The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-12-04
good graces was introduced to the

1O u1ou0 uII1SS1A ~ tl5 4OOe1O4N w VIZ
young lady and pressed his wooing so
warmly and successfully that before
the steamer sighted Sandy Hook his
suit was won and she had promised to
marry him at once. The fathers con
sent was obtained also without diff
Guilty and as soon as New York was
reached preparations for the marriage
were begun. The sons Of the old New
Yorker raised the first obstacle to the
hasty marriage. They are hard-head-
ed business men, unromantic and
somewhat suspicious, preferrlng to
take less on faith and to rely more
upon the facts developed by an lnde-
pendent investigation. But their pro
tests were overruled, Foster had only
a brief holiday from his many and va
ried interests, was needed within a
week or two in Mexico to close deal
in mining lands involving millions,
and he was eager to have the mar
riage delayed as little as possible SO
that he might spend their brief honey
moon quietly together before he was
called back to business cares.
The invitations were issued and the
marriage was celebrated in Grace
Church, New York, about month or
six weeks ago, Freeland taking the
marriage VOWS and plighting his troth
as-Foster, his assumed name. The
honeymoon lasted less than three
weeks. Then the still suspicious
brothers of the bride trapped him in
his own contradictory statements and
charged him with being an imposter.
For the time he attempted to brazen
it out bravely, but the same day he
fed the place, taking with him as
souvenirs of his brief married life
all his wife's diamonds and other
handsome iewelry and all the ready
money he could lay his hands upon.
His departure was so sudden and his
fight so expeditions that he Travelled
without baggage leaving his trunk be-
hind. When he was gone his WIFE s
brothers took charge Of affairs and
when the trunk was opened letters and
papers were found that disclosed the
real name and the former residence of
the departed bridegroom. Among
other things found were photographs
of Freeland's children, of his dead wife
and an obituary notice published at
the time of her death.
Detectives were then employed to in
vestigate the career of Foster, alias
Freeland, and one came to this city.
He saw and interviewed Freeland's
children and every man or woman who
could furnish any information relative
TO his past life. He gathered a full
and complete story and last night he
left for New York to make his report.
When he first arrived in the city he
was very secretive and told no one his
business but Chief of Police Bradford
but before he left did not hesitate to
talk freely. He stated that Freeland
has been located by another detective
from his agency and that Freeland's s
whole life has been laid bare and is
now an open book, black pages as we'll
as fair.
One thing, however, the detective
would not tell and that was the name
of the romantic young woman who
was so deceived and betrayed by Free
land. Her father and brothers are try
ing to keep the scandal secret and to
free the unfortunate young wife for all
time from the advensurer who married
her under an assumed name. They
are sparing no expense and will go to
any extremes TO accomplish this pur-
pose.
It is next to impossible to keep any
thing a secret long. The detective, n.
Bailey who was here investigating
Capt. A. n. Freeland's record would
not divulge the name of the young
lady to whom Freeland; under the
name Of Nelson Foster, was married
in Grace Church. New York City, on
October 18th, but the facts have be-
come known despite his secretiveness
and the maiden name of the deserted
bride is now public property. Her
name was Eliza Wickes and she is
said to be both young and handsome.
She has had the advantage of the best
education that the best schools of New
York could give and has travelled
extensively in Europe.
The way in which the name of the
young lady became known was as
follows: After the marriage the young
lady's family issued announcement
cards and several were sent to former
friends in this State, but as none of
them knew a Nelson Foster they
thought nothing of the announcement,
except to discuss it with the conclusion
that Foster was probably some travel
ing man with whom they had had
business transactions at some time in
the past, But when the story came
ont they recalled the Foster-Wickes
announcement cards and with the facts
stated by Detective Bailey it was easy
to identify Foster as Freeland and
complete the story by supplying the
name of the bride.
The following is a copy of the an
nonucement. card received by several
persons in his vicinity:
Mr.. Albert E. Wickes
has the honor of announcing the mar
riage of his sister
Miss Eliza Herman Wickes
Mr.. Nelson Foster
on Wednesday
the Sixteenth of October
one thousand, nineteen hundred and
one in the