The Anaconda standard., 1895-04-14
The LOST MAN is FOUND
VS.. Gardner, the Wife DscsiVsr, Not
Dead, But Arrested.
STORY OF HIS MEAN TRICKS
Supposed to Have Been Murdered
a Year Ago. the FIend Deserts
Loyal wife and M arrIes An In
nocent Young Lady.
,eciaI Cnrresnondence of the Standard.

Special Correspondence Of the Standard.
LIVINGSTON, April 13.-W. S. Gardner,
the Northern Pacific line repairer who
mysteriously disappeared from this city
year ago while his wife and child were on
a visit with Tacoma, WASH, friends, has
urned up under somewhat peculiar cir
cumstances, having been arrested recently
at Springfield, No., on charge OF bigamy.
The story of his disappearance and sub
sequent bigamistic experience will no
doubt be read with more than passing in
terest in view of the fact that his deserted
wife and all those acquainted with him
believed him dead, murdered for few
paltry dollars.
Gardner's strange disappearance was
fully related in the STANDARDS columns
at the time, and a resume OF the pub
lished account will probably bring to
mind the full history of the then unex-
plainable mystery and supposed murder:
In February, 1894, Gardner, accompan-
led by his wife and child. arrived in this
city from Tacoma, having been given
the position of line repairer of the
Montana division, between Helena and
Billings. He secured a house in this city
and made Livingston his headquarters.
About a month later he claimed to have
been held up and robbed by footpads one
dark night in the Billings yards, and an
account of the 'hold-up" was published
in the Billings papers. A few days later
he claimed to have received an anony-
NOUS letter from Billings warning him to
leave the country. Shortly afterward he
sent his wife and child 20 Tacoma on a
visit, and about a week before the time
set for their return he wrote his wife to
the effect that he had met representa-
tive of the Butte Electric Light company
at Billings and had been offered the posi-
ton of electrician with the company. The
letter stated that he had accepted the job,
but would meet his wife in this city upon
her return, when they would remove to
Butte to reside. Mrs. Gardner returned
at the appointed time but, contrary TO ex-
pectations, her husband was not here to
meet her. Upon going home she found
the house locked and evidences of the
fact that her husband had not been home
for several days. She supposed, OF
course, that her husband was in
Butte, and wrote to him. No
reply came, and Mrs. Gardner
began to make inquiry of the Butte police
by wire. The police searched the city
but failed to find any trace OF Gardner.
Mrs. Gardner then went to Butte, but heI
trip was fruitless. Gardner had been
seen on the streets of Butte about a weel
previous. Mrs. Gardner then remem
bered the anonymous threatening letter
her husband had received, and, ascertain
ing that no one connected with the Butte
Electric Light company had ever met he
husband, much less engaged him, she be
came alarmed, believing that he had bcei
lured to Butte and there robbed and muir
dered.
She telegraphed to her brother in Obi,
and to her husbands brother in St. Paul
They both hurried to Montana and with
the assistance of the Butte police made {
systematic search OF that city for tn,
missing man. But IL was q hopeless task
day or two later Gardner's empt
pocket book, with his name stampe
thereon, was picked up near the Montan
Central depot. This settled ii, and, to tn
mind of Mrs. Gardner and the others on
gagged in the search. furnished conclusiv
proof that her husband had met wit
foul play aud that in all probability hi
dead body was at the bottom of som
abandoned prospect hole near the city o
Butte.
The search was then abandoned an
Mrs. Gardner returned to this city, con
pletely worn out aud heart-broken. A.
ing on the advice of her brother she di
posed of all her houshold goods in th
city and shortly afterward returned
mourning to the nome of her childhood
Ohio.
Gardner's brother, however, still kel
up the search, going to Helena, Missou
and other cities. and also made inquiri'
by wire all over the Northwest. But
was of no use; his brother had disa
peared as completely and mysteriously