Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1891-10-21
Woman with a Record.

Word came to Mir. Gerry's Society
 for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in New York the other day that Mrs. Aleeia Florinc Hen derson was cruelty abusing Helen Christene Dennis, the 6-year-old daughter of Alecia's fourteenth hus- band.
 Mrs. Henderson is now living with her fifteenth husband, and the re- suits of these numerous matrimo- nial alliances arc fourteen living children, and Helen is the youngest, Her present and fifteenth husband is Thomas ]. Henderson, a master house painter, who married Mrs. Dennis in 1889. He dislikes chil- oren, and tho six youngsters that came with his wife displeas- ed him. Three of the little ones were forced on their fathers kins-
 men, two others were sent away to board on farms, and Helen only re- mained.
 Neighbors were shocked by tho terrible beatings it is said Mrs. Hen derson gave her little daughter for the most triiling offenses. Those neighbors notified Mir. Gerry's so- ciety of the child's sufferings, and Agent Moore was directed to inves- tigate the case.
 Child and mother were taken to the Harlem police station. Mrs. Henderson was locked in a cell, and little Helen was cared for by the matron. The case came up before Justice Meade. Helen, a slender, sweetfaced child, with a frightened look, told with touching simplicity the shocking story of her ill-treat- ment.
 Mrs. Henderson, although 45 years old, is still a handsome woman. She is brunette, and has tall and vo- luptuous figure. Her hair is abund- ant, her features clear cut, and her steel gray eyes are piercing She denied abusing the child. but admitted that she had punished her lightly for disobedience."
 Questioned by Agent Moore, she said she had been married fifteen times, and that all of her husbands except Henderson are dead.
 Then she protested great love for Helen, and to prove it advanced with outstretched arms to fondle her. The child screamed and ran behind the matron's skirts.
 Justice Meade directed that the child be taken to the Catholic Pro- tectory, and sentenced Mrs. Hender- son to three months on Blackwell's island. While awaiting transporta- tion to her place of imprisonment 1 she cried a little.
 She spoke freely to reporter about herself. "l was born in Ha- vana of Spanish parents, and my name" she said, twas Al ecia Florine De Vegas. l was edu- rated in France and when Is years old returned to my parents in Cuba"
 From the mortuary pages of the family bible this chronological table of much married Mrs. Henderson's husbands was taken:
 l. John T. Clayton, married June 70, 1862, died July 9, 1863.
 ?. T. C. Maher, married Septem- 'eE l6, 1868, died May 26, 1865.
 5. Wilber F. Cory, Married Feb uary $, 1866, died February II, S67. 1. G. W. Matsell, married May 26. S67, died January 2, 1869. 5. James I. Thibedeau. married iarch 10, 1869, died April l5, 1870. 6. Andrew F. Strickland, married eptember 5, 1870, died July g, { S7l. z. Alton G. Hanseome, married I If, 1871, died September T z, 1873. { s. s. NJ. J. Percival, married T ebruary 19, 1874. s 2. William N. Poulson, married a pril II, 1875, died June 23, 1877. c 10. Marcus T. Pryor, married II ay l, 1878, died February z. 1879. U II. G. W. Llewellen, married May II !, 1879, died November 3, 1881. c l2 A. z. Van Ripper, married a arch s, lSS2, died November 29, u s4. ti l3. R. R. Morrison, married Jan D. " 2, 1885, died October 15, 1885. Il IA. Kenward T. Dennis, married h' bruary, 1886, died November Is, r g.
 l5. Thomas J. Henderson, mar sa d August l9, 1889. ne
 The Rich nm styne.