The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-01
IN AND ABOUT THE CITY.
ROSA sTRANGE,s STORY.


Rosa Strange was gwen a preliminary
hearing in Justice Sheftalps court yester-
day, and was held for trial at the superior
court Of Burke county for bigamy.
The young woman had partial hearing a
week ago. but Justice Sheftan required her
prosecutor to produce more satisfactory
evidence OF her marriage to Heller, her
hrst husband, than certificate. She was
released until yesterday, when the case was
called again. Rev. Nh. Hecker, pastor Of
st. Johanne church in Charleston, was one
OF the most important witnesses. He testi-
fed that he married Heller and Rosa
two years ago in his church. He recog-
nlzed the young woman, and he iden-
| tined the certificate as having been
made out and signed by himself.
| several other witnesses were in
troduced to prove that the woman had
been twice married, and that both of her
husbands were living when the prosecution
was begun.
A number of witnesses testified that
Hellers treatment of his wife was brutal at
times. be would go away and leave her
! dependent upon her own resources for
living for weeks at a time. When he re-
turned, II ne suspected that she had spoken
TO any other man, he would beat her, and
on one occasion he locked her in room,
saturated her clothing with kerosene oil,
and attempted to burn her up The young
woman said that she could show scars upon
her person where Heller had whipped her.
RosA's STORY
MIR. Wilson put Rosa upon the stand.
| Her story was that she was twice married
the first time to Heller. Her parents kept
| boarding house in Charleston, soon after
moving there from Orangeburg They
81 Fr1Tala
Heller came to them to board he showed
good deal of money, and she was induced to
marry him. She said that she never loved
the man, but married him to crafty her
parents
After had been with the man for some
tlme," the young woman said,i she
began TO treat me badly.
love for him, but did not treat him IN
kindly. respected him and obeyed him
until he became violent and endeavored to
torce me to do things that would be my de-
structlon. He went away from me one day,
saying that he was going to his wife and
cnlldren somewhere else. He said that he
did not care anything for me, and that had
now to look out for myself. l went to Burke
county. where l married Mr.. Strange"
The girl said that Strange knew tnat she
had been married to Heller, but when she
told him the circumstances of their separa-
ton he told her that she was at liberty to
marry. Accordingly she married him, and
they lived together happily. When she
| found that marrying a second time. while
her first husband lived. was a crime. and a
great crime, She quit her last husband, and
came to Savannah and secured employment
as domestic in a family on Broughton
street. Heller had lost track of his wife in
the meantime, and he also came to Savan-
nah and secured employment at the De Soto.
MET ON THE STREET.
One afternoon when he was going from
his boarding place to the De Soto he
met his wife on Broughton street.
Neither spoke. Heller succeeded in locat-
| Ing the house where the young woman
was employed. He was willing then to take
her back, and he sent friend around to
mend the breach and pave the way for an
| interview.
But Rosa was defiant. She spurned all
his offers and refused to accept his COM
partnership again upon any conditions She
| held herself aloof from him, and protested
against being annoyed by him. Heller
persisted in sending her letters urging her
to come back to him. The young woman
was memorable. Heller thought to con-
ciiiate her by kindly acts, and he sent her
Strawberries, ice cream. cake, and small
| gifts. His past misdeeds and the cruelties
which he inflicted upon her were fresh in
| hoA AAAAAtl, uu0 pI616TT6u TaUQ6r TO die
than be again subjected to life with him.
Heller was completely outgeneraled.
Persuasion had failed, kindness did not avail
anything, all he did was but futile effort
to draw her back to him, and he resolved to
force her or drive her out of the county.
Accordingly he sent messengers to her in
| forming her of his intentions to prosecute
| her. Her crimes were now known, aud
would be exposed to the world. But the
young woman was determined and remained
firm.
RosA's HARD EXPERIENCE.
The next step was in the courts. Heller
| arralgned her, and she was lodged in Jail
two nights She was tried, and was released
until more extended examination could
be held. The CASE terminated yesterday in
her being remanded to Jail to await the
action of the superior court. Mr.. Wilson,
her counsel, contended that though she did
marry twice, there had to be intention" on
her part He denied the existence of an in
| territorial crime when the young woman
married her second husband. She was
ignorant, a common country girl, not used
to the wiles of such men as Heller, and
| when she was driven from him she married
her second husband for protection, but
after she found that she had violated the
law she separated from him.
| MIR. Whetley contended that ignorance
was no plea in law. What he sought to
prove was plainly fact-the woman had
married twice with both husbands living
After the magistrate had rendered his
decision, the Lutheran minister, Rev. Mr.
Hecker, who married Heller and the Young
girl, stepped outside the railing. aud shook
hands with her. The young girl put her
hands to her face aud cried bitterly Heller
stood behind the minister, looking over his
shoulder at his wife, and ne
put his handkerchief to his face
and began to cry. The court and attor-
neys began to think that reconciliation
was about to take place, but when some
body asked the young woman if she would
| go back to Heller she took her face out of
her hands and said, "How can II No, |
will never live with him again" Heller
turned and walked out of the office wiping