Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-03-27
A RRDOLENT CASH,
was TfAT AGAINST HARRY TEMPLE, ON
TRIAL YESTERDAY.
Wife No. 8 on the Witness SIand-An Immense
Audience - The Evidence All In, and
Arguments Made Last Night

The case Of State v. Harry Temple
Griffith was called in the Criminal
Court, Judge Jordan, yesterday morn
ing. There was very large attendance
of spectators in the Court room all
during the day. standing room being
very scarce at the afternoon session.
The defendant was represented by Capt.
B. 3. Dovener and John Coniff, while
NJ. D. Post assisted Prosecuting Attor-
ney Howard. The following jury was
selected and placed in the box during
the morning: Hermann Asmus, John
Fl. Foose, Jr., J. T. Hedges, John c.
Riheldaffer, Louis Rentsch, U. NJ. Her
vey, Benz. T. Bachman, c. H. Loefler,
w. c. Brown, l.. V. Blond, PEBBLES
Tatum, Chas. B. Carr. A demurrer TO
the indictment of bigamy was entersd
and overruled, and plea Of not guilty
was then entered.
At the opening of the afternoon ses-
sion, before the jury was sworn, the de-
Tense withdrew the plea of not guilty,
and then filed a plea in abatement, the
accompanying affidavit alleging that the
affiant was not Harry Temple or Harry
T. Griffith. but Harry c. Chevelier.
The State objected to the plea, and the
objection was sustained. The affidavit
on the motion for a continuance stated
IL 1,Fz In,
Hannibal, Mo-, May 81, 1864, and
that, his mother was divorced from
his father, w. L. Chevalier, some If
teen years ago, and is now married to
C. L. Miller In order to obtain the at
tendance Of his mother, he asked for
continuance. He also alleged prejudice
In the community because Of extensive
publications in the local papers. In his
remarks after the reading Of the AFT
davit, Capt. Dovener said it might be
awkward, ia case OF a conviction, Ito
send Mr.. Chevalier to the penitentiary
on indictments against a couple OF other
gentlemen"
At the request of the State, the de-
PENDANT was sworn, the jury being ex
cuded and said in answer to questions,
he had gone by the name Of Harry c.
Temple for ten or eleven years, except
occasionally when he was with his
mother.
Q.-Before you were married at Wa
bash, Ind, you went by the name Of
Harry G. Temple? Ayes.
Q.-How long ago was that? A.-Ten
or eleven years.
Defendant said he had been known as
Temple in Martins Ferry.
Didn't you go by that name In
North Carolina? A.-No.
Didn't you take out marriage
license then under the name of Henry
G. Griffith? A.-NOt that l recollsct of.
Q.-Why do you say that? II you
took out license then, you would know
il? Al say don't recollect, because
all the time during which this woman
accuses me Of taking out license l was
under the influence OF liquor; was in
toxicated.
Q.-That's the reason you say you
don't recolect? A.-Yes.
. Witness said he had raised his chill
dren under the name OF Temple, and
had a son, Rex Temple, ten years old,
but the boys mother had known his
right name was Cheveiier from a week
before they were married. He also said
he had attempted TO use his right name,
but found he had achieved reputation
as scenic artist under the name of
Temple, while he was unknown as Chew
eler, and for business reasons he was
forced to stick to the name OF Tenn pie.
The Court overruled the motion for
continuance, the jury was sworn, and
the attorneys upon either side stated
the case to the jury.
The first witness called was Frank
Robrecht, of the ST. Charles Hotel, lwho
testified to Temples coming to the hotel
with Selma Coffey, the North Carolina
lady, who figures in the case as wife
No 3.
Annie C. Gardner was next called,
She is the mother of Henrietta Temple,
wife No. l. Mrs. Gardeners former
name was Smith, her first husband be-
ing Shannon Smith. Witness knew the
defendant as Harry Temple and never
knew him by any other name. Witness
knew Temple about three months before
the marriage with Miss Smith. That
occurred about twelve years ago. The
daughter Of witness was brought into
the Court room for Identification as the
wife of defendant. Defendants marri-
age occurred at the home Of witness in
Wabash, Ind, aud witness was
present. The defense moved to
strike out all OF the material
facts of this witness evidence.
but the motion was overruled. There
was no cross examination.
Rex Temple, son Of the defendant by
wife No. /, was next called. He was a
very bright boy Of ten years. He iden-
titled his mother and father in the Court
room, the defense objecting strenuously
to this testimony, and being promptly
overrued. No cross examination.
Selma c. Coffey, wife No. 3, OF North
Carolina, was next called.
Q-What is your name? ADO you
mean my maiden name, or my name
now?
Q-Your maiden nameP A.-Selina
c. CofTey.
She said she came here January
oath. She came here with Harry Tenn
pie. He was also Harry Griffith.
She first met HMM Salisbury, n. c.,
last summer, but could not fix
the date. He was there about week
then. She next saw him there
about a week before Christmas. They
went to Lanier, n. c., and we're mar
ried. She knew him by the name Of
Temple until the dav OF the marriage.
Then he said Griffith was his real name,
- .bov v,oro rnarriod bv that nama
This evidence was pentifully inter
spersed with objections by the de-
Tense, all OF them being over
ruled. Proceeding the witness said
the marriage was performed by Rev.
H. II. Jordan, at DR.. Earnhart's resi-
dence. Mrs. Earnhart and Prof. Metz