Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-07-15
An interesting Divorce Case.

SIOUX FALLS, S. d., July 9.-There
are new developments which give a
very romantic and interesting tinge to
the divorce and remarriage of U. S.
Beckner, the dashing young artist who
came here from San Francisco and who
is now a resident of Yankton. 1t will
be remembered that it was given out
that he had been married to a girl II
years of age who had passed here as
his sister. 1t now develops that the
woman was his wife, but that under
the peculiar circumstances he thought
best to marry her once more.
Beckner was first married at Colorado
Springs. Colo, in August, but two
months later left his wife because his
mother-in-law was taking a too active
part In the management of his affairs.
From Colorado Beckner went to Chi
cago. He heard nothing from his wife
until in 1890 when he read in a news
paper that MRS. Glenn and Mrs. w. $.
Beckner" Were killed in a railroad
wreck between Denver and San Fran
cisco. He wrote to San Francisco and
found that his wife had left there for
Denver. He wrote to Denver and was
informed that she was not there and
had not been. He concluded that she
was killed as reported and Beckner
thereafter conducted himself as a sim
gle mar
A few months after the reported death
of his wife he went to a small town
near st. Louis and net and fell in love
with Eugenia Young, then n
girl l6 years of age. They became en-
gagged IN spite of the fact that Miss
Young's uncle with whom she lived
had arranged her marriage with a ric!.
planter. The wedding day had been
set, but three days before the time set
Beckner and Miss Young eloped and
were married, going to Los Angeles.
About n year ago Beckner learned
from an old college friend that his first
wife was still living. She was in the
wreck as reported but was only injured.
Beckner then came to Sioux Falls,
bringing his wife with him and intro
ducing him as his sister. The first wife
had become advised Of her husbands
remarriage and had employed detec-
tives to look him up. Beckner, how
ever, claimed TO have no knowledge of
his first wife's whereabouts and notice
was serVeu ny puollcatlOn. lmmeul-
ately after securing his decree Beckner
went to Cantonw here he was remar-
ried to his second wife.
A decree of divorce has been filed
here in favor Of Rudolph Herring, the
well known sewerage expert and engi-
neer, from his wife, Fanny Field Her.
ing. Herring is known all over the
northwest, having done work in most
of the leading cities. The marriage
took place in Philadelphia in 1873.
Mrs. Herring is related to the Field
family of New York. The plaintiff
alleged desertion on December %, 1891,
but the defendant put in an answer
denying it and alleging that
Herring was cruel and abusive
She says he refused to let her teach
the children the simplest prayer, and
that he once used harsh language to her
because she wanted TO attend a relig-
ious service. Since the case was begun
the defendant has become insane and
is now confined in an asylum at Provi-
dence, h. J.. Herring in 1886 was con-
sulting engineer on the water supply of
Chicago at a salary of SO, 900 per year
He now has a contract for superintend-
ing the sewerage work here.