young lady. \ few nights later
n relative oi The giri fractured TOBIAS skull
with a sluug shot. sending hin 10 the hos
pital for several weeks
Fora nme the wife heard nothing 81 To-
bias. he continued 10 live I'm west twenty
luuffh street. but lu q few months her ready
money W - gone, and sllu sold ter lcnschoii
for $500. With this She fitted up board
lng-hOuse IN Bank street.
"a
and while WIS living ln Bank street. the
lady continued, "I received letter nom
0il edmond, Va. There was no Signature to
the l.iteT but IL stated that my husband had
cen Killed.
"irever doubted tho truth OF TIE letter.
IN "a short time ] married William Gordon,
one Of my bOaiders. lie was in poor health
when We married, and only lived few
months.
"For two years I wore mourning for my
second husband. Then married Peter Lent
of Highland Mills, Orange county. y. Y. lle
was n widowcr, ana ! had known him from
"i went 10 live with him in Orange county
but. oh what u life 10 WIS! lie had childrcu
b} his first wife, and they bosscd me around
50 felt Ike a slave.
..Ihey quarreilcd with my own son and my
husband sent him away. This broke ml
ccoded. after a twsuit. boo getting my iufni-
ture away. and then moved bsck 90 Bank
street.
Now the old lady got down to the greatest
trouble Of her life
IL was living peacefully in Bank street.
She said. 'unNl one day in december There
came ring 40 the iOlr bell. You .un in-
agiue my horror when, on going to the door
found myself face 10 face with Tobias
ii thought it must De my FIRST husband.
ghost until he said 10 me in The voice ! knew
Only 500 well:
ing then ! am going back % ifglnia
MY son came % ,he door, ana when told
him who the stranger wts Doc said:
"'YOu are nothing 10 ~ now. We do not
want you here
guoss you'll have Co.. Tobias said. and as ht
spoke he drew "a pistol out OF his pocket
.'I WAS $50 scared begged 81 iliiam. my son,
10 roe civil to his father, and then invited Zoe
bias in. ] gave him supper.-inJ the next
morning saw tia me had % nice breakfast
Then he went away.
.'Dnly a few hours aftcr he lad gone an
officer from NeWbufs came % tine house ami
arrested me for hi4aIny. AueIWard ] ltafn-
ed that Peter Lent had heard That InhiHs
was alive ani planned to be avenged on me
/ for wing MIN.
"lie asked Tobias TO come 10 NewDurg and
swear oui "a warrant for me. Iobias W. nt
aud Was on his way back 10 Virginia when
/ nr made his trcaclcrOu- call on Inf.
NOW comes icmatkanlc part OF the old
/ lady s Dry. The officer who arrested her
tod her, sh. says, that 10 She pail 90 he
would tis aun arrange 10 so she would nol
have % 60 10 New1urg.
The Sudden return 81 her husband SD
| frightened her that -he was only too glad tu
paw tre money. and The hgamy ease was
never heard from again.
"~OOnaiter this toe old lady resumed.
"fob.as sent or son. lie = Sat hc would
do well by him. iilam went 10 hls father,
bur Dee did NOT stay over Few days.
| liam star, cd 90 walk back 90 New York. Al
/ Fredericksburg he WAS arrested under SUE
picion OF lc4ng deserter uom the regular
army. lie WAS kett q risoner for some
weeks. and was then discharged
Drs pcarsall says that her husband grew
wealthy al Richmond. and is now retired ON
his income. while she and her son are barely
existing on the latiers army pension.
THE OLD MAN INTERVIEWED.
After having read the above story.
one of the TINES ubiquitous reporters
proceeded 10 investigate It. and II there
was any such man here as Tobias Pear
sail To talk with him and hear his side
Of the affair. The city directory was
first consulted. and the lue Tobias
P,arsall, b 10 Franklin T. was soon
found. Slipping tie paper IN
ms pocket the reporter started
for the house. and as darknts,
began 10 gather about the city. the
place was reached A little. PLAN
frame building. resting at the foot OF
the bill. on the crest of which stood the
VI 5nte NJ .rla Convent. was the haos1a
uou OF the flithlcss and cruel husband
who Is pplsedly rolling IN wealth
while his wife and children are staiv
log.
A cllcred woman answered the door
bell.
Does Mr. Pearsall live heTeS"
YES. sir
is he al homeS'
Yes. Fir. You want to see hun.
Well. walk IN.
The reporter was ushered into the
small paIlor.
You must excuse how things look.
amt had tine 10 clean up much lately.
| II tell Mr.. Pearsall. -
THE PARLOR.
The room was plainly furnished with
chairs and sofa. A bright col0red
carpet covered the floor. and the furni-
lure was upholstered in some soft ma
teriai. On the table lay q confused
/ heap OF newspapers.
Presently the sound Of slowly shut
I fling feet proceeded from the hallway.
Three or four steps would be taken and
then there would be a halt. Darkness
had by this time begun TO fall, and tie
room was cold and cherries.
The steps came nearer There was
something upcanny about their shuttle