The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-12-30
BOLD, BAD BIGAMIST.
OPENLY COURTED AND MAR
RED MISS MORGAN.

Borrowed Money Of His Wife to Buy
the Clothes in Which He Was
Married to. No. 2, Who Lived but
Five Miles Away. .
Perhaps the boldest bigamist Of the
century is John L. Blackford, who
lived all his life in Plainfield, N. j.,
and who was known to thousands OF
people along the line of the Central
Railroad of New Jersey as its state
detective. He openly courted and pub
licly married Miss Alice Morgan. in
Westfield, five miles distant from his
home, where he lived with his wife. 1t
was Blackford's cold nerve that en-
abled him to carry On his duplicity.
Nearly eleven years ago he married
Miss Ullrich, and their life was appar-
emily happy. Blackford had known
Miss Alice Morgan for a long time.
She formerly lived in Plaintield, but
removed to Westield about five years
ago. She knew Blackford was mar
ried. When Blackford began calling
upon Miss Morgan. about two years
ago, she asked about his wife. He ex-
planned that they were divorced. This
was accepted by the young woman and
the members of her family. When the
frequency of his attentions left no
doubt of his intentions there was fam
lily opposition because of the supposed
divorce. And this explains why it
took two years for Blackburn to per-
suade Miss Morgan to marry him.
She is a very pretty woman of rs, a
blonde, with large, expressive eyes
and a charming manner. She had
many admirers, and among them men
social position is much better
tthan that of Blackford. Blackford
made no secret of his devotion, and
how it came about that in two years
Of wooing the facts came out is
n of the mysteries. 1t is strange,
too, that Mrs. Blackford should not
have heard of her husbands devotion
to Miss Morgan. She is a dark, come
~ woman of SO, who has always been
devoted to her home. Her husbands
absences did not rouse her suspicion,
because his business took him away
from home at all hours of the day and
night, Even now she says he never
neglected her, but has always been
kind and devoted. When Miss Morgan
consented to marry Blackford last
summer he gave her a diamond n
gagement ring. 1t was the same en-
gagement ring he had given his
wife and he secured it on a sub
terfuge that he wished to have it
reset. He did have it reset, gave it
to Miss Morgan and told Mrs. Black
ford that he had lost the stone. He
returned to her the old setting and ac-
tually inserted an advertisement in
the newspapers offering a reward for
the return of the stone. 1t was known
in Westfield that Miss Morgan was to
marry Blackford weeks beforehand.
His frankness disarmed suspicion. The
fact was published in the newspapers.
When the day for the wedding drew
near Blackford borrowed $40 from his
wife and bought a frock coat and
waistcoat to wear at the ceremony.
The night before the second marriage,
Blackford passed at home with his
wife. In the morning she gave him
money with which to have his hair
cut and be shaved. He even borrowed
money to have his shoes shined. He
told her he would not be home that
night, Is business called him away.
ho noi1y rryont Tn VTocfRal1 tn
marry Miss Morgan. The ceremony
took place in church at noon, and Rev.
DR.. Caldwell performed it. Blackford's
boldness reached the pinnacle of au-
dacity when he invited reporters to
the wedding and himself gave. the
facts. Blackboard and his second wife
went to New York that afternoon and
went to Broadway Central hotel. The
next morning he told the woman he
had Just married that he had to at
tend to some business. He left her and
went to Plainf1eld. He passed the
whole afternoon in his home. When
night came Blackford returned to his
wife, and they moved to the
Marlborough hotel. For several days
he spent his afternoons in Plainfield
with his first wife. Finally the pro-
prietors of the hotel, becoming sus-
picious,. Investigated and apprized wife
No. l of the state of affairs. She
would not believe it at first, but finally
the truth dawned upon her. Then she
went to New York with her marriage
certificate, and Blackford's arrest fol-
lowed. When he was arraigned in
court, Mrs. Blackboard produced her
marriage certificate, sobbing. Black
ford was committed to the Tombs in
default of $4,000 bail. Miss Morgan
said she would let the law take its
course, but would not prosecute her
deceiver. The real Mrs. Blackford
went to the prison to see her husband,
taking with her food and dainties she
had purchased. His only words were
up%braidings for interfering with him.
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