Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-13
FOUND OUT AT LAST.
Tom Cummings Dual Life
Finally Exposed by a Lit
tie Scrap of Paper.
HE HAD TOO MANY WIVES.
One Weman Is Deserted So That Her
Sister Can Be Welded.
DEATH REVEALS THE MARRIAGE.
The Former Wife Apprised of 1t by an In
dertaker's Receipt
HE HAD TOO MANY WIVES.
DEATH REVEALS THE MARRIAGE.
The Former Wife Apprised of 1t by an Un-
dertakers Receipt
CUMMINGS row IN THE COUNTY JAIL

Thomas 81. Cummings, OF the Southside,
is now in Jail. He is charged with bigamy
and perjury. To both of these he has
pleaded guilty.
Tom Cummings has only seen 81 years of
life, but much action has been crowded into
that space of time, with touch of romance
here and there. Ten years ago he feA in
love with Mary Elliott, of Atchison posi-
Office, Washington county. She was but a
maid of Is, and he had only crossed the
majority line. After a short courtship the
two were married. For seven years they
lived together Their married life was not
too evenly strewn with roses, and after
seven years Cumm ings' love for his wife
died out. One day he lett their home in
Washington county and it was the last
time he was there for many a day.
Mary Elliott had sister, Elmy. She was
younger and single. During all the years
of Cummings married life Elmy had been
a regular visitor at his house. Daily they
were brought together. First there was
brotherly and sisterly affection. AS time
wore on this affection warmed, budded and
finally bloomed into lasting love for each
other. Clandestinely they met, but of
all was the final desertion of Mary Cum
mirgS
They Woo Clandestinely.
Soon after the departure of Cummings
from his Washington county home Elmy
Eli OFT came to Pittsburg, where she Wis
1ted for many months. Soon after her ar
rival in this city Cummings. too, arrived
He got work on the Southside, and only
waited for time to erase from the memory
of his friends the fact that he had deserted
his wife. Almost daily he and Elmy met
and no one who ever saw them wooing like
pair of doves ever suspected what a TO-
nance the veil of secrecy was hiding.
After year Of patient waiting gossips
tongues ceased to talk, and even the little
town of Atchison postofice forgot of Tom
Cummings deed
Early in February, 1891, Tom Cummings
and Elmy Elliott presented themselves at
the Allegheny county Registers Office and
requested marriage license. Elmy was
then living under an assumed name and she
went on record as Elizabeth Hughes"
Elmy Leads Dual Life.
From then until she died she was still
Elmy Elliott to her family and old friends,
while to those who had not known her past
she was Mrs. Cummings. Tom Cummings
still kept his own name, but it is alleged
made himself perjurer He swore to the
Register that he had never been married.
Alter this assumption and perjury the
couple were given the right to enter into
the holy bonds of vedlock. The
night of this same day there
was very quiet wedding at Logan's Ferry
A preacher, Tom Cummings and Elmy FL
liott made up the party which gathered
around the hymeneal altar. After the we'd
ding the couple came back to Pittsburg and
took up housekeeping on the Southside
All this was done without even whisper
of it having reached the ear of Mrs. Cum
mings No. /. Several times during the
year of her married life she visited her old
home There she was plain Elmy
rents and sister were told that
she was doing fancy needle work in Pitts
burg The name OF Tom Cummings was
never mentioned, for it had become a dead
letter in the Elliott house. a year OF Cum
mings' married life passed pleasantly
around, but early in april, 1892, Mrs
Cummings was taken ILL., She fingered
until April % and then died. Her family
never knew OF her illness or death. Even
she was buried without them having a
chance to take a last look at her.
A Scrap Of Paper Tells the Story.
After Elmv was buried Tom Cummings
again disappeared. He was lost sight of
for month or two. He then wound up at
the old home in Atchinson postoffice Time
has for either good or bad made change
on him, for he went back to his first love. He
told Mary Cummings of his home for her.
penitent tears were shed and the breach be-
tween them was healed They were again
known to the people of the little Washing
ton county town as Tom Cummings and
wife.
Several months of bliss were lived and the
past was last being forgotten, when the
finding of little scrap OF paper brought a
day OF reckoning 1t was a week or two ago
that Mary was arranging some of Tens
possessions, when little rumpled scrap of
paper caught her eye. Mechanically she
smoothed it out and read Its contents
That bit of paper told her an awful
tale. 1t was a receipt from n Wylie
avenue undertaken who furnished her
sister Elmy's coffin. The truth dawned on
her and she hastily sought her husband. An
explanation was demanded, but Tom Cum
mings refused to give it. The outcome of
it all was that Nj. Elliott had his son-in-
law arrested He was taken before Squire
McMillen, of Mansfield, and to him he con-
fessed his guilt In default of 81, 500 bail
Tom Cummings now languishes in Jail to
await a trial in court