, 1890-11-30
AN ABUSED MAN.
Iohn WooIIens Appears as a Wit
ness In His Own Defense.
He Takes the Stand in the District
Court.
Strange Story of a Husbands
Long Suffering.

The testimony of John WOollens in
the district court Yesterday apparently
justified his attempted killing of the man
who succeeded In destroying his home and
alternating his wife's affections from him.
Woollens is under indictment charged
with assault with intent to kill. The
prosecuting witness is an individual named
j. E. Thompson.
Woollen's testimony covered a period Of
two years. lie then lived in Greeley.
Woollens was engaged with his father in
the milling business while his wife kept a
restaurant. Thompson boarded at the
restaurant and there laid the foundation
of his subsequent intimacy with Mrs.
Woollens. The affair soon became quite
noticeable but Woollens, laboriously at
work, never noticed anything. One day
while looking for something in a bureau
drawer he found an unopened letter. 1t
bore his wife's maiden name and Wool
lens opened it. He then discovered that
something was wrong and was led to ques-
ton his daughter. She confirmed the
suspicious he entertained and going to his
wife he made known his discovery and
told her he was going to leave her. lie
said he would leave her all of his effects.
She advised him to think over it before he
acted hastily but he determined to leave the
town on the first train. Upon inquiring
he learned that the next train left early in
the morning. He wrote a note to his
father briefly stating that owing to cir
cumstances over which he had no control
he was obliged to leave Greeley. His
train proved to be late and when Wool
ems reached the depot he found his father
waiting for him. His father strongly DIS
suaded him from going and said if he
left it would break him (the father fnnu-
cially and physically. Under this strong
pressure the young man reconsidered the
resolve and turned back with his father.
Before noon he received a note from his
wife and called upon her. They finally
patched up their differences but Woollens
kept the letter until one day be accident
ally left it behind him in one of his coat
pockets. In a few minutes he returned
but found the letter burned. He asked
his wife why she had done it. She
smiled and said that so long as the letter
was in existence he would brood over 1t
and it was better for his peace OF mind
to have it destroyed. Wooilens, however.
had made a partial copy Of it and com
pleted 1t from memory.
Later he heard of Thompson having
disguised himself so that nobody about
the restaurant would recognize him. He
appeared there with a hump back. his
hands and face painted so that his com
p~lexion resembled an Indians and his
moustsche dyed. In this guise be sue
ceeded in getting a message to Mrs.
Woollens, who subsequently met him in
the park. Later he.heard of meetings in
Denver.
Woolens finally decided to move away.
He went with his family to Denver.
Thompson followed them. Here the lit
tie boy was used as q go-between. Thomp-
son frequently visited Woollens' home in
the absence Of Wooiiens and Mrs. Wool
lens often sent her boy to Thompson's
place of employment with good things
she had cooked for him, They
also went out buggy riding sew
eral times. Unable to stand this 40
cumulation of sorrows. Woollens quietly
moved here. He and his wife soou after
ward agreed to a separation aud she went
to Pennsylvania. About this time
Thompson came to town. Woollens was
at home sick abed that day. His little
boy mel Thompson and reported the fact
to his father. Under the fathers in
structions the boy acted as a decoy and
when Thompson appeared at the Woollens
house Woollens shot him. Thompson
was severely but not dangerously
wounded.
Woollens detailed his story very frankly
and evidently made a good impression.
His daughter Myrtle was the only other
witness examined.