The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-23
HAS TWO WIVES.
Alfred S. Cassell Charged
With Bigamy by Mrs.
Cassell No. 2.
ADMITS THE ACCUSATION
Is Held in Heavy Bail and
Threatens Reporters if
His Case Is Published.

Alfred S. Cassell, of No. 256 Mercer
street, was arraigned IN the First Crimi-
nal Court, before Police Justice Potts,
this morning, on charge of bigamy, pre-
ferred against him by wife No. 2, who
was formerly Mrs. Ida Smedes. who IS
living with her aunt, Mrs. Tuttle. at No.
$50 Pine street.
Mrs. Smedes is an exceedingly pretty
young woman, of the brunette type. with
an olive complexion Several days ago.
Cassell returned to his home and in
unguarded moment spoke of his previous
residing in this State. Her name is Mrs.
Jennie Cassell, and she was married to
Cassell at Pittston, Pa, in 1883 Wife
No. was married at the residence of
the Rev. Dr.. Otto of the Baptist Church
on Pavonia avenue, November "a 1898.
AS soon as Mrs Smedes heard that Cas-
sell had another wife living, she COM
municated with Cassells sister, Mrs. E.
E. Cleveland of Huntsville, Pa, and ask
ed her If Cassell had married before his
marriage in Jersey City Mrs. Cleveland
wrote and informed Mrs. Smedes as fol-
lows:
HE has written to me three or four
times since he has been living with you,
and has always spoke of Jennie (his first
wife) and child. He sent me your pie
ture and asked me what l thought OF
it. I told him that it represented too
good a looking woman to be living with
another woman's husband. I cannot tell
you exactly what else 1 said, but he has
not written to me since. / think l must
have offended him. He has not been di-
voreed from his first wife and is the ia
ther of her two children, the girl aged
10 years and a 7-year-old boy
AS soon as Mrs Smedes received this
letter she confronted her husband with
it. A stormy scene followed and she left
the house. Fearing that the fact she had
been living with another woman's hus-
band might injure her good name, Mrs.
Smedes sought advice from Police Captain
Cody of the Gregory street station. Cap
tain Cody advised Mrs Smedes to get
all evidence against Cassell possible.
She completed the task yesterday and
last night CasseII was placed under ar
rest. Previous to this, however Mrs.
smedes asked Captain Cody to get her
clothes from the fiat, as her husband had
refused to let her enter the place. An
officer was sent with Mrs. Srnedes to the
Mercer street house The door was locked
and a big paddock secured it from the
outside Mrs. Smedes' clothes are still
at the house When Casseu was arrested
he was locked up in the Gregory street
station house.
This morning Cassell was arraigned in
the First Criminal Court to answer wife
No. 2's charges. Cassell admitted having
nr-t.is ff
Smedes, and he said the latter was cog
nizant of the fact before the ceremony
was performed by the Rev DR.. Otto. Mrs.
Smedes admitted this assertion and added
that Cassell had told her that wife No. l
was divorced from him and that he had
not seen her doing the past three years.
Mrs. Smedes informed the Court that all
she wanted was her clothing that Cassell
had locked in his apartments
Finding the case a complicated one, JUS
tice Potts decided to adjourn it until next
Thursday The Court also ordered the
prisoner held in $1,000 bail for further
examination.
Captain Cody detailed Officer Keilt of
the Gregory street station to accompany
Cassell and Mrs. Smedes to the fiat on
Mercer street to get her clothing. Cas-
sell was handcuffed to the officer while
en- route.
Mrs. Smedes, whose maiden name was
York. was divorced from her first hus-
band in the Supreme Court of Westches-
ter county. Mrs. smedes allowed the suit
to go by default. Cassell, since his ar
rest, has written to Mrs. Srnedes, asking
her to be lenient with him.
Cassell who is employed by the Cen
tral Railroad as a brakeman, insisted
that the story of his arrest be kept out
Of the papers. In fact he threatened the
reporters should the story be written.