The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-17
LOST FOR FIFTEEN YEARS.
HOME A DECADE AND a
HALF AGO.

| Before He Left His Home Made an
Application for a Pension-PensiOn
Was Granted After He Departed
and Ills wife SwOre He Was Dead
and Claimed It-Added n Widows
Pension, BASED on the same
Ground, and She Has Been Sup
porting One of Wilson's Former
RivaIs-The Deception Finally Dis
covered, Wilson Located and His
Wife Arrested.
There is an old negro in Chatham coun-
ty jail who has had an interesting history
| and has passed through a series of ad-
ventures and experienced good and evil
fortunes i'm sufficient quantity to fill
volume. The aged fellow is extremely ret
icent in giving the details of his life, and
refuses TO talk for publication with all
of the vehemence that distinguishes the
man in public life, who has a full realiza-
ton of his own Importance, but from him
self and from other sources something of
the vicissitudes through which he has
passed has been CLEANED.
The old mans name is William Wilson,
though for fifteen years or more he has
been called and has called himself Benja-
min Jordan. At the beginning OF the Sc
ries of adventures that eliminated in his
presence in Jail at this time. he was living
in New Berne, n. c. He had been a sol
dier in one of the negro regiments that
had fought on the union side during the
civil war and had made application for
pension. He was married and his wife,
Alice Wilson, was living with him.
Some incident in the old fellows career,
and as to the nature of this the story
saith not, and Wilson is not willing TO sup
ply the failing Information, caused him
to leave his home and migrate to the tur-
pentine fields Of Georgia, where his ex-
perience in the pine forests of the Tarheel
state enabled him TO secure ready employ
ment in Georgia, and roaming from place
to place, he spent fifteen years Of his
life, Disgusting his identity under the
name OF Benjamin Jordan. No one knew
whence he came. or who he was, and
the story of his life, and of the wife that
he had left at New Berne, remained hid
den in his own breast.
Al ttlG AiANdbNilbcs CkGuiS were HtTdIlSIDiT-
ing in his old home. The pension for
which he had applied had been granted
and inquiries were instituted as to his
then whereabouts. The inquiries were
fruitless and though continued for some
time revealed neither Wilson, nor any 9TH
er applicant for the pension to which he
was entitled. After some time his wife
came forward with a story of his death,
apparently well verified, supported with
SIfficinnqV of minute detail nd OH
stantial happenings 10 convince the PEN
sion officials of its accuracy and
good faith and attested as to its truth
by her own affidavit. On this showing
Wilson's back pension, amounting TO $500,
was paid over to his wife and she pocket
ed the money.
Not content with this, she followed II up
with an application for a Widows PEN
sion. based on the same tale, which APP
peared so entirely just and reasonable, and
in such thorough accordance with the
facts as they were known to the author
tiles, that it was also granted Upon her
husbands back pension and the amount
that she secured monthly from the gov
eminent as his widow, she subsisted in
state, and maintained one of the highly
colored individuals, who in days agone had
been Wilson's rival for her dusky hand
In this fashion the years passed and
nothing happened to disturb the TRANQUIL
peace that during ell this time existed
There was no rumor to the effect that
Wilson was still alive or that his so-cailed
widow was being paid and receiving a
pension improperly or through fraudulent
means. The man was in GeorGia and for
years his friends had heard nothing of His
whereabouts, or even Of the fact that he
was alive; the woman was in New Berne
entirely content with herself. the man
with whom she was then living, the
world and the course of affairs in general
There was not a cloud upon the horizon
or aught to disturb the almost ideal peace
of the situation.
Upon this Elysium suddenly descended
a thunder cloud in the shape of a newly
appointed deputy marshal anxious to
make a name for himself and determined
TO do It, Ills inquiries developed the fact
thai Wilson was living at or near some of
the interior towns of Georgia, very much
alive and not at all in the condition that
would place his widow in the legal situa-
ton which would entitle her to draw his
pension. Correspondence between the
United States authorities at New Berne
and Savannah resulted, and after somo
time and much effort Wilson was located
near the town of Bloomingdale on the
Central Railway. When Wilson's where
abouts were finally established the arrest
OF his wife and her detention on the
CnafEc OF GSiiduhliS lie government fol-
lowed Immediately and as a matter Of
course.
Her trial was set for the next term of
the United States District Court. that con-
venes at New Berne on April % A sub
poena was issued and directed 10 Wilson
and served upon him by Deputy Marshal
White of this district. Through poverty
he was unable TO obey its behest and so
announced. His refusal was transmitted
to the marshals Office at New Berne, and
a caplas for his arrest was sent TO Capt
White Saturday the deputy marshal went
up to B,oomngdale and arrested Wilson
whom he had previously notified of his
coming, and whom he found awaiting him
at the station.
Wilson was not at all disturbed over the
fact that he was arrested, but on the con
trary quite jubiant over the prospect Of
returning 20 his old home and confronting
the wife who has been uufaithful to her
marriage VOWS. and has profted from
a false report of his death, which she her
self had started Wilson was committed
to the county Jail, whence he will be taken