Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-09-05

former resident of this city, died sud
denly, Mrs. Hawkins securing the in
%surance, $ $500. Shortly afterward
Lincoln Perkins, husband of Mrs.
Perkins, died, and she secured $1,000
insurance from the Modern Woodmen.
Perkins was iii but fourteen days,
and told friends he thought he had
been poisoned. No examination was
made In either case.
After the death of the two men Mrs.
Scott married William Mulvehill, a
railroad man, and after he refused to
get his life insured. she secured a di-
vorce. This was -four years ago, and
soon afterward the two women went
to Minneapolis. They are not sisters,
although both were born In Madison
county. Neither are they Spanish.
Mrs. Perkins hair was dark, and Mrs.
Hawkins brown, until after Perkins
death, when they had their tresses
bieached. They carried things here
with a high hand. With the money
secured from the insurance companies
they purchased a dog cart and two
trained horses. Footme n were en-
ployed as well as other servants. They
dressed in the height Of fashion and
many prominent business men were in
their train. They spent money lavish
ly, but before they left they were
brought to the verge of poverty. Mrs.
Hawkins Is better known than wen
Mrs. Perkins. Where her parents are
Is not known. Twenty years ago she
lived with her aunt near Norwalk.
Her maiden name was Lola Atkinson.
She was a country girl, with little ex-
perience when she married william
Scott, a farmer living at that time
with his parents. Mr.. and Mrs. J. T.
Scott, three miles south Of Des
Moines. This was twelve years ago.
Soon afterward they came to Des
Moines, making their home on Nine
teenth and High street. Scott was a
mail carrier under Postmaster Mer-
rift, and a popular fellow. His faith
er and mother nov live at 1914 Tween
ty-sixth street, and a brother is a con-
ductOr on the street car line.
Under Suspicious Circumstances.
Some five years & Scott com
planned of pain in his stomach. He
grew slowly worse. and, although doc
tors were summoned they could not
tell what was the matter with him.
Nine months after he was taken Ill he
died. His relations and friends were
suspicious. They thought he had been
poisoned, and there was talk of hold
ing an autopsy because they could
make nothing out of the disease. but
Mrs. Scott would not allow it. Soon
after death Mrs. Scott secured $500
insurance IN her husbands life. His
policy was for $1,000, but the ihsur-
Rnce company refused to pay the
whole amount. G. ID. Scott, brother
of the former hucband Of Mrs. Hawk
ms, talked with a reporter in regard
to the case. He said his family had
always regretted they had not held a
post mortem, and hat they had re-
fused to have anything to do with the
woman after SCOTS death.
Scott was hardly cold before his
wife had her household goods hauled
to the home of Mrs. Perkins, 1401
Grand avenue, where she made her
home with Mrs. Perkins till they both
left for Denver, a year after Perkins
death. They staid there a short time
and then came back to Des Moines.
Mrs. Scott became acquainted with
William Mulyehill shortly after her
husbands death, and six months after
married him. He was a clerk in the
office of the roadmaster of the Rock
Island. He told several of his friends
after his marriage that his wife want
ed him to get his life insured, but he
refused, telling them he feared his
wife would kill him for the insurance
money. His friends then thought he
was joking.
Mrs. Perkins maiden name was
May Donovan, and she was born IN
Madison county. going to Adele when
ten years of age, and residing there
until nearly twenty, when she married
Lincoln Perkins, a printer. THEY
lived in Alele for awhile, and then
came to Des Moines. Perkins rented n
house at 1401 Grand avenue, and was
employed in the composing room of
the Register, and later by the Western
Newspaper Union. About four years
ago he failed to appear at the Office,
and at moo John Carter, hen living
at 140S Grand avenue, now residing at
Thirty-eighth and Ingersoll avenue,
was sent to find out why he had not
appeared. Carter found him i'll in bed.
In answer to a question he told Carter
that he had been to a party the night
before and feared he had been
poisoned with ice cream. DR.. Patch
en- was called and attended the case
for fourteen days. Perkins grew worse
and died, and 1t was DR.. Patchen's
intention to hold a post mortem ex-
animation, because he was mystifed
as to the aus Of death. but through
a mistake Perkins was buried before
the opportunity was offered. Carter
says Mrs. Perkins cared nothing for
her husband. Perkins death and his
wife's actions caused a sensation, but
the authorities took no action, al
though they made a partial, quiet in
vestigation.
1t was developed to-day that Mrs.
Perkins had insured the life OF her
boy for a large amount. There are
many stories afioat Of blackmail and
forgery on the part OF Mrs. Perkins
and Mrs. Hawkins. Mrs. Perkins Is
to attend the inquest.