The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-10
PLURALITY OF WIVES.
Seattle Court Reporter Arrested
for POlygamy.
TAKEN BACK TO WISCONSIN,.
Former Vito of Loren NJ. Powers Has
Him Torn Away From His New
Wife by Criminal Process.

Loren NJ. Powers, a well-known court stenog-
raphe: here, was arrested at $40 O'Clock last
night, by Deputy Sheriff John Dowd, of Ash
land, Wis. on q charge of posgamy made by
his former wife. Deputy sheriff Dowd started
for Ashland on the 1910 O'Clock train on the
Northern Pacific, with his prisoner In charge
Powers claims the woman secured divorce
from him about three years age, and is now try
ing to blackmail him. Following is his story as
related to a Post INTELLiGENCEE reporter on the
train last night:
1 was married at Ottumwa, "a, twelve years
ago. About six years later l moved with
my wife to Huron. s. d. She proved un-
faithful to me, but rather than apply for
divorce and have her scandalous conduct aired
In court simply agreed to deaert her aud give
her chance to secure the divorce from me.
she secured the divorce at Gettysburg, s. d.,
about three years ago. cannot remember the
exact date, but saw copy OF she decree.
was in Ashland, Wis, at the time and about
year latter married my present wife. whose
maiden name was Grace Potter: We lived there
about six months and then moved here. / have
received letters from my former wife demand
leg money. She has also written letters to my
present vile, annoying her very much. OF
course know her plan - To bIlckmal. me aud
my vile knows it, too. but VIII make 1t hot Tor
her. think can put her in the peni,entiary.
She is really nothing more than a common
prostitute
confess was somewhat surprised, after all,
to have an officer come out here to arrest me.
did not think she woi.ld carry her scheme to
such an extreme. The only tising that worries
me Is the notoriety it gives me- and this makes
me feel badly for my wife's sake In addition
to this 1T will cost me some time and the eX-
pense OF coming back.
expect to be back III about twenty days.
Mr.. Powers is 80 years OF age and a man OF
good appearance He is moderately tail, rather
thin built, light complexion and light mus
tache He was court stenographer in the
office of Bowman & Bolster, and had a large
number of friends here.
He was in bed with his wife and child at his
A.
officer called, and he took the matter compare
lively cool, though feeling his position very
keenly on account of his wife, who is cornpara-
lively young and the mother of one child.
Powers was formerly admitted TO the bar as a
lawyer, but he never p.actced very nuch, pre-
ferriug to follow stenography for living.
Deputy Sheriff Dowd said the complaint had
been filed about three weeks ago, and he left at
once for Olympia, thinking the requisition
papers from Gov. George W. Peck, of Wisconsin,
were all that would be necessary to secure
Powers. but he found on reaching Olympia that
it would be necessary to have certified copy of
the complaint 1t took about ten days more to
get this. so that the papers were not finally
made out until yesterday. 1t was $50 o'clock
last evening when he arrived here, and ne went
to Powers house. The latter raised no objec-
ton at all, there was delay. Mr.. Dowd
said Powers was we'll known in Ashland aud
bore good reputation.
Something of Powers forler life may be
CLEANED from the following special dispatch to
the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES:
ASHLAND, Wis, Jan. 9.-fSpecial IL NJ.
Powers came to Ashland abont four years ago
from Milwaukee, and began work i'll the law
office OF Dockery Ii Kingston. He was a
lawyer, and assisted them in minor legal
affairs and also worked in tie office as
shorthand man. He was bright fellow, at
tentive to business, and worked his way into
the respect OF every one. About year after he
arrived he married 10 Miss Potter, one
OF the best young ladies III Ashland, and the
daughter OF prominent parents just previous
to his marriage woman arrived here with Il
| child, who claimed TO be his legal
| wife. She made such statements TO Pow
| ers' employers. Upon their questioning
| him he claimei that she was Tormerly his wife,
| but that ne had secured a aivorce. This ex-
? anation was satistnc ory. a9id the wedding
/ until the previous vile appeared on the
scene again. q few months aHerward. Powers
| had her stop at hotel here, ard she passed as
| his sister She remsined here short time,
| and then left. little over a year ago
Powers left here aud went West with
constantly writing here tt learn OF his
| whereabouts, and has been threatening
to have him arrested Tor bgamy. and
| that Powers formerly resided Huron, :. d
| and was MARI ed to his first vile III Iowa at a
| Powers secured his divorce by going to
| South Dakota and residing there long
| enough to gain residence He then commenced
| proceedings, and the only notification given
his wife was advertisement lii a Dakota
| paper. This she never saw and. there
| fore. not able to MAKE any answer.
| Report has it that while Powers was IN Huron
| OAK, he committed forgery ana was
Obliged to go 10 Winnipee Man. to es
| cape the officers. Whether the report Is
| true not, is unknown. Powers lived q
| respectable lie wnen in Ashland. and
was generally, well liked. A number
| OF persons of whom he secured loans
| mourned his departure from the city
| for he failed 10 iiqnidate the amounts. and ths
| little debts are still outstanding. Aside from
| &c \ IN he htp -pIni
/ ni..t n