Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-03-09
Is HE A BAD PENNEY 2
He Turns Up at Last ana HIS VIII
Sues for n Divorce.


tropics. He was born in North Carolins
forty-seven years ago, and came to thii
section while young man, bringing
with him young wife. 1t WASH memory
serves the reporter with truth, about the
close of the war. The young couple
came here poor, but with plenty of vigol
and with frugal, industrious habits
Penney went into the sheep business
either as the owner of small band, OF
perhaps, as is more likely, to herd fol
someone else. In old times he was ir
partnership with Senator McComas, o.
Pomona. In those days there was
money in sheep. Ranges could be had
free, or nearly 80, and the focks in
creased at the rate of 125 pei
cent, the wool paying more than
all the expenses of taking care Of
a band Of moderate size. But it was q
hard life. Those who took care of the
hocks had to be out at all times OF the
day or night. The rains of winter, the
frosty nights, the suDs of summer, the
parched and dusty hillsides all had to be
endured.
For years Penney followed this sort Of
life; but he did not toll and endure alone.
By his side, at all times, in winter rains
and frosts, or in summer heats, by night
and day, his faithful young wife was the
equal bearer of all his hardships. There
was nothing in the way of toll and ex-
posure she shrank from to aid her hus.
band in his struggle to become wealthy.
And all things prospered with them in
all ways. Their focks increased and
their worldly possessions grew apace.
Nor was that all. AS the years passed
many pledges of affection were borne
by the wife, and the little hut on the
mesa, or the tent on the plain was full of
the bright laughter of children. In all
half dozen children came to bless the
home of Alexander Penney and his wife,
new incentive each one to renewed
energy and effort.
Thus time wore on, laying it's hand
somewhat heavily on the brows of this
toiling pair, for their life was not an easy
one. The wife's locks became sprinkled
with frosts like those light ones that lay
some mornings OIL the meadows where
the focks fed. Then these became
heavier, and the crows feet crept around
the corners of her eyes, that still looked
bravely out on alife that was pleasant, if
not one of pure ease. The same was in
a large measure the case with the
man, and so they both began to
grow old together, happily content
as they saw their children increase
toward manhood to take their place.
When the boom came they were we'll
off, and Penney sold all he had to 20
into the real estate business. He pros.
pered marvelously at this, and became
one of the most daring operators in the
market. He made money hand over
fist, and had the reputation when the
boom closed of being worth quarter of
a million. He might be worth more.
And here in the day of his great pros
perity came the change that is like to
wreck his fortunes. With such a fortune,
at the vigorous age of As, with his wife
still in perfect health, and five or six
children around his table his lot was de.
cidedly enviable. He might have lived
for many happy years to enjoy the rich
fruits of his years of toll and days of
good luck.
Some two years ago a young
woman of buxom appearance and
rather dashing mien came on the
scene of the daily life of the Penneys.
Alexander, it is reported, introduced her
to his family as a niece who
had come out from the East.
Mrs. Penney, in her kindness of heart
and innocence of wrong, urged that she
be taken care OF, as her means were sup
posed to be limited. Mr.. Penney thought
this not necessary, but that it would be
better if she took care of herself. She
took up her abode at lodging house in
this city. where she remained for some
time. One day going out to Beaumont,
the young woman met an old friend of
Penney and they talked about his affairs.
The friend said he was worth quarter
of million. ooh, yes," she said with
much enthusiasm, ''uncle is worth
half million.' Then Penney
and the young woman went to
San Francisco. If Dame Rumor is to
be relied upon, Penney told his wife that
his health was poor, and he was going
to have it looked after. His particular
ailment was represented as being lack
of manly vigor, which he desired to have
they sat together in the same seat in a
sengers who knew Penney. To all who
bpOk0 W t15lu, uo lusIOuuCoV buo yOuHS
woman as his niece. They stayed to-
gether in San Francisco for some time,
and then were lost to public view in Los
Angeles for some time.
Penney's family next went to the
Azusa. and no one thought much of the
absence Of Penney until the family be-
gan to suffer. The people of the
Azusa began to talk about the poor
way in which they were liv-
ing, which was notoriously noticeable.
The story was that he was allowing then
only $25 per month for the six of them. He
was in Chicago, and soon after he left San
Francisco a bill came to his agent in
this city for $50 for portrait painted for
him of lady. Meantime he seemed to
grudge his family the mere pittance they
were living on. He wanted to cut this
down. They were living on potatoes and
-four and the young ladies' feet were
like the woman in the burlesque song,
"a holy show" He proposed to buy
them potatoes and -four at wholesale, so
as to make the cost less.
During this whole winter it has been
almost impossible to discover b. where
abouts. Trap after trap has been laid to
catch him. Decoy letters have been
written and detectives set to
watch the Chicago postoffice for
three days at a time; but nc
trace of Penney has been discovered. II
was mystery where or how he kept
concealed. Every now and then piece
OF real estate was transferred from PEN