Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-04-21

A Chicago man who, at one time
practiced ut the Minneapolis bar, is the
poSsessor Of pair Of shoes made from
the skin Of IL human being.
The story respecting the shoes was
unearthcd by Il Chicago reporter from
VIM. Gee, whose shoe store is at the
north approach to the Clark street yia-
duct. Mr.. Gee was given the human
skin to have tanned and made into
shoes lie did not relish the work, and
did not undertake it until he received Il
letter from Il prominent Chicago doctor,
who yOuched for the high standing Of
the man. This doctor was subsequent
l. seen by The reporter, and he told the
following story regarding the man and
the shoes:
Ten years ago" began the surgeon.
Il young law student who came to
Chicago from Virginia, fell desperately
III lore with the only daugh-
ter Of Il wealthy contractor
living On the North Side
lis affection was rcciprOcatcd, and
tie young people secretly plighted their
roth. This was done III the face Of
girls parents to her lovers suit In the
first place, they considered their daugIl-
Ter too young TO become engaged, and
secondly, the uncertain prospects Of
the law student did not warrant his
taking such q serious step. All this
they had told him kindly and pleasantly
enough But he was young, hot blo0dcd
and very much in love. He chaffed at
the ban placed upon his social inter
course with their daughter and despite
their avoWcd diSlpprOyal became en-
gagged to her.
Shortly after the family went to
Oconon4OWOc where they had 4 summer
cottage Thither the young man fol
lowed his tiancCc, meeting her secret
W and enjoying many stolen interviews
with her at that delightful resort. One
morning Florence told her mother she
was going to a picnic With some young
friends, to be gone al day, and if She
did not return until after supper not to
be worried Instead Of doing rs she
said She met her lover and together
they boarded Il train and went to Ra-
cine, where they were married before q
justice Of the peace. Whether the mar
riat1e was conSllmmatcd | do not know
The young Wife arrived homo that night
III good season and her eScapade re-
manCd Il secret.
"A few months after this foolish af-
fair the girls father failed in business.
The law student mc;intimc had been
admitted to the bar and had gone to
Minneapolis with Il view to entering
practice there After six months alb
Sence, during which he had correspond
cd very regularly with his wife, through
the connivance of Il mutual friend he
returned to Chicago to find the young
woman no longer Il prospective heiresS
although the family was still in fairly
good circumstances.
Maurice was received cordially by
her parents, but the reception accord
cd him by his wife both puzzled and
displeased him. She appeared annoyed
1T his presence and several times treat
cd him so cayaiicrly that he left the
house in high dudgcon. When he once
suggested that the fact of their mar
rage might rs well be proclaimed she
yehemently protested against such a
course until he could afford to give her
a home which he confessed he was not
then able to do.
AT this stage Of the drama the huS-
band in name only began to grow
jealous Of the attention paid to his
wife by a board of trade man, some
years his senior, whose reputation as
Il I4othario was well known about town.
The girl appeared infatuated by the
fellow and accepted his gallantries
with IN eagernesS that marked her
for IN easy prey to his insidious snares.
She avoided her husband constantly,
treated him with marked GOODNESS
when he did manage to see her, and in
a hundred ways showed that she no
longer loved him.
"One night he saw her at the thea
ter with her new lover, and something
prompted him to watch their move
mentS. He followed them after the
play to Il gay resort, where private
vineroomS were provided for its pa
irons. He managed to secure an ad-
joining room, and. applying his ear to
the wooden partition, overheard enough
TO convince him that his wife was I'M
true to her vows. He searched until
he found Il peephole and through that
aperture saw his wife lavish endless
kisses upon her board of trade friend.
lie watched the wine disappear, and
with set teeth. noted the various stages
Of drunkenness ensue. While both
were almost maudlin he heard the man
who had supplanted him joclilarly pro
pose to his companion that she prove
her affection by permitting him TO
brand her with his bronze intaglio seal.
She 1T once consented, and with drunk
Oh gravity he heated the seal 1T the
@aS jet and suddenly applied it to her
partially exposed knee.
THE girl shrieked rs the hot metal
scared her tender flesh and the pain
nearly sobered her. She insisted upon
being taken at once to 4 doctors office
for treatment. and led the way down
stairs. | was then unmarried and slept
1T my office on State street Chance
directed them to me. Although it was
long after midnight l sat reading by
my student lamp, when the outer
bell rang and the now sobered pair
walked into my reception room. The
young woman was suffering consider
able pain from the scared wound which
| FASTENED to alleviate by the use of
such ointmentS as were at hand.
also wrote a prescription for 4 soothing
lotion to be applied when she reached