Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-22
QUTTB A ROMANCE.
TIE STAR ENGAGEMENT PLAYED BY MAR
TINS FERRY NAN.
Not Satisfied With One Wife, Hs Married An
other and Then Was Caught in House
Of I.l-Fama-Arresied for Bigamy.
Robbed a Women and then
Deserted Hsr.

Among the defendants in Police Court
yesterday morning was one who gave
the name Of Harry Temple, and whose
occupation was registered on the blotter
as "sceuic artist" He was charged
with lettering in Rhea Gray's Eoff street
house, and was fined S. and costs, which
he paid.
There was nothing extraordinary in
this, but subsequently, facts were deve!-
oped which seemed TO stamp Temple"
as a particularly despicable sort of
scoundreL.
During the morning, before the ses-
sion Of Court, the police asesrtained that
Temples wife was at the St. Charles
hotel, and she was sent for and came to
the City Hall TO see him. Then it trans
pired that be had only married the
woman on the Sd Of last January, and
vet she had not seen him for three
weeks, and later still it was developed
by a newspaper man that Temples real
name was Griffith, aud that be had an
other wife, with a prior claim, living on
Hanover street, Martins Ferry.
With these facts in the possession OF the
police, an investigation was set on foot
which developed pretty state OF things
aud led to the issuance OF q State war
rant for Temple" before Justice ellis
pie, the ST. Charles Hotel wife sign
ing the affidavit. Temple" was arrest
Ell at Martins Ferry, and was brought
over to the city.
Harry Temple Griffith, the defendant
is scene painter at the M&rtin's Ferry
Opera House, being first employed there
early Lass spring, and lived with his
wife on Walnut street. Along about
September be went to New York, and
then drifted down South. Ia December
last, while he was az LenOir, Caldwell
county, n. c., town OF 600 or zoo
population, he became acquainted with
Celina G. Cofey, the daughter Of a
hotel keeper, and prepossessing
blonde, and on the 3rd OF January they
were married by Rev. Il. h. Jordan,
pastor Of the local NJ. z. Church, South.
His new wife took S75 10 cash, OF her
own money, a gold watch and chain,
and a proper outfit of clothing, and the
couple came TO Wheeling, by way
OF Jersey City, stopping at the
St. Charles. Griffith remained with
her two weeks, and then left her, but
before doing so be caused bogus tele-
gram to reach the woman, telling her
the bank at Lenoir, in which she had
500, was about TO fail, and that she had
better write to the cashier and get her
money. She did so and the 500 was
sent her, which Griffith promptly took.
He also got hold OF the woman'S gold
watch aud pawned it. Having thus
gotten possession Of all the property the
woman owned, he told her a fairy story
about having $50, 600 contract to paint
scenery for the Martins Ferry Opera
House, be left her, and she did not
see him again until she saw MIN sitting
drunk in police headquarters, yester-
day morning. When the woman came
ia she said:
"Wby, Harry, where have you been?"
Harry didn't say, being too full for
utteranCe, and she said:
~ never saw him like that before"
The police prodded Griffith up and
asked him when he left his wife. He
said: Last Thursday"
"Oh! Harry, it's been longer than
that" said the woman.
The trouble with Harry was, he didn't
know which wife was meant,
Harry didn't dispute the point, and
was locked up. lie had Sl4.52 in his
clothes at the time, and out Of this his
fine and costs were paid. Then it came
out that the reputed wife's board had
not been paid, the bill amounting to
S26.25. and that her clothing was being
held for it. This amount was settled
by Mr.. Swartz Of the Martins Ferry
Opera House. In going through Crit
fth's clothes, the following paper was
found and given to the North Carolina
woman:
This is to certify that Harry T.
Griffith and Ceina c. Coifey were duly
married by me, in the county Of Cald-
well, State of North Carolina, on the
3Oth day Of January, 1894, aud in the
town Of Lenoir.
al II. JORDAN,