The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-12
IS UNDER ARREST
J. B. Nichols Accused of a
Serious Charge.
RUNAWAY WIFE FOUND
Husband Finds Missing Coup
lie in This City.

George c. searIe Of Chicago. III, arrived
IN the city day or Two ago, stopping over
on business trip to the territory. He
walked from the depot to the hotel and
registered and, as has been his custom for
long time. 1t becoming second nature to
him to run back a page or two on the hotel
register 10 note the arrivals. sometimes
recognizing the name Of some other travel
ing man whom he may know. To his great
surprise he found q name that was
familiar one. and a thought flashed across
his mind that he had al last found his
runaway wife He made inquiries Of the
landlord and was more - listed than ever
that his wife was in the hotel. His next
move was to send for an officer, and 10
him ne told his story. The officer went
Up 10 the rooms, and, having been fortified
with the information that the men he
would encounter might be armed. the Of
dcer was prepared for any emergency,
and finally demanded and secured what
arms the men had and came down stairs
again TO see what the man Sesrle wanted
70 do about the case. Some few moments
had elapsed when one Of the men, who
afterward proved TO be L 3. Nichols, came
down stairs and went out Of the hotel
Searle then arranged through the proprie-
tors wife 10 go TO the room Of the Searle
woman and have her come down 10 meet
the deserted husband in the parlor
The man and wife met for the first time
since she packed up her belongings. one
day in January last, and left her nome.
husband and child What was said at this
meeting IS told in an interview between
The husband and reporter for the Eagle
in Justice Eoch's court room. while he was
waiting for the justice and constable to
draw up a warrant for the arrest OF the
couple. Nj Searie's statement is as fo.-
lows:
My name IS George c. Searle. live
in Chicago. III. About three years ago
a man representing himself as l. B. Mich
OILS sold ny wife a pair OF eyeglasses He
i travelling optician, and through this
meeting my family eventually became ac-
QUainted with the family Of Nichols, COM
posed of his wife and daughter They
were al very intimate up TO last spring.
About that time I was called away from
home on q bushes strip to Omaha and
Cincinnati, which kept me away for about
nine weeks. When 1 returned things did
not seem TO be as they should be. and re-
suited in partial separation Of myself and
wife, which lasted about four weeks. when
we again agreed 10 fix matters I'D on ac-
count of our little I2-year-old daughter
Things run along smoothly until on the
Sd day Of January a letter was received
by my wife from L B. Nichols the man
that has caused me this trouble It was (
supposed to have been mailed in Oregon /
This brought on the old trouble again. and !
continued until on the 17-h day Of January |
last On that day my little daughter went /
70 school and 20 my business. When We 4
returned a noon 10 lunch discovered that !
my wife had packed up her clothes and /
had left the house. I traced her trunks /
70 the Polk street station. and there /
learned that she had checked them TO this (
city. I also learned through one of the /
wholesale houses THAI Nicho,s was in !
Wichita. Kan. My friends and relatives I
tried 10 persuade me that I must be mis- /
taken. and that my wife would be found /
in the city Of Chicago.
Last Tuesday my firm sent me on this /
trip 70 Oklahoma. met a gentleman on /
the train that was going 10 Oklahoma but (
he had 10 stop in this city, and as I had I
never been i'm the territory before and he /
said he would introduce me to some Of the /
people l wanted 70 meet, I concluded 10
stop off with him and go on the next day
He said he knew Of a good hotel where
We could stop for a dollar day and we
went there together He registered and
then 7 did. I looked back a page or two
as ] am accustomed 10 doing at every hotel /
20 see if I know anyone stopping there
and found the name of DR.. Nichols and
wife. I made inquiries # the landlord
about the couple and he said a Dr. Nichols
and wife was stopping there. and his
brother and his wife. knowing thar one
of the Nichols was q married man and I
had wife and child living in Detroit.
Mich. and I then knew that II was The
parties 7 wanted TO see. I sent for an Of
rcer and sent him up 10 the room % dis
arm the men. IS I knew they always car
RED guns. I then had the landlady bring
my wife down I'm the parlor We talked
and I made Mrs. Sesrle proposition that
# she would abandon her present life and
90 away from Wichita either nj her own
expense or mine and remain a some place
Until I could set a divorce. she could then
so wherever she pleased. She agreed 20 do
q. Then lan6ioar5 iaen ordered The two
men TO leave his house. Nichols we1-
out and came back with gun and said
he wanted 70 fn5 Scare and said he
wanted 70 shoot ms.
CT had him arrested and told che officers
! would appear against MIN ID the morn
irg. This morning nv wife would not
make or keep any % her agreements. Tas