Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-31
he snAoowEp A wIrE.
How Shrewd Detective Ended His
Work in Divorce Case.


How shrewd Detective Ended His
Work in Divorce Case.
| HARTFORD, Dec. 21.-The shrewd de-
tective who has the record of running
down Jimmy Hope, the notorious bank
burglar, has taken unto himself q wife,
become the son-in-law of millionaire
and gone out of the detective business.
w. @. Fielding, at the head of the we'll
known Fielding's Detective Agency,
has married Miss Fannie q. Atkins,
daughter of one of the richest families
in Connecticut, and the happy couple
are spending their honeymoon in
Europe. The scene of the romance of
which iris marriage is the outcome is
laid in New York city, Hartford and
Bristol, Conn. Mr.. Fielding met Miss
Atkins two years ago, when she was
Mrs. Arthur l.. Rood, and was at that
time employed to spy on The husband,
who was a thigh roller,' in order to get
evidence against him sufficient for her
to secure u divorce. For two years Mr..
Fielding shadowed the recreant hus-
band, found out his haunts and care
fully noted all his backslidings. The
Atkins family claimed that Rood abused
their daughter and that he kept COM
pany with fast women. Mrs. Rood was
anxious enough for divorce, but
feared the publicity that would follow
court proceedings. Fielding was there
fore supplied with money and told to
dog the husband and get proofs of his
intidelity that would be indisputable.
How well Fielding performed his
task the short work made of the case
when il came into court showed. lie
followed the husband to Sulphur
Springs, to Chicago and New York
city, and wove a complete chain of
evidence around him. Last June the
action for divorce was brought The
husband did not contest the case, and
Mrs. Rood again assumed her maiden
name. From that time on Mr.. Fielding
and Miss Atkins were frequently seen
together The detective business had
lost its charm for Mr. Fielding, who
had become captiyated by Miss Atkins
good looks and large expectations. He
accompanied her to the theatre, to
church and elsewhere, but they went
into society very little.
The members of the Atkins family
disagreed in their tastes. Mr.. Atkins is
bookworm. Mrs. Atkins, however,
was very fond of show and society.
She especially liked opera, and during
the season at New York she and her
daughter rented suite of rooms in q
prominent hotel and attended regularly.
Mrs. Atkins was an exceedingly ner-
vous woman. Now that she had secured
a divorce for her daughter she was con-
tinually afraid that her son in-law would
do them bodily harm. Every now and
then she imagined that she saw him
following her, and she would send for
Fielding to come to the city. She was
also fond of his society, and, as he was
OF magnetic temperament, he could
calm her fears better than any one else.
If she became Respondent she sent for
him to talk to her. Fielding found this
the most lucrative part of his business,
and gossip connected his name as much
with that Of Mrs. Atkins as that of the
daughter.
Mr.. Fielding gave less and less atten-
ton to his detective business. Some
time ago he sold out his "burglar alarm
system and raised about $500. He also
| took out an insurance policy payable to
Miss Atkins, and the big sign of "Fieid-
| AhS1 NOlICObAub bGttGtlNt hEtDCY
with the widely-opened eye and "We
never Sleep under it, was taken down.
The sequel came about three weeks
ago, when Fanny Atkins changed her
name TO Mrs. w. G. Fielding, and a
! week ago Thursday the bride and groom
took a North German Lloyd steamer for
Bremen, and are now supposedly with
Mrs. Fielding's mother in Leipzig. AT
all events, Mr.. Fielding cabled his
mother-in-law on Wednesday, Decem.
her 9th, to expect him and his bride in
| Europe as soon as n steamer could carry
them there.
The marriage, which was secret one
| causes sensation on account Of the
wealth and high social starding of the
bride. She is granddaughter of the
late b. N. WEIGH of Bristol, one Of Con.
necticut's millionaire citizens. Hei
mother inherited large portion of Mr.
Welch's estate and is very wealthy
woman. Mr. Rood has suit pending
against the mother, in which he claim.
$4,000 for alternating his wife's affec
tons.
Mr. Fielding is tall, spareman, with
black, piercing eye, black hair and
| moustache, and has magnetic manner
He was chief of police at Middetowr
for 10 or IL years previous to coming tc
Hartford six years. lie was widower
his first wife having died a year or two
ago. He has worked up many noted
cases in his long career, and many Other
notorious criminals beside Jimmy Hop,
are behind the bars on account of Iii:
shrewdness, He will probably call hil
! greatest piece of work the two years
"shaddowingn which brought him hi'
present bride.