The Dispatch. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1891-08-15
FRANKS DENIESIT.
He Says He Never Was
Muchly Married.
he Gives His Version Of the Domestic
Difficulties That are Reported to Darken
the Threshold OF His Happy Home.

The publication of a sensational story
in morning newspaper to the effect
that Chief Detective Franks, OF the
Franks detective bureau of this city
had, at different times, under uumer-
Gus aliases, led unsuspectln4 females to
the altar of hymen and then deserted
them for pastures new and neldS OF d
more verdant hue, led a Times reporter
to chase down the facts in the case and
present them to the public.
Detective Franks was sitting at his
Office desk writing description Of a
criminal whose apprehension would be
of benefit to the community, when a
Times reporter interrupted him at his
labors.
walk right in" said Mr.. Franks, in
response to thump upon the hall
open uoor.
Yes" he replied to an interroga-
4 ton as to whether lie had seen the
morning Herald. Il have read the
! Herutd, and all l have to say Is that L
/ know nothing OF this woman, except
that | was engaged upon case of hers
l-cOncsIning her husband, who had de-
serted her.
1T was about three weeks ago, - said
Franks. scratching his chin whiskers
with d pennolder, to encourage his
memory, that a woman came to our
office. She represe nted that she had
been deserted 10y her husband at " Ich
Itd, Kan, Who lied 10 Grand junction,
Colo, taking along her year Old child.
All Grand Junction she OVerhauied
him. He was employed in a brickyard.
Again he deserted her, this time going
10 Ridgtway, Colo. She traced him
from Ridgeway. Colo, 10 Eureka, Tin
tic, Utah; and thence 10 Salt Lake.
Here she met Il real estate agent named
Leonard, 10 whom she told her story,
suppose. Leonard introduced her TO
Mir. Ecklund. The woman unfolded
pitiful tale OF sorrow. She represented
that she was financially embarrassed
ANA could not repay US Tor any Trouble
" L might take III her case.
After Il consultation with my COM
paniUns We decided to do what we con
ScIentiously could for the woman as
she seemed to be IN distress and i'll need
of assistance. Sne said she was sol
dier'S daughter and wanted to find the
Corps. | took her to Capt. Grtenman 5 !
office and introduced her TO the cap
tain and left her To tell ner DRY 10 |
Mr. Greenman. | understood alter |
wards that she got relief and imposed |
upon the Women Relief Corps 10y
stay Ing two weeks at their expense.
During this time she would come /
into the office 10 make inquiries Of her !
husband and child.
Il never saw tue woman; never even {
heard OF her until she entered that
door,, said Mr.. Franks, pointing to the
open door leading To his office. The
report that ere was a mutual r7cog
milton between us when We met is a
tissue of untruths.
"A few days ago, while talking to
Messrs. Norrell y Ecklund, she said
she thought she bad known me some
where. The idea seemed to grow upon
her that at some time she had married
me. Friends advised me to close her
mouth. My answer was that l had yet
-he first person, man or woman, whose
mouth | had to close. Ii | had ever
NrOnged her there were plenty of
-ourts in Utah where she could obtain
Justice. All she need do was TO apply
% the courts and prosecute me.
Day before yesterday she left n9te
or me, saying:
MIR. FRANKS: [ would like to See
-ou tomorrow at 10 o clock.
Mrs. L. HAMILTON
81 did not see her, but wrote on the
bottom OF her note that | did not want :
o see her, that | rellnquished the case ,,
wing TO the fact that she had created ,
alse impressions of her position to- ,,
Yards myself
when she read the note she at once :
vent to Captain Gretnman's office and d,
aid TO him, i am more convinced than
yer that l know Mr.. Franks
Il have nothing else to say, except !
hat nay name is Franks and always =
as been. | have tevn in Salt Lake !,
en- years. Prior to that time was in
'alitornia, New Mexico and Arizona,
nd can establish my whereabouts for .
II the years OF my life. l have been :.
4 the secret service very nearly all my {
ifp -
rs it true, asked the reporter, chat +
gu were twice married in Georgia =
nee in Alabama, and again in Ne u
raSka?' -
1T most assuredly is not " empha !,
zed Nh Franks, with a thump on the
able. Il never was in Nebraska in :
" life"
by the way" observed Detective -
ranks, this woman informed me that =
re had been married three different Z
mes and that her husbands were all :,
wing 7
Mr. Franks then showed the reporter y
letter of recommendation as to his -
ltegrity and character as in officer !"
ON many of the most prominent otli- "
ais in Utah.
As the reporter left Mr.. Franks Office o
E observed, Queer old world, this" {
Yes" echoed the detective, Queer a
orld - Times u