Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-03
A BANKRUPTCY COURT ROMANCE
In Which is a Story of Love, Marriage,
Bank Robbery, and Tragedy.

Cleveland Special to the New York Sun
The records OF the bankruptcy court for the
northern district Of Ohio for the year 1878 bear
the petition IN bankruptcy Of one John Hester.
The Hester case, as it was called was the most
interesting and romantic one ever brought
before the court Of this district. The story, as
related to the writer by the register Of the
court at that time, is as follows:
John Hester was a well-to-do farmer of Hu-
ron county, Ohio. He had one pretty daughter,
who was sent to the Oberlin school, There
she attracted the attention of AN untamed
youth from Michigan. whose wealthy parents
had Entrusted him to the reformatory energies
OF Oberlin, and no sooner had the youth de-
clared his sudden passion than. without wait
ing for the sanction Of the Michigan parents,
she hied him to her fathers home in Huron
county and married him on the instant. The
young mans parents were at first obdurate but
it was not long until the young people we're in
vited to dwell under their roof All went
smoothly for some time. The young husband
| seemed miracle Of reformatory zeal. and a
place OF trust in his fathers bank was given
him. But soon he began again to fluid vice at
tractive, and one morning, while the wife had
gone on visit to her happy childhoods home
In Huron county, he missing from the
bank, and 80 was $4,000 OF the banks money.
1t was supposed that he had gone to his wife,
but that young woman and the Hesters pro-
abouts and such grief over his sins that the
detectives were led into other paths OF inquiry
After several weeks of rutless search. how
ever. clue was given them which led to the
suspicion that the fugitive was making efforts
to have his wife Join him. On a certain day
the officers we're in Mansfield, where they sus-
pected an appointment had been made. Sure
enough, Hester and his daughter allghted
from an omnibus before the hotel, and in a few
minutes a single carriage drove up with one
-,
the carriage, but the officers were there first
Considerable resistance to arrest was offered
by the young fellow who was armed. aud in
the excitement John Hester walked rapidly
out into the open country with a portmanteau
in his hand 1t was ascertained afterward that
Hester. who was then an old man, walked in
that day and part Of the next the entire dis
lance that lay between Mansfield and his home
in Huron county-about forty miles.
The young man was taken back to Michigan,
tried aud sentenced to a term Of years III the
penitentiary, but no trace OF the money was
found. Within a few months after his imprison-
ment he escaped from the penitentiary with a
horse thief, who introduced him into his line OF
business and into genteel house breaking.
After few weeks of partnership this precious
pair OF scamps, while hiding one night in a
swamp, fell into a dispute over a valuable
watch. which belonged to neither. In the
struggle which followed the young Michigan
der was stabbed to the heart, and in the morn
Ing bis dead body was found by the officers in
the swamp. The horse thief was afterward
traced by means Of the watch and was tried
and hanged for murder.
In the meantime warrants for John Hester's
arrest We're sworn out, but trial for completely
in the robbery proved nothing against him, and
he was released Following this suit was begun
by the depositors OF the bank against Hester to
recover their property. 1t was at this juncture,
and to save himself from liability, that Hester
d ! his petition in bankruptcy. Investigation
by Their lister Of the court showed that he was
not justified in bankruptcy. and the petition
was mol grained. The suit went on. servant
testified that upon entering Unexpectedly the
bed chamber Of the Hesters she had found the
old man and his wife engaged in counting
great piles of money that completely covered
| the bed" On being urged to give a closer
| estimate OF the amount of money she said that
there was ..enough of it to fill q bushei
measure" The suit was closed by Hester's
being held for the entire sum OF 500 He
| sold his farms in Huron county, ostensibly to
pay the judgment which he never weared in
declaring to be most unjust. After paying the
money over to the authorities he disappeared
utterly from sight. Rumor has il that he died
recently in the upper lake regions of Michigan.
but Is silent as to what became of his daughter.