The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-27
LIVED DOUBLE LIFE.
Mystery of IS Years About to Be
Cleared at CherryvaIe.

Kansas City, FEB. Zl.-MrS. Fanny Hea-
ley. residing Twelfth street between
Forest and Tracy, left for CherryVale,
Kan, this morning to secure a connect
ing link that is expected to clear up a
supposed murder mystery that has re-
manned unsolved for a quarter of a CEN
fury.
Twenty-Five years ago Chester Healey
lived in Earlsville, Ia, with his wife and
children. He was a travelling man in the
employ of the Moline Pump and Lightning
Rod company. In the same town with
him resided his brother, Edward, but the
two men were not on speaking terms as
they had quarreled over real estate owned
in common, and both carried pistols with
er on sight This fact is what subsequent
~ helped to unrayel the mysterious u dis
a link in the chain of identity connecting
him with another man.
on a regular business trip. That was in
1873. At Elkport he stopped at a hotel
his arrival he engaged in a game of cards
with two strangers and won their money
amicably settled Late in the night Healey
the river and was never seen again. the
suppositon being that he was followed by
bed, and his body thrown into the river.
A few days later a stranger took possess
sion Of his team and buggy and sold them.
dumped out on the ground and are to be
where they pointed out as the prop
erty of the stranger who was murdered
and his body thrown into the river.
These facts were learned by Mrs. Hea-
ley and convinced her that her husband
the Twenty-first Iowa cavalry, was dead.
She applied for a pension. The govern
death and fer years she has been trying
to substantiate her claim.
Recently by curious chain of circum-
stances Mrs. Healey has received almost
positive proof that not only was her hus-
twenty years he has been living. in Kan
SaS uIluer an asS1iIle "a name d anu III tnat
lily of five children.
the name of Fred Wells died at VafIeda
I.abette county, Kan. Wells claimed to
TwentySfirst Iowa cavalry, and on his
death Colonel Peters, commanding the
a part of the records kept of all Iowa
troops that served in the civil war. Re-
from Frederick Wells, who also lives in
Iowa, stating that not only was he alive,
and several Children. He also sent his
colonel a picture of himself to complete
The Mrs. Wells who lived in Kansas. at
Cherryyale, was communicated with and
This description tailed exactly with that
OF the a5Smg e che5fer Heniey Who hhd
and she facts facts were E Elven 10 Mrs
missing husband. In reply. Mrs. Wells
stated she had married a Mr.. Wells TWEEN
the description of the missing Healey.
Further the picture sent him exactly
like him. She also stated her husband had
been very reticent about his family af-
fairs, but had told her he from Iowa
and that he had had a deadly quarrel with
his brother and never wanted to hear from
any of his family again.
was her husband, Mrs Healey decided to
go to Cherryvale and have a talk with
had decided to leave his family in Iowa
alleged murder in order to avoid being
searched for. He. then went to Kansas
and suppoSing his old army friend was
dead, assumed his name. If the dead Mr.
Wells proves to be the missing Mr.. Hea-
ley, Mrs Healey will receive a couple of
thousand dollars in accrued pension mon
ey and will also have claim valua-
able property at Earlsville, which was
owned bY her late husband