The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1889-04-24
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FIVE WIVES CLAIM JOHN
APPROACHING TRIAL or JOHN AORNcA
AELMS At BLAKELY.
Three Of His Wives Hare krHved TO Swear
Against Him.-AH We're at Church
Sunday looking Prefty--Reims
is Cay.


Sunday looking Prefty--ReimS
is Cay.
In my nomadic life for the past
several years, whether amid the
diH-6f the busy city or the peace
ful repose of a country village,
nothing has been more of revela-
ton to me or so convinced me that
truth is sometimes stranger than
fiction than.the story told to me to.
day by denizen of Early county.
In the county jail at Blakely,
awaiting trial on the charge of big
amy, is John 0. helms, whose
connubial instincts and tendencies
have certainly given him history.
Nelms was raised in Goruon coun-
ty, near Painviile. lie is Of good
family. His father and brother
are excellent citizens aud John
himself is man of pleasantaddress.
He is Of medium size, black hair
and dark eyes, ard there is nothing
in his mein to indicate his mormon,
like character.
Farmer Gum resided in a pleas
AIT country home not far from the
Nelmses. John NelIns tell in love
with Miss Gum, a pretty lassie of
Is, and 90 the 20ih Of August
1882, led her to the matrimonial
altar. They lived together for
three years in Gordon county aud
moved then to BranchvilIe, Ala.
His neglect and unkihdness soon
caused her to seek the parental roof
once moro. John helms went at
once to Texas. There he won the
affections of Miss Maggie Beatty, OF
Bonhn, Texas, and married her.
He lived with her only eight
months.
MISS GUM IS CAUGHT OUT.
In Blakely was a young and in,
nocent girl, of poor but honest pas
rentage. She was correspondent
Of Aunt Su>ie's column in the Ats
lanta Constitution, John Mems
read one of her short letters while
at Bonham, Texas. He opened up
correspondence with her, and
soon came to Georgia to see his
fair correspondent-ihuocent Mat
tie Gunn-and they were married
here in March 1887. He remained
here in Blakely with her for sever.
al weeks, when it was whispered
about that he had wife in Gordon
county, Ga.
John then suddenly left for
Tennessee. In a short while the
gay John had wooed and won Miss
Katie Hensley Of Ball Play, East
Tennessee, and this time under the
name OF Henry Grady, and his
Tennessee wife is known as Mrs.
Henry Grady. Though a pleasing
woman, yet John stayed with her
only one month, and departed
for Arkansas in December 81.
Then in the springtime Of 1888,
when all nature was budding forth.
the birds singing sweet carols 10
one another, John became infatua-
ted with Miss Carrie Tucker Of
Arkansas, and married her, not as
Mr.. Grady, but as Col. John
Beatty, taking to himself the rai>
den name Of his Texas wife. He
soon left her and resided awhile in
the Indian Territory, and before the
year was out caneato Branchville,
Alabama.
BACK TO THE OLD LOVE.
Here his first wife, Miss Gum,
was living teaching school. He
insisted on making up with her
aud coming back. She positively
refused. To be rid Of him she had
a warrant issued against him. The
sheriff Of Gordon county, Ca, and
the sheriff of Birmingham, Ala,
had a hard time IN arresting John.
The lover tCr1ed into g bully.
. armed Nth repeating Speacer