Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-08-21
ELLIS BEHIND BARS.
Former Rock Islander Is in
Trouble in St.
Louis.
A WORTHLESS CHECK.

4
| Already Served a Term In the Peniten-
ttary-His Career Here.
| Alfred c. Els, who, while resi-
| dent of Rock Island, cut rather a wide
swath and was credited with having
crushed a mum Der of hearts among
| the gentler sex, and who eventually
| found the local climate little too
warm for him, and disappeared. has
been heard from again. He is behind
the bars in St. Louis, where his past
has been revealed by women whom he
has deceived He has been traced to
the Anamosa penitentiary, where he
| served a term for bigamy, and it is
| said that now he has no less than four
| wives living. The St. Louis Republic
SAYS:
alfred c. Els, the artist who is in
| jail awaiting trial on a charge of OBJ
| tanning money by false pretenses,
seems to get deeper into trouble with
every day. Not long ago two women,
each claiming to be his lawfully we'd
ded wife, determined to prosecute him
on a charge of bigamy. 1t is now said
that he has four living wives in as
many states. Els denies that he is
tied up with any such number of
women, adding that he is divorced
from all but the last one-the St.
Louis woman, who is threatening to
institute proceedings against him.
About a month ago Ellis was ar
rested on charge of passing worth
less check on an Easton avenue gro
ceryman. Another check, said to be
forged, was taken bya ladies' tailor on
Olive street. While Ellis was awaiting
trial, Miss Esther Block, of No. 1925
Warren street, who was married to
Els two years ago, became suspicious
and commenced an investigation.
I'm Carthage, ILL.,. lives another
woman who declares she is Mrs. Alfred
Els. When the St. Louis Mrs. Ellis
learned of this she hurried to the war
rant office to institute proceedings.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney john
son agreed to issue a warrant for big
amy as soon as the Carthage woman
should send her marriage certificate.
Yesterday he received it through the
mail. AS soon as Miss Block appears
at his office to swear to the warrant,
he said, he would issue it.
The Letter From Carthage.
''In the letter from Carthage it is
stated that Els is married to two
other women besides those interested
in the present prosecution, and has
served time in the Iowa penitentiary
on a charge of bigamy. Some years
ago he married 4 Miss Hudson, of
Rock Island, a sT5nnection by mar
riage of the mayor of the city, but
she deserted him upon learning that
he had girl wife in Iowa. Later he
was sentenced to the penitentiary for
bigamy.
Following is the letter which
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John
son received Yesterday from Frank
Halloween, of Carthage, Ill, the legal
adviser of the Mrs. Ellis of that place:
BY request of Esther Block, this
day received, / send you, enclosed
herewith, the marriage certificate of
Mrs. Lora Els. of this place. to Fred
&. Ellis, now of st. Louis. You will
please preserve and return same to |
me when through with it.
." AS near as / can ascertain. thc |
marriage of Mr.. Ellis. to Esther Block |
at st. Louis was his fourth venture in |
matrimony. Mrs. Lora Ellis, of this |
place, ascertained after her marriage |
to him that he had been twice mar |
ried before and had served one term |
in the penitentiary at Anamosa, Iowa, |
for bigamy. Upon ascertaining these |
facts and the further fact that he |
was untrue to her, she left him.
a. He at one time married a Miss |
Hudson of Rock Island. She was a |
relative of Frank Knox, then mayor |
of Rock Island, who ascertained that
Mr.. Els had girl wife in Iowa. 1t |
was on account of this Iowa marriage |
that he was sent to the penitentiary. |
so / am informed. Frank Knox of |
Rock Island can give you the full par
ticulars should you wish them.
His Alleged Divorce.
q Il noticed by the published re-
ports that Mr.. Els claims to have pro- |
cured divorce in 1896 in South Dako-
ia can furnish you letters of his as |
late as June, 1897, in which he SAYS
he was not divorced. / inclose you |
his last letter to Mrs. Lora Els. in |
which he states that he had cured |
a divorce in southern state Mrs |
Ellis has long ago asked him at what |
place the divorce was procured, but |
could get no reply. MIR. Ellis did not
leave here until Novem Der, 1896. |
ANY help by way of information that |
you may wish in this matter viii be |
furnished you on request
When q Republic reporter visited /
Els in the Jail yesterday afternoon
and asked him about his two former
matrimonial ventures. he smiled /
blandly.
:. Oh, you don't know the whole
truth he said. All you have isrunor.
/ was married to Miss Agnes Knox, of
Rock Island. H.. on June 8. 1881, but
she secured divorce from me in
Greedy, Col, over ten years ago. 1t
was her second attempt. Twas never
married to an Iowa girl, and never
served term in any penitentiary in
my life Miss Knox and / eloped to
iowa lint returned tn /.