The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-27
ALLEGED CASE OF BIGAMY
Silas Jones, of Kokomo, SO Years Old,
Charged with Having Two Wives.
Colorado Officers Beaten in an Attempt to Sc
cure H~im-Case Of observation-disclosures
Laws Reasons for Shooting His Brother.
sESsArIoN At KoKoMo.

Old and wealthy Citizen Arrested for Big
amy-Claim that 1t Is n Case ofBisck-Msil-
Special 70 the Indianapolis Journal
KoKoMo. Ind. Dec. 26.-This city is in q
furry of excitement caused by the arrest.
Saturday night. of Silas w. X. Jones on
the charge Of bigamy. Jones Is eighty-two
years of age and very wealthy. He lived
here In the early days. but for fifty years
has resided in California and Oregon,
where he accumulated q fortune and raised
o large family of children. After q married
life of fifty years. his wife died and two
years ago he returned to this city. Shortly
after the death of his wife the old
man was entrapped into marrying an adj
ventures at Portland, Ore, who managed
to get 5000 of his money. Seeing that the
old gentleman had fallen into the ciutcheso OF
an adventures, his children appeared on the
scene and stopped the game by having him
pronounced Of an unsound MIND and placed
In an asylum. His children are all promi-
nept and highly respected people. One son,
Joseph Jones. IS judge of the Superior
Court at san Francisco. Another son 10 o
member of the Oregon Legislature. one Is
prominent attorney, the fourth q professor
In q Western college.
After q short confinement the elder Jones
was released, and went TO Denver, CoL
where he remained q few months. While
81 denver ne mnfIlcQ hhOtucE OLh-
an of bad character, named Maud Boat
wright, and she proceeded to help him
spend his money. Jones, after q short time.
refused TO be bled further and left the
place, coming directly to this city. where
be has since resided. Six months after
coming here the old gentleman married q
highly respected woman. Hannah Slyter.
daughter of Seth Slyter, ex-recorder OF
this county. having previously obtained 9
divorce from the Denver woman. Three
months after the last marriage, George
Edgar. o detective from Portland. Ore,
came here with q warrant for the octo-
genarian's arrest for bigamy. Edgar
claimed that shortly after the old man had
been deprived of the 5000 he had
been employed by Jones TO recover the
money. for which service he was to receive
e.. 100 if successful. and $500 If he failed.
The detective. after hanging around here
for two weeks. went his way, and the mat
ter was kept ont of the papers.
That was the last heard OF the affair un-
til Saturday night. when officer Charles NJ.
Meeker, of Denver, armed with o requisi.
with the signature OF Governor Chase at
tached, came up from Indianapolis and
placed the old man under arrest, the war
rant, sworn out by a friend of the Denver
woman. charging bin with the crime OF
bigamy in marrying Maud BoatwrIght
without first being divorced from Cynthia
Ellen Harbine, the Portland woman.
Neeker. accompanied by alocal officer, went
TO the Jones residence at 10 o'clock
and the old man was taken from his bed
and hustled TO the Panhandle depot to
take q train then about due. The train
happened TO be forty-fye minutes late, end
Rev. Philip McDade. Jones's brother-in-
law. hunted mp Sheriff Simmons, who, with
other officers and attorneys, rushed to the
depot. whore a dramatic Scene followed.
The outcome was that the sheriff took pos
session of the aged prisoner, and instead of
starting on the long journey he was kept in
40iG nuaH n9nhf nnd Snndnu randrr~r q N
yestigation. Habeas corpus proceedings
have been instituted, and the old gentle
man Is still in possession of the local of
fcers.
The affair Is generally regarded as o des-
perate attempt OF black-mail. The old man
does not deny his ~escapades with the de-
signing women, but declares he will no
longer be robbed by them.