The Iola register., 1898-09-30
TORE ABOUT MADDEN.
The Story That Three Wronged Women Told
About the Han Who so Cruelty
Betrayed Them.

About the han Who so Cruelty
Betrayed Them.
The preliminary hearing of William
Madden, bigamist, attracted TO lola
last week three women, each of whom
at one time swore 10 love, honor and
obey the defendant, and whom he, in
return swore to love and cherish till
death did them part. Consequently,
when the four were gathered together
within the city limits of lola, it SEEM
ed probable that there was large
and well regulated paradox lurking
in the vicinity. In order to gather
some idea of the truth a reporter for
the REGISTER obtained an introduct-
ion to Mrs. Madden No, ., at the morn
ing trial and arranged for an interview
at 3 O'Clock i'm the afternoon.
When the reporter arrived at the
house where the three wives were
staying he found two ladies. Mrs
Madden No. ., arose and introduced
Mrs. Madden No. !. Inquiry elicted
the information that No. 3 was at the
county Jail having talk with the
connecting link. The two ladies, Nos
] and 2. were perfectly in harmony in
their opinion of their husband and
were reconciled and calm in the pres
ence of their hard fate. They talked
nd xKyifh
ly laughing at the relation of some
part of Madden's story which had re-
NAMED mystery until the discussion
For instance soon after Madden had
left No. ! and while courting No. .,
he purchased skirt and calico
dress with the knowledge and appro-
val of No. and sent them, rs he said
to "his mother and sister, whom he
always remembered i'm some such way
at Christmas. No. received the two
garments.
The stories told by the wives, even
when patched together, leaves a good
deal of tine "hero's" life mystery.
The rumor of "A fourth wife in Illinois
seems groundless, and wife No. as
she was called seems to be, up to date,
the first one. She told her story
briefly as follows:
II was working out i'm Parsons,
Kansas, when | met VIII Madden
and we were married in 1891 by the
Probate Judge of Labette county.
We were both = Catholics and |
wanted TO he married in the church
hut viii did not want to, in fact he
always was timid in his dealings with
the church.
"He was working as barber at
that time and we got along right for
while. One day, however, he got
on spree and neglected his shop and
stayed drunk for days. Realizing
that he could not do business there
any longer he skipped out and left
me to settle up the business.
after saving what | could, fol-
lowed him to Joplin where he had
work and we began over again. He
worked for another man in Joplin,
and held his job until the time came
for another spree and then he
lost his job again. We then
moved to Osceola, Mo-, and later
to Springfield, III. Al regular inter
walls he went on drunk and was
mean and abusive to me. was only
10 years old then and he treated me
shamefully. He frequently asked me
why ! didn't start a dressmaking
hop and help supp ort him and I said
when l went into business I'd shake
! him.
ave moved from place to place in
Illinois and lived in ElgIn awhile
whence arose the idea of an Illinois
wife win insisted then that we go
under different name and | sub
mitted after repeated protests.
don't know what his reason for it was
Will worked for an insurance com
pany for some time then and did we'll
but was finally fired, l never knew
why. The company owed him hi
last months salary."
"Wnl then got on n protracteC