The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-09-25

RCnniOnd, Y "a, sept. 2o.-Enocn Arden
did not suffer as strange an experience rs
j NJ. Shelly, well-to-do mechanic of this
city. whoholds irresponsible position in the'
Richmond Locomotive Works
In 1891 he married a pretty young girl
IN Halifax, n. c., and moved To Newport
News. where he had good position.
She proved to be wayward, and he left
Newport News and went To Norton She
wrote TO him for forgiveness, ana re-
turned 10 hin. with an infant in her arms,
MIR Shelly lost his position at Norton. and
Cameto Richm ond in search of employment.
He secured work at the locomotive works,
and wrote to his wife. No reply came, put
in afew lays he received a Telegram, which
stated that iliS wife was very Ill He
replied by wire, aud asked what was the
matter. but nc immediate reply came.
Then a letter came from the hotel at
which his wife was boarding, written on
mourning paper and enclosed in an envelope
with tie ominous black borders, stating
that Mrs Shelly had passed away, and
was living at rest i'm the village cemetery
Mr.. Shelly accepted this report as a fact
and made no further inquiry into the
matter This was in the fall of 1891 and
for three years he mourned his wife as
dead
Re had in the meantime been working
at tile locomotive works, earning a good
salary aud saving a large part of it. He
grew eafv Of lone life. and on August
g. 1894, he married his present wife, anes
timahlo vcung lady. OF Albemarle county
and up 10 within few days, nothing but
the sunshine Of happiness had shone upon
them. fle received a message from The
dead A note came to him, purporting 10
Re f'oin his wife. whom he suppose dead.
She requested an inter view, and gave her
address. An emotional interview ensue,l.
She stated that she had ieen living way
ward life. and desired TO 40 continue To
live, tut that a. she am derStood Mr.. Shelly
was making a good salary, she wanted
SOme OF il. she stated furthe that she
had puruoseiv deceived him regarding the
story Of her death.
The man consulted a lawyer, and the re-
suit was that paper was drawn up, which
the woman signed, rtnouncing ell claim on
HIM. With a light heart Mr.. Shelly took
the paper and slowed il away in the bot
tom of his trunk, believing that through
that paper he had obtained legal separa-
,ion from his first wife.
A message came to Mr.. Shelly to come at
once 10 thc works. a carriage with two
women then av aIted him. They were
his first wife and a companion. He was
requested 40 Grt into the carriage and ac-
company them. He did 50, and the party
proceeded a. tie house at which the WON
an was stopping, on Fifteenth street He
was given several glasses OF liquor. and
in a short while was half-intoxicated, and
lay on convenient heG. where he silent
uneasily through the night. In the mean
time has present wife passed the time in
fear and trembling.
Early Thursday morning she arose, and
with nervous HANDS looked through his
trunk, aaa she found the signed agreement
that her husband had placed there. She
seized il eagerly and read it through. and
tuen, drying her ewes, she hastily dressed
herself and repaired 10 the police station
with the telltaie paper and her own mar
riaGe certificate She told her story, and
stated that she feared her husband had left
her, and she wanted advice as TO what &C
tioh TO take. Mrs. Shelly was pacified.
however, aud returned home, and an Off
Ger soca found Nh. Snelly, who h ad hardly
awakened from his long slumber
The pair Were confronted with tic evil
d,nce, as given by Mrs. Shelly No. >, and
all the facts as related above were brought
out. The woman acknowledgment the pres
euoe OF the captain, the sergeant and the
c0rnmonw calth's attorney that She had
purposely deceived MI. Shelly about the
alleged death. and also that she had been
living life which she desired to con-
tinae.
After reviewing the case, the officers
found thar there was no one willing to
bring charges against Mr.. Shelly, and As
one marriage was entered into in NORTH
Carolina. and tie OF her in Albemarle county,
tire case wss beyond the jurisdiction of the
courts OF this city, SO Mr.. Shelly was al
lowed oreturn 10 his home, and Mrs. Shelly
No. returned 10 her residence in Newport
News. An explanation OF the case in
which Mr.. Shelly is shown to have done
nothing wrong Intentionally, satisfied Mrs.
Shelly No. =, and thus the affair ended |
peacefully.