The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-01-17
A PENSION oFFlCE noMaNos.
The Government OmciaIs Find a Man
After Years OF Searching-Hc Was
Supposed 20 be Dead Nearly Fifty
Years AgD

Supposed 20 be Dead Nearly Fifty
Years Ago.
In 1850 James Williamson, q young
man Oh good M innesota family, i'm
pelled westward by the desire of for.
tune, made his way TO Colorado. He
ionnd profitable employment, and meet
Ing u girl with whom he fell in love in
the center OF the State, married her.
Ihere was not a murmur of family
lniellctty, and they were pointed TO
by their neighbors as an unusually
happy couple.
One morning, after several wears of
married life, the husband kissed his
wife good by ana left home, ostensiblv
ior nearby town. He never reached
his destination, but disappeared as If
the Garth had swallowed him.
Inc opinion was accepted after n
time, that Williams son had been muir
dered and robbed by gang OF outlaws
then operating In tnat section. Within
lew weeks after the diappearance of
the man, body was found in a gulcb
beside the road over which Williams IN
was supposed to have Travelled, the re-
maths, In general way, answered the
description OF the missing man, the
clothing being of the same pattern.
though the features were too badly
positive, the remains were given burial
and grief-stricken woman followed
the collin to the grave. A monument
was erected bearing WlIliamson's name
aud inscription.
In time the widow doifcd her weeds.
Presently she married again, and
started on her second matrimonial ven
ture under pleasing auspices. The
war came on, aud the second husband
J)lned the Uhiou army. He served
win honor, and died on the firing
line.
Years after the declaration of peace
the woman, being in reduced cjrcum
stances, made application for pension
upon the strength OF her second hus-
bands service. The usual papers were
prepared, showing the circumst tances
as to The lir5t marriage and William
SIMS supposed death and ailidavits
from the best people of the little viii
lagc.
la passing through the pension bu.
rean toe hrst officials approved the ap-
pilcatlon, bat when it reached tue last
auditor there was hitch. He WAS
Impressed With the story OF the woman
and the disappearance Of her husband.
lie did not regard the formers story
as false, but remembering the manner
In which many cases Of like character
had terminated, ordered close inves.
tigatjon.
One Of the beat pension agents was
sent to Colorado to look up the case.
Wllliamson's relatives were located
and traces OF the man were found in
Minnesota, where he had spent six
years, tnally leaving for Tennessee.
The clews were followed up, one after
another, and the pension agents have
located in
spccted head Of q large family in good
circumstances.
The officer confronted Williamson
with the charge of desertion and big
amy, bat he Was loud in his ucnunc!n-
tious OF the accusation as false. Bu
persisted in them until the { hi GER made
threats to bring the Colorado wife to
Tennessee, when he wiltcd and con-
fesSsd the entire story.
phe papers in the case have been
forwarded from the Nashville pension
ollice to Washington. The pension will
be refused upon the gr0und that the ap-
pllcant was not the legal wife OF her
second husband. The disco very has
caused sensation in the Tennessee
community in which Williamson has
resided for fifteen years, and his second
wife Is now preparing TO bring suit
for divorce.
No explanation is given as to why
he abandoned his Colorado wife and
nome, brt the story goes to show the
persistency ana shrewdncss Of the
pen sion Clbcr sl"uths. The case - out
one oI many pension frauds unearthed
in Nashville within the past few
months, though the pension applicant
in this case was q sincere and in jured
woman