The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-24

bennett Mosely. nee Strickland. of Sa-
vannah, Ga, show that the unfortunate
young woman was not only a victim of
charged from the army brought her to
Washington, i'll and penniless, and who
deserted her in deep distress when his
ends had been accomplished.
Mosely at the time of his marriage TO
her had another wife. who is still living
in Washington, at 1115 / Street north
west, and employed in the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing, from whom he has
never obtained a divorce. and it was the
shock of discovering that she was the
wife of a bigamist that caused the death
of Eva Strickland.
With His First Wife.
A little over a year ago Mosely was
employed in the Government Printing Of
flee here, and with his first wife lived on
NJ Street, where she kept a boarding
house. She is a decidedly pretty bru-
nette, of medium stature, TO whom he
was married several years before. One
son, now about nine years DID, whose
Owing to the Incorporate habits of the
husband, however. the home was far from
a happy one. and finally Mosely lost his
position. He made little or no effort to
secure another, depending FOR time upon
his wife for support. and finally he de-
serted her and went to Florida.
There he obtained employment and
wrote for his wife to join him. but she
had secured a position in the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing and declined to
have anything more to do with him. She
refused to grant him a divorce however
because she feared that he would deceive
some other woman as he had her
A few weeks ago she was surprised to
receive visit from him at her house on
l Street He told her that he had en-
listed in the army. but had obtained his
discharge and was thinking of remaining
in Washington. He did not tell her
where he was staying. and. of course,
made no mention of a second wife Nose
ly made two or three visits at the board
ing house, but his condition rendered him
an undesirable visitor and finally Mrs.
Mosely No. l ordered him to remain away.
Trials of His Second Wife.
In the meantime. IL is alleged. the sec
ond Mrs. Mosely. having worked indie
from the volunteer army, was in the
house of kindly Mrs. Jasper. at go Penn
sylvania Avenue northwest. experiencing
the bitterness of a husbands neglect and
ingrautude Mosely paid no attention 10
her. remaining away for long periods of
time and usually in a state of intoxication
when he did show up.
Finally Mrs. MOsely No heard that
her husband was visiting the house in
Street and that his calls were made upon
a woman who also called herself Mrs
Mosely. With a secret dread Juggling at
her heart she went to the house on the
morning of the Saturday when she was
seized with the illness which proved fatal,
and asked for her marital namesake
Mrs. MoSely No. ! responded and the
visitor. without disclosing her identity.
asked for a private interview Her re-
quest was granted and with many mani
festations of great agitation she asked
the woman she was visiting if she was
in truth Mrs. bennett Mosely. The first
wife assured her that such was really
the relation between her and bennett
Mosely, and in response to further cues
tons told about her marriage and some
circumstances which convinced the other
that she was speaking the truth.
Then Mrs. Mosely No. earnestly he
her son Philip. telling her that Mosaly
was determined TO kidnap him and take
him away to Cuba. The first wife as
sured her that she would look out for
her son, although she did not anticipate
any such an attempt the part of her
husband, and the visitor left. without
giving any clew to her identity. The
first wife was much mystified and her
strange visitor was talked about for sew
eral days and then forgotten.
His Dual Life Disclosed.
Last night Mrs. Jasper had a couple of
visitors. They were the first wife of
Mosely and friend who boards in the
house with her. Both women had seen
the story in The Times yesterday morn
ing and Mrs. Mosely had called to con-
vince herself of its truth and to verify
the suspicion which she had that her
strange visitor of five weeks before was
her husbands second wife.
Mrs. Jasper told them the story which
was narrated in The Times Yesterday
morning, and gave a description of Dem
nett Mosely, which left no doubt in the
minds OF her visitors that it was indeed
he, The good old lady's surprise and in
dignation were great when she learned
that one of the visitors also had a sacred
claim on the man to whose falsehearted-
ness she had been a witness.
Mrs. Mosely then told Mrs. Jasper of
fer strange visitor on that fateful Satur-
day. and asked the old lady to describe
her guest. In answer Mrs. Jasper pro-
duced a photograph, the counterpart pre-
sentiment of young woman with beau
tiful and expressive face, Illuminated
with big trustful eyes and surrounded
by wealth of waving hair. Mrs Mosely
examined it critically for a moment and
then exclaimed: THAT is the woman who
called on me-"
And it was the thought that her nus
band was a bigamist and nothing else
that killed her." declared Mrs Jasper.
Then she told her visitors of her
guests return TO the house on that Sat
urCiay afternoon, of the illness which
seized on her in her delicate condition,
and of Mosely's neglect of her. All that
was done for her was by the good wo-
man into whose hands she had providen-
tally fallen.
Mosely was at the house on the Mon
day morning following and left saying
that he would get a doctor. He did not
return until 10 o'clock that night and
then he was drunk. In the meantime
Mrs. Jasper had secured physician and
sent her guest to Columbia Hospital
That was five weeks ago and she re-
manned in that institution without one
visit from her husband. until she died
under the surgeons knife at IL o'clock
last Saturday.
Both the women were overcome al the
sadness of the old lady's recital. When
they returned home the living Mrs. Nose
ly was almost Frustrated by the shock
and the dread of the scandal which she
feared must ensue.
She was seen last night by a Times re-
porter. but declined to say any more than