The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-06-19
RIDGEWAYS WANDERINGS
The Ex-Manager Of the Rocky
Mountain Telegraph Co Was
In Denver
Ho Was Convicted OF Not Sup
porting His wlfe and Sent
20 jail,
Then Hu wsa Held for Court on . MoFs
Serious Charge, but stepped Qua
OF tho Room.

Hslshs people will rsmsmber Charles
Ridgsway, who lived 10 Heloae several
years ago, and who vas tho manager OF tho
Rocky Mountain Telegraph company.
Ridgsvay lsft hsre a ooupls Of years sgo.
shor, In his accounts u was alleged, and
With a woman not hla wife. EGoits were
made 10 locate him. but for eomo time
without avail. A recent iaaas Of tho Den
YER News tells the siofy OF Ridgsway'a do
ings slnoe leaving this city
II hnd She dsfendan, guilty az charged.
aud impose ths full penalty imposed by
law. Tue sentence 10 that the prisoner be
confined IN tho county IsiI for SIXTY days"
The above nndinR OF ihs ooufs is not an
unusual one, but In the case decided by
Justice Morse yesterday II was the sequel
10 an interesting domestic drama In which
there figures q patient wifs aud three
beautiful children. widow who ID a steno-
Rrapher and the mother Of several hand
some young daughters. and q brother In.
Law. who ia the champion OF the wronesi
wife, together with whole four acts hlisd
with joy and sorrow, prosperity and I'D.
versity, with few sensational charges OF
infdsiity, ombezziemeEs aud loose boslness
methods. Tho scene OF sll this mixture
extends from the Mississippi 10 the Pacific
aud I, ON Montana 10 Mexico.
The People vs. Charles Rideeway, charge
non-suppori was the legal vehicle which
conveyed the sensations TO conviction
Ridesvay fifteen years ago was train dis
pstcher al HilisberouRh. III. he vas Q
bright. handsome fellow. and manipulated
the key TO perfection. He became q con-
slant visitor TO the home Of q weslthy
farmer named Nathaniel Bake, and In 1880
married the youngest daughter Ella, q
handsome. intellectual girl. The matoh
had the approval Of svsry body. and shs
happiness OF each seemed assured. For
nine years OF over not cloud mafrei che
domestic horizon. Little children came
and oemented tho love each had for ths
other. In 1881 Rideevay and his family
left Wauksna, VIA. for 81. Paul, where
hs went into the grain business with cspi-
tsl said 10 have been suppiisd By his bro
| ther-in-iaw. John NJ. Thorne. The venture
proved unsueoessful. and he moved to Min-
usapolis, whore he resumed the business Of
telearAp phinR.
In 1880 he vns appointed mana2sr OF ths
1 Rocky Mopntain Telegraph oompany al
iieleus. Mont room sfser his srfissl tacrs
Ridaswsy engaged stsnoarapber- 5hs
vas young widow. stylish. attractive. and
plishmsnt. chic. For q time Mrs Snyder
boarded with the Ridgewaya but tho stay
was limited By che discovery that the hus.
band and bis employe vere unduly nfee.
tionate. Tho troubles OF Mrs. hidgeway
date from that time. Previous 10 then no
husband could have been kinder.
Ths manager Of the Rocky Mountain
Telegraph company left Helena 10 1892,
Ii 10 saii that there was an unsatishsd ball
Iet Helena hs sent his wife 10 Colorado.
where she visited relatives In Denver and
Akron. In leaving Helena Kidgeway. ID
| 10 said, vas accom- panied by Mrs. Snyoer.
and 10 10 charged that they went 70 Old
Mexico together. Thee they travelled un-
der the nams Of Reed. remaining In the
City OF Mexico until a year ago, wnen
brothsr-in-Iaw Therne again came 20 shs
rescue and established tho trusnt husband
In business In Dspver a, 1918 Lawrence
street. This was last Angus. and for Q
time the business nourished. A reconoilia-
tion between Ridgoway and his wifo was
brosRht about and she returned 10 Dsnvse
from So Louis. wnsse she had besn living
with sister. This reunion occxrrsi Jan.
| 81 last. Two weeks before that time ths
widow had arrived aud was installed Ia
1
Ienos street. There Mrs. Snyder was iu-
troduced a. Mrs. Reed, sister OF Mr. Ridge
| way. When the vile arrived she was taken
TO rooms on fremont street. near Four
tesnth.
La,s in January ranch fourteen miles
out south broadway was leased In Mrs.
Snydsr's name and the groceries 10 keep
the tenants alive. 10 is said were suppliod
b. M. Ridgvay from hia store. 10 IL also
stated that the money for the furniture,
bought from the Ward Auction company.
came from tho sAms source.
In Ma'cu, MIR. rhorne claims 10 have
discovered that Ridseway was nos living 40
TO his agreement and he took possession ot
the storr on Lawrence street. Since that
time RidgwaT has been doing odd Jobs and
earning some money and the plaintiff
claims that she has received none OF IL and
aha, he has failed 10 support her aud the
children for two years.
Tle day following kidesway's convicti0n
on the charge Of non-suppofL his trial a
the charge OF adultery was commenced.
The hearing lasted several days. Rnd Ridge.
way was held for court In $500 and Mrs.
Snyder in 500, Continuing on this phsss
of she Ridgevay business the Nsws say q;
"Whsn court adjourned tho loom was
croWded. both Mrs. Aidgsway who prose-
outod her husband. Mrs. snyder and Mr..
RidgewaY having numerous friends pres
snt who surrounded them whom the de-
olslon was given. The officers OF Tho court
paid no particular attention 20 their pris-
OnsFa aud both walked out of ths oou I
room and made their escape. Justice
Howe Immediately notified the police, but
30 faf the gallant Charles and ,he dAshing
Clyde have snoeeeded In evAdine arrest"