The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-20
A SURPLUS HUSBAND.
Romantic Story Brought Out
by Little Macs Death.
WIFE AND DAUGHTER AT LAW.
Contest for Estate Reveals a Story Of In
noeent Bigamy and Divorce-A
Formally Neglected.

The estate of II. c. Mclaughlin, FORM
erly a well-known jeweler of Seattle, who
died at La Grande, Or, last December, is
in dispute, the adverse claimants being
daughter by wife who has been dead
number of years, and lady who claims 10
be his surviving wife. The identity of the
daughter as an heir at law is undisputed,
and the point at issue is whether she shall
inherit all of the estate or share ii equally
with the supposed second wife. The story
Of the latter's relations with the dead man
is a strange one, with a tinge OF EnOch
Arden in II.
On August 80, 1887, Mclaughlin was
married to the lady who now claims TO be
his wife by James Wickersham, probate
Judge OF Pierce county, at the residence Of
VI. kaufman in Tacoma. The lady now
has in her possession certificate of the
marriage of III. C. Mclaughlin and Ruth
A. Cope, the latter being her maiden name
He was at that time a prosperous jeweler
OF Seattle, who was generally known and
appeared in newspaper advertisements as
Little Mac" He had previously been
married TO a lady who died several years
before. She left daughter. Bertha, who
Is now young lady about p years OF age
Mclaughlin brought his second bride
home TO Seattle, and she was everywhere
known and respected as his wife. For
three years they lived together, and no
one entertained any doubt of the legiti-
macy of their relation. In the fall of 1890.
however, husband who had not been
heard of for years, turned up. He made
his appearance in the Sound country and
the McLaughlins learned of his presence
In Tacoma. His wife, known TO all as
Mrs. Mclaughlin, believed, or claimed to
have believed. that he was dead at the
time of her marriage with Little Mac"
The name Of the first husband was James
NJ. Van Every, and the woman was legally
Mrs. Van Every and not Mrs. Mclaughlin
In order TO right matters in the eyes of
the law a suit was brought in the superior
court OF King county TO secure a divorce
from Van Every, on the grounds OF cruelty
and desertion. From the plaintiff
pleadings it appeared that when a mere
girl, she was married to Van Every at
Copetown. Ont. in the Dominion of Can
ada, in 1870. She lived with him for ten
years, first at Copetown and then at
Dundas, Ont. During this time he was
guilty OF habitual drunkenness and ex-
treme cruelty To her. Matters finally
grew so bad that she was compelled TO
leave him. They had three children, who.
at the time of the filing of her complaint,
were of the following ages: Arthur, 10;
Katie, Is. and Bertha, 16. None of them
were living with their mother. The boy
was supporting himself and the two
daughters were making their home with a
sister o. their mother.
Publication of summons in the suit was
made in the Seattle Sunday Star for sixty
days, and copy of the summons mailed
10 Van Every, ar Dundas, but he never ap-
peared in court. On January 8. 1891, Judge
Lichtenberg granted Ruth A. Van Every a
divorce from James NJ. Van Every, on the
grounds of cruelty and failure TO support.
Mclaughlin and the divorced woman
would have had another marriage cere-
mony performed at once, but their attor-
ney advised them to respect the laws of
the state and not be married until six
months after the divorce was granted.
They followed his advice and after the six
months had elapsed negligently allowed
things TO run along without being remar-
ried, though they were known to the world
as man and wife. When Mclaughlin died
at La Grande, the woman whom he called
wife, was with him. He had gone there
on business and she accompanied him.
Before the great fire Mclaughlin had
about the best jewelry business in Seattle.
His loss was heavy one and he never re-
covered from it. He made an effort TO
start in business again but was never sue
cessful. At the time of his death he had
| nothing but personal property, consisting
chiefly OF safe full of jewelry, the whole
being valued at about s.. 900. Shortly after
his death there were filed in the probate
court of King county three applications
for letters of administration. One came
from James Neatly, the Front street tailor.
who petitioned 10 be appointed admins
traitor as the next friend of the deceased.
The second was from the lady who claims
10 be Mrs. II. c. Mclaughlin, asking the
appointment of Frank Pontius The third
came from McLaughlin's daughter. who is
with relatives in Boston, where she Is a
student at the Boston conservatory of
music. Her petition was filed through her
attorney, Norman +. Hasseltine. who
asked 10 be appointed administrator.
WheT the case came up for hearing be-
| fore Judge Lichtenberg on last Friday the