The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-25
The Romance Of Mr. James Hender-
son and Mrs. George
Hardness.
The Montana SSockman Weds the
Woman He Had Accident
ally Bereaved.
More Than Romantic Life Of the Hand.
some, Now Happy Wifc--Comf ing
Home to Montana.

ST. PAUL, Feb. .-[SpeciaI. "A tall,
handsome, full-bearded man OF abont ~
years walked around in tho corridors Of the
Merchants hotel to-day, and. during the
afternoon, in company with handsome
blonde lady, B Or 30 years old, he drove
about the city. He departed tonight for
Montana by the Northern Pacific line. The
gentleman was wealthy Montana stock
man and the lady with him was his bride,
who is going to Montana to share his for
tune. Thereby hangs romance Of more
than ordinary interest. In 1867, during q
terrible storm ON the coast of
Maine an English vessel was
driven against the rocks and the
captain WAS drowned, together with large
number OF passengers. Among those who
were saved were two very pretty children.
the captains daughters. One of them was
adopted by Samuel Ward, merchant of
Dover, N. H., and was brought up as his
own daughter. The girl had good educa-
tion and developed into beautiful and at
tractive young woman. She had many ad
mirrors, but the favored one WAS George
Hardness, the son of a Boston tailor. Mr..
Ward disliked the young man. One day
the town enjoyed a sensation when it was
learned that the girl had eloped with the
Boston man. Ward refused to forgive his
adopted daughter and two years afterward
Harkness took his young wife to
jersey City and placed her in
charge of an aunt while he went on west
ward to make his fortune. In the second
act of this drama of real life the scene
opens in the latter part of August, 1883, in
Garfield, Warren county. Ohio. One morn
ing teamster driving down street past
an unfinished building saw lying on the
porch the body of murdered man. An
inquest showed that the neck of the young
man was broken. Foul play was suspected, ,
but there was no evidence duplicating any
particular person and the jury returned q
verdict Of accidental death. No one knew
where the young man came from. He had
no ffiends to claim the body.
But papers found in his possession
identified him as George Hardness. II was
rsvssal weeks after this that Mr.. Hardness
received from an anonymous source letter
containing 500. The letter stated that the
writer had been indirectly responsible for
the death of her husband and that as long
month after that time she received another
anonymous letter containing from $50 to
800. The letters were mailed first from
Garfield, then they came from Bradford,
Pa, then from Pittsburg, then from Chi
cago and then for three years they came
from Montana. In 1888 the young widow
received letter mailed at Jersey City and
though she had not known him, she felt
that her unknown guardian had seen her.
Then the letters came again from Montana
Finally, about six months ago. the.
writer of the anonymous letters requested
an interview, which was accorded. The
meeting was strange one, but there are
only two people who can describe it. The
unknown protector proved to be hand
some man Of about 3S, who gave his name
as James Henderson. To the widow of
George Harkness he explained the mystery
of her husbands tragic death. He stated
that Hardness was in gambling room on
the second floor of the build
ing where he had been killed.
sitting i'll an open window.
During the evening fight ensued between
Henderson and a stranger, and in the melee
Henderson threw the stranger back against
the wall, knocking Harkness out of the
window. the fall breaking his neck. Hen
derson said that he WAS in good circum-
stances and that he had tried to atone for
the accidental killing of Harkness by keep
ing his widow from want. The rest Of the
story can be told in n line. Mr. James
Henderson and Mrs. George Hardness were
married last week at jersey City.