Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-01-20
The Denman-Ranger SEN
Sation.

blgamy case, which is now of interest
to Marietta people;
Coshocton, o., Jan. 1S.-Investiga-
tion Is being made here to ascertain
the real matrimonial status of Leslie
Carlos Denman, who for the past three
years was in die employ of the Gosh
octon Novelty Advertising Company,of
this city, but is now representing a
like concern of Chicago, Ill
Denman was born and raised in This
neighborhood, and 12 years ago was
married to Miss Katherine Hagans, a
most estimable young lady, who is at
the present time living with her hus-
bands mother, on North Four,l street,
Three years ago, Denman, who had
been a poultry fancier and grocer fail
ed in business, and sought and obtain
ed employment as a salesman, and
was given portions of Ohio, West Vir-
ginia and Kentucky to canvass. AT the
time he selected Marietta as his head
quarters. This fact seemed strange to
his employers here, since his residence
was in this city, and all his associa-
tlons were supposed to be with Coshoc-
ton. However, he came home often.
and the matter was soon forgotten.
In June, 1897, while in Marietta,
Denman was introduced to Miss Della
Ranger, the elghteen-year-old daugh-
ter of an employe of the Marietta
Chair Company.
The young lady was handsome AMI
attractive, and Denman, who is SEEM
ingly a gentleman in all his assocla-
tions with the ladies, at once found fa-
vcr in her eyes. They saw each other
often. She was employed as a millin-
er in the store of Mrs. Greenway, on
Front street, Marietta and there
Denman frequently called upon the
girl He never attempted to conceal
the fact that he travelled from Coshoc-
ton, but tcld the young lady and her
family that his home was in Cincin-
rati, where he claimed he resided with
his motler. He told Miss Ranger that
he had a cousin living in Coshocton
who was married, and whose name
corresponded with his own.
From some source the young lady's
father obtained the information that
Denman was married, and called the
latter to account. He entered an en-
phatic denial, but Mr.. Ranger forbade
him from coming to his house. Miss
Della, however, refused to believe the
report and for months the pair met
clandestinely, and when this became
known TO the mother, she, by the ad-
vice c.! friends, succeeded in having
the embargo against Denman raised.
In the summer of 1898 Della visited
her cousin, Mrs. Beck, of Columbus,
O., and while there she wrote to her
mother saying that Denman wanted
her to meet him in Cleveland. Mrs.
Ranger advised against the visit, but
on September Is Della left the home OF
Mrs. Beck, ard was not again heard
of until two or three weeks later, when
she asked that her trunk be sent to
Akron, o.
Later she told her family how she
had gone to Cleveland where Denman
awaited her, and that en- the same
night they went to Detroit, Mich,
where en- the afternoon of September
26, 1898, they were married by a JUS
tiCe Of the Peace,f who was one o
Denman's friends. Then, she saysJEhey
returned to Cleveland and two days
later located in Akron. During all this
time the Ranger family heard but lit
tie of Della, and not until her fathers
death, which occurred on New Years
night of 1899, was she located as Mrs.
Leslie Denman, on High street, Colum-
bus. o. She attended the funeral and
for time remained at home. In
February Denman put in an appear
an2e and when he was about to leave
again On a trip, Mrs. Ranger express
ed doubts of his marriage to Dellas
whereupon he assumed GgamaSic at
titude, and putting his hand in his
Goa. pocket, pulled forth the marriage
certificate and held it while Hrs.
Ranger read. 1t was certainly an Of
fetal paper and had been filed out, ap-
parently, by an official OF Wayne coun-
ty, Mich, and in Detroit. Mrs Ranger
noticed that the name Bella" and not
Della had been inserted, hut Denman
explained this by saying that the sim
ilarity of names had caused the clerk
10 make the error. The facts are that
the marriage records in the Office Of W,
H. McGregor, of Detroit, SHOW that the
marriage license was issued on Sep
tember 26, 1898, to Leslie "Dunmon"
and Bella Ranger, and this is the date
upon which Della declares they were
married.
In March, 1895, ,Denman and wife No
2 were on the road together the greater
part of the time being spent in Louis
vile, Ky, In November they again
in Marietta and occupied
rooms at the residence of Mrs. Thorn
ton, en- Third street. 1t happened that
Miss Lura Patton, of this city, a teach
er CT elccution, and who had known
Denman from their childhood, was fill
ing an engagement in Marietta and oc-
cupled rooms directly opposite to
Denman She made inquiries and
learned that Denman was married, but
said nothing until her return here,
t--...-.-g s.f..s..a.tt,,.