The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-31
SAD STORY OF HER LIFE
Mrs. Leah j. Davis Tells Of Her
Marriage to Fraak Ellis.
CHARGES HIN WITH BIGANY.
says That Whom He Iadueed Her 20 Marry
Him No Had . Wife and two Chil.
drsn in wiliiamsport-Afss
ward Got Q Divorce.

Frank Ellis, who was confined in the
county jail on the charge Of non-sup-
port, preferred by his wife. was liber-
ated on bail yesterday. Wade Finn be-
coming his bondsman.
He expected that his three children.
who are at the home OF his wife's
father. at Como, Wayne county. would
be sent to this city on the 4.2O Ontario
and Western train and was there to
meet then, but they did not come. He
is willing. he says. to support his chill
dren, and will fight for their possession.
His wife wants the children placed In
some institution hereabOuts where they
will be well taken care of and will strive
to compel Ellis TO support them there.
Ellis II Of the opinion that his wife
preferred the charge against him that
she might be free to depart with Clark
Lawson, who Is now serving a term In
the county Jail for the theft of bicy-
Gle. Lawson's term expires Thursday
and 1t Is Ellis belief that his wife in
tended to leave the city with him.
Sad story of Her Life.
IL want to tell you the sad story Of
my life," said Mrs Ellis, or Davis. as
she prefers to be called, dropping into
an easy chair In The Tribune editorial
rooms last night. 1.-THE interviews with
my husband printed In the evening pa
pers do me a great injustice and I
think 1t only right that should have
the privilege OF letting the public know
both sides OF the case.
N... 20, r
III B'nghamtol. ! was but II years Of
age and he was 25. suave and good look
Ing. He proposed marriage and, though
I never loved him. he induced me to
marry him and we lived together until
about one year ago, when I received
proof, admitting Of no doubt, that he
had a wife In Williamsport at the time
Of his marriage to me.
| After our marriage he secured a di-
vorce from his Williamsport wife, but
this did not help matters any. knew
that was not his wife in legal sense
and refused to live with him afterwards
as his wife. I became a woman-bache-
lor. but remained under the same roof
as Mr.. Ellis for time that I might
compel him to support our three chill
| dren, age b, and 10 years.
Assumed Her Maiden Name.
Il, however, at once relinQuished Mr..
Ellis name and assumed my maiden
name. Jennie Leah Davis. There are
so many Jennie Davises in Scranton
that I found 1t necessary to transpose
my name and have my mail addressed
as Leah J. Davis.
"Since March Mr.. Ellis has not pro-
vided cent for the support of myself
or our children, and some time ago I
was forced to go to the home Of my
parents at Como. Wayne county, where
my children are at present. My father
Is the proprietor Of shoe store in that
village, and Is also a justice Of the peace
and supervisor. He has means and Is
able to care for me- but feels as do, tha t
the father Of these three children should
be compelled to support them. By the
advice of my father, I returned to this
city last Friday and had Mr.. Ellis ar
rested on charges Of bigamy and nom
support of his children. These charges
1t Is my intention to press against him
in court.
1.-The statement coming from him that
I obtained his arrest that might elope
with Clark Lawson, now In the county
Jail, serving a sentence for theft Is
wholly untrue. 1t would not be neces-
sary for me to elope II wanted to
marry Mr.. Lawson. for Mr.. Ellis has no
hold on me whatever. 1t would there
fore be absurd for me to have him put
In jail when he has no power to prevent
me from doing as please, since am
not his wife.
Would Marry Him Right Hero.
III felt disposed to marry Clark
Lawson I would do so right here, for
there Is nothing to prevent me from
marrying, provided we were agreed
that such a ceremony should be per-
formed. There Is absolutely no truth
In the elopement story, neither did
go to the Jail about every day as re-
ported. did, however, go to the Jail
to see Lawson a number Of times, and
received letters from him. We were
companions in childhood, in fact he was
an old sweetheart Of mine before I met
Mr. Ellis.
"Mr. Lawson was always a clever,
upright, manly fellow. and am at loss
to understand how ne became impli-
Gated Ia the theft which sent him TO
jail. But branded with the mark that
Is now on him, I think a thousand
times more Of him than 1 do Of Mr..
Ellis. intend to remain In the city for
some time yet. until force Mr.. Ellis
to do Justice to his children. Then I
will probably return to the home Of my
parents In Como.
There Ia another thing would like
to have contradicted, and that is the
statement made In one Of the evening
papers, that Mr.. Lawson gave me a
check for $500. which he received from
his mother. That is absolutely untrue.
for I never received a cent OF money
in any shape from the gentleman in
| 0,1oatinn