The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-05

Mr.. Abraham Rhsmes Is an Indiana man
who enjoys the unusual distinction o.
having lived ard been divorced from
More than that he has Just taken unto
himself his twelfth wife
4htme< Is a picturesque character he
il patr1arcnaI In appearance The SHOWS
o. seyenty-ive winters have whitensd his
hair. while his figure is stopped and bent
Rhimss is seemingly controlled hy
mania 20 marry He Is. however. rEr-
seed by a mysterious Nemesis
Twenty years have elapsed since his
first marriage. Courts for nearly two de-
cades have been tribunals before which
Rhares has appeared. No wife has been
permitted to share his life for q longer
period than three years. Some OF his alIi-
arces have been unprecedented in their
hrevity, while others have been remark
able for their peculiar phases of domestic
life. His wives. with the exception OF No.
5, have been but few years out OF their
teens Indiana girls have not alone been
permitted 10 become the wives Of the
:nuch-rnarried Hoosier, but adjacent
states have offered their daughters at his
shrine.
Romance and di.cord are interviewer in
thu recital Of twenty years OF welded life.
Rhimes has been the petitioner in all the
applications for divorce but one, the ex-
ception being recorded In the case OF the
first wife. He commenced life a farmer
and by frugal industry succeeded in ac-
cumulaiing a fortune From the time he
attained his majority until he was IS years
of age he lived life Of rec,use. A Pc
cuiiar feature which developed in early
life was Rhines' marked aversion TO wo-
men. OF whom later in life ne was a per-
sistent wooe-. AT the age OF IS years the
Indiana farmer determined TO break the
mcnotony Of his existence BY taking unto
himself a wife, and with this end in view
the want column OF a matrimonial jour-
raj offered the desired medium for bring
ing about a marriage
Among several hundred letters received
WAS one from Miss Emellne Candy. of
Minneapolis. who wove bright the bits OF
sentiment into the letters which she indited
to Rhimes. The courtship was brief and
Miss Candy became Mrs. Rhimes. No. l.
Raimes could not reconcile himself to
marital life. and one years experience
brought final enlargement and divorce.
Miss Candy returned to Minneapolis. and
Rhimes set himself about To get a second
wife.
Two months later, July 8. 1877, Miss
Martha Roberts. OF Evansville, took upon
herself the VOWS Of constancy. Six
months from that time Rhimes was again
a free man. Miss Robbins had been found
wanting. Still an unbeiiever In the say
Ing that marriage is a failure" Rhimes
journeyed TO Detroit, Mich. and in Feb
ruary. 1879. Miss Samantha Bengal. OF that
city, without previous knowledge Of the
Indiana mans rejection Of two former
wives, consented TO marriage. There was
lack of harmony in their domestic rela-
tons, and the divorce calendar recorded
the inevitable legal decree OF separation.
Then followed Miss Levina Straw. OF In
diana polls. who presided over the Rhimes
household until 1ss2 Rhimes then deter
mined to live alone, but he was still the
victim OF an uncomfortable mania. and
Mrs. Anna Roland, ST. Louis widow,
next became the subject of his blandish-
ments. His Nemesis was not sleeping.
and on April 5. 1856. Rhimes was again d.
vorced. and. going into seclusion. there re-
rnained until July %. 1887. when Mrs. Sarah
Overly. OF Chautauqua county, New York,
consented TO share his joys and SORROWS.
Mrs. Overly typified the new woman OF
her day. for Mrs. Rhimes she asserted
her wifely prerogatives and the husband
sought redress In the courts.
Miss Rachel Magnum. aged -. of Cieve-
land. O., was wife No. :. Married In 1883.
she was divorced in September. 1889.
Rhimes repented OF the action after the
court had restored her 10 her former
name. and the reconciliation being mutu-
al the divorced wife became Rhimes bride
and eighth wife. The time came how
ever. for Rhisnes to disagree for good. but
after the union with his ninth wife
Miss Smith, of Louisville, and his action
for divorce. the Indiana courts refused 10
Issue further DEGREES. and Rhimes, deter
mined 10 prosecute his conquest. went TO
Dakota, where he acquired residence and
G legal separation
He then located In Berr!en county.
Michigan. where he met and wooed Miss
Stella Bloomhagen, and IN his seventy
second year was married to the Michigan
girl, whose age was but "a He divorced
his tenth wife In that state. and return
Ing 10 the Hoosier state again found peace
OF mind in an alliance with Mrs Mary
Walsh. But two months sufieed to tell
the tale OF domestic infel,dty and the
connaoial knot was again ruthiessiy sew
cred.
This week Miss Edith Rytau. OF Arm
strong county. Pennsylvania, was bride
No. Il. and marriage and domestic bliss
once more reigns supreme in the Rhsmes
household.
Rhines IS a lean. awkward-appearins
man. He has coarse features. and might
Ss called a raw-boned hackwoodsnan. He
has an aiuiline nose. small. deep-set ewes
and a large mouth. heavy rnus.ache
ornaments his upper lip. He seldom, wears
a necktie or collar. while his clothes are
OF rough. horlespun material He wears
brown hat. and Is en- invetsra,e tobacco
chewer. He is fairly we'll educated
During the twenty years tba. Rhime.
has been a familiar figure In the courts
% justice he has paid $4,000 in als.nony 20
divorced wives. and the end is apparently
not yet. despite his age.
Mr.. Rhimes varied matrimonial ven
lures should make him erinentiy fired
above AL men 10 answer that much
mooted question. Is marriage failureg"
lie would pronahiy answer an energetic
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