The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-01
WILES OF A SIREN.
4 Portland Commercial Man
Led Into Bigamy.
THE CRIME COMMITTED HERE.


1t was learned yesterday that s. D. Hen.
bricks. the Portland agent of the New
York oil manufacturing firm of Leonard
q Ellis, well known in this city as q travel
ing man. committed the crime of bigamy
IN this city on the night OF August s. after
deserving bis wife, who il now in Portland,
and who yesterday for the first time learned
the true facts concerning her husbands
disappearance and dishonor.
Hendricks left Portland on August for
the Sound, ostensibly on business. He
arrived here on the It'll and put up at the
Russell house. During the afternoon he
called upon Mr.. e. Shepherd, manager of
the Spring Hill Water Company, who was
one of his principal customers. He then
wrote to his wife that he had been called to
Fairhaven on important business.
On the afternoon of the Sth, two women
of q disreputable appearance called a. the
Russell house and registered as MRS.
Dearmin, Tacoma" and Miss Fanny
Smith, Tacoma" respectively. Hendricks
vouched for them and they were assigned
to room II.
During the afternoon Hendricks called
at the auditors Office and applied for
license to wed Fanny Smith, but was re.
fused one because he had no witnesses. He
returned short time afterward with Frank
Bracket, day clerk at the Russell, who
vOuched for him, and the license was
granted, the names given being Samuel O.
ID. Hendricks, of San Francisco, and Miss
Fannie Smith, of Des Moines, Iowa
After this arrangements were conducted
with great secrecy. Day Clerk Bracket
interested himself in securing q person
duly qualified to tie the nnptial knot, and
after considerable trouble was successful
The marriage took place that night in the
Russell house parlors. Day Clerk Frank
Brackett again taking an active interest in
terest in the matter.
The next day Hendricks and the woman
he had married, accompanied By the other
woman, left the city for Victoria, where
they were seen a few days later by Mama
ger Shepherd, of the water-works.
IL was well known fact here that Hen
bricks was married man, and it is strange
that he could find any one to assist him in
carrying out his strange criminal freak.
IDENTIFY OF the very worst type, and
those who know him say they
cannot account for his action. His wife in
Portland is handsome and refined wo-
man and. as far as can be learned, they
lived together happily.
General Agent Hall. of the Leonard &
Ellis Oil company, was in Seattle yes
terday. and said that he thought
Hendricks accounts with the company
were straight Detectives are now upon the
track Of the bigamist, and he viii probably
b arrested in day or two.
Hendricks family is very respectable
one. and his brother. r. ]. Hendricks, is
editor of the Statesman at Salem, Ore.
The following special dispatch received
fran Portland last night gives few addi-
tional particulars concerning the affair:
PORTLAND, Aug. SIS. d. Hendricks,
who has represented the New York firm of
Leonard & Ellis, large Oil manufacturers
and dealers, in this city for the past three
years has disappeared, deserving
his wife. Hendricks has been mar
ried for six years. On August
he left here for Seattle. On the 5th he
wrote to his wife from Seattle. stating that
he was on the eve OF leaving for Fairhaven,
and telling her to write to him in care of
the Russell house. Not hearing from him
again, Mrs. Hendricks placed the matter
in the hands of detectives, greatly fearing
that her husband had been victim of foul
play.
It was just learned today that marriage
license was issued at Seattle August to
s. B. Hendricks and Miss Fannie Smith
and that they were openly married that
day in the parlors Of the Russell house.
An examination of Hendricks books and
accounts here reveals no shortage what
ever. When he left Portland he took only
$40. His wife has always been the Gus
todian of all his money and has kept all
his accounts. He and his wife always lived
on the most loving terms.
Hendricks friends are at an utter loss to
account for his action. They claim that he
must have been insane, or else suddenly
and madly infatuated with the woman.
He and his second wife were seen together
in Victoria on August 20. The deserted
wife Is heartbroken over the affair.