The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-10
Vim. Bristol, st. Joseph Travel
ing Man, Arrested Here.
Had One Wife in Missouri, An
other in Topeka.
WIFE NO. 1 is HERE.
SWore to Complaint Against the
Recreant Husband.
Four Children in st. Joe and
One in Topeka.


william Bristol Of St Joseph. is un-
der arrest in Topeka on the charge of
disorderly conduct and bigamy. Mr.
Bristol is a travelling man and repre-
sents Meyers, Brenaman & Co, of St.
Louis, wholesale harness and saddlery.
He was arrested at the Chesterfield ho-
tel last night at about midnight oy Po-
lice officers Bernard and Miller. He was
today turned over to the state for pros
ecution.
Mr. and Mrs. William Bristol live in
St. Joseph He is the father of four
children who live at home with their
mother while he is on the road. The
oldest of the children is a boy, Is years
old and the youngest is boy. still in
dresses. One of the four is a girl about
10 years old
Mrs. Bristol has suspected her nus
band of leading a double life for some
time and she came to Topeka yesterday
after learning of the true state of af-
fairs. and accompanied the police Off
GERS to the hotel to cause his arrest He
was taken completely by surprise
This morning she swore out a com
plant before County Attorney Galen
Nichols for the arrest of her husband
and the woman known as Blanche Bris-
tol who she claims alienated her hus-
bands affections. Blanche Bristol and
William Bristol are the parents of a
child about 2 years old
The suspicion of a knowledge that all
was not right came to Mrs. William
Bristol about a year ago. "A telegram
came to my husband" she said. while
he was away on trip I opened it and
read information that his child was very
sick and urged him to come to Topeka
at once It was signed Blanche
when my husband came home
asked him about it and he asserted that
it must be a mistake; that the telegram
must have been for some one else Of
the same name. He asked me to put
on my hat and we went to the telegraph
Office where he denied that the telegram
was for him. could not help but
think about it more or less and when
on several occasions he inadvertently
called me Blanche, I could not help
thinking OF the telegram signed
Blanche. asked him about it and he
said that Blanche was a little girl
whom he knew
Later the firm for whom my hus-
band travels, wrote about some bills
which were presented at the house for
payment And this is the manner in
which I learned about the woman who
claimed to be his wife in Topeka"
The matter was brought to the at
tention Of the firm through F. J. Lynch,
into whose hands had been put the bills
for collection. THE bills,' said NIr
Lynch, were from the nurse at Christ
hospital and the doctor who was called
TO attend to Blanche BristoIs child
when Ii had the scarlet fever last year
She was living at a rooming house on
Tyler street then I tried to collect the
money from him, but could get no sat
isfaction and consequently wrote in 20
the house concerning him. Correspond
ence soon developed the fact that he
was leading a double life. To the firm
he denied that he had a wife and one
child and to me he claimed that he had
and that he did not have a wife ana
four children as the information derived
from the firm Indicated.
II entered into CORES spondence with
Mrs Bristol at St. Joseph and she ask
ed me to begin an action against her
husband replied that she would have
to come here and do that herself which
she accordingly did"
The action brought against Mr.. Bris-
tol this morning was for bigamy. Pro
ceedings for a divorce viii follow" said
Mrs Bristol
The woman known as Blanche Bristol
visited Mr. Bristol at the police sta
ton this morning. She talked to him
through the bars of the door. Almost
the first words he asked her was: Il
never married you did I?"
N-n-o-O-o," she answered IN a hesi-
tating way between sobs. She was al
most completely broken down.
Mrs. William Bristol is a handsome
woman. She brought her two youngest
children to Topeka with her. while the
older ones are still in St Joseph. She
shows no outward signs of her grief al
though by her demeanor it may be seen
that she is undergoing a great mental
strain.
We have lived in St Joseph nearly
al or our lives" she said. His parents
are old people and am afraid the
shock Of learning this news will be al
most too much for them"
A State Journal reporter called .upon
Mrs Blanche Bristol at the county iail
shortly after noon She refused to sov
anything far publication
w hen asked whether or not she had
Deen married to William Bristol she re-
piled that she had nothing to saw until
she appeared on the witness stand
DID YOU not admit at the polfca
station this morning that YOU were NOT
married to Mr.. BRISTOL" asked the re-
porter. She refused to again connnoit
nerselr, saying she would not saw anv-
Enlng until the day Of trial
Both William Bristol and the vvor,an
known as Mrs Blanche Bristol are in
the county jail 40
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