The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-03

had long been in the employ of her
husband in the undertaking business,
Mrs. Weaver started for Atlanta the
next morning, but upon reaching that
city found that another woman, who
had not appeared upon the scene, was
claiming the body as that of her hus-
band. To Mrs. Weaver this was the
evil genius that had obtruded herself
between the wife and husband and had
made her children more than orphans,
and she determined with the first APP
pearance Of the woman to cause her
arrest. The court had appointed some
one to look after the personal property
Of Ranchman Pierce, and Mrs. Weaver
was required to make proof of her
identity and also identify her hus-
bands remains.
IDENTIFIED THE REMAINS.
The body was exhumed and the iden-
tification was complete. That's Jim
Weaver" said Mr.. Hedges, as soon as
the coffin was opened. Now turn him
over and you will find two scars, one
just under the right ear and one on the
back of the neck" These We're the
scars made by Eden's bullet, and when
the corpse was turned over there they
were.
Mrs. Weaver was given possession
of the body and property, but beIore
she reached the train to return home
the body and property was replevied
by order cf the Texas woman, and
suit was filed for possession and also
against the railroad company for $1O,-
900 damages for killing James w.
Pierce. Mrs. Weaver was thus forced
to remain in Atlanta, and the next
day she filed suit against the railroad
company for $4,000 for killing her hus-
band, James w. Weaver.
The battle in the courts then began,
but Mrs. Weaver was almost without
money and she accepted a proposition
from the railroad company to dismiss
her suit for damages if the company
would make common cause with her
| for possession of the body and prop
erty. In the meantime a delegation of
! Texans arrived at Atlanta and identi-
| fled the remains as those of James w,
| Pierce, q ranchman that they had
! known for years. The witnesses We're
| legion and the court was about to sur
render the body when Mrs. Weaver S
attorney stepped in with an injunction,
The body was buried a third time,
| Witnesses went from this city and
everyone recognized the body as that
| Cf James Weaver
KNEW HIM BY A BUNION.
| DIR. Wilson of the surgical institute
who knew Weaver well, caused the
| body to be eXhumed and ordered the
| socks taken from the feet, saying that
| he had trimmed q corn on the little
| toe of the left foot and treated bunior
| on the right foot a hundred times
| The bunion and corn were just as he
| described them. A woman stenograph-
| er, who also knew Weaver well, iden'
| tilted him positively, and so did numer-
| Gus other Indianapolis citizens who had
| known him Tor a score of years. The
fact that Weaver, under the name OF
| Pierce, was in Atlanta; that he wrote
from that city for a demit; that he haG
| changed his name to James w. Pierce
| and that some one had sent one Of his
| old business cards to his wife immed
| lately after the accident, left no room
| to doubt his identity, and the scars
| corns and bunions and close resem
blance of the features made everyone
positive in making oath to the identity
The body was eXhumed four time
at the instance Of Indianapolis friend
and three times for Texas delegations
Roberts Park Church, of which Mrs
Weaver was a member, made vi
money with which to prosecute he
claims, and the liveliest interest pos
sible was manifested. The Texas wifi
did not appear at Atlanta, and thi
convinced Mrs Weaver and her friend
that she was none other than Mrs
Eden and that for reasons best know
to herself she did not put in an ap
pearance. Thus the matter stood 70
several weeks, but in the meantim
the attorneys for the Texas woman
were not idle.
| ~, ,,o,,~