The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-31
SAYS ITS BLACKMAIL
THoAfPsoN's STORY OF. THE BOSTON
WOMAN WHO CLAIMS HIM.
WAS HIS WINE DRUGeED?
MAY HAVE MARRIED HER WHEN
DRUNK HE SAYS.


by Her-Wns Released on Bail and
Refused to Settle on Marriage Ba-
sfs-Met Her In a Lawyers ONCE
and Two Glasses of Wine Caused
His Collapse Found Himself I'm
Bed "a Hours Later-BOstOn WO-
man Was in Savannah, But Was
Turned From His Sisters House.
Thompson Engaged to Another sn-
vannah Girl.
William II. Thompson, whose arrest on
a bench warrant charging him with big
amy, was announced in the Morning
News yesterday, says that If he has two
wives he married the first one while he
was in a drunken stupor, from liquor
served in her attorneys office and in her
presence. Ho doubts that this happened
although he lost consciousness, he says,
after drinking the second glass of wine.
Thompson is still in Jail and was seen
in his cell yesterday by a representative
of the Morning News. The young man told
his story unhesitatingly. When he spoke
of his Savannah wife the tears rolled
down his. cheeks and he was half
choked with unfeigned emotion. He talk
ed freely Of the woman in Boston, who
claims to be his lawful wife. and his
story is interesting.
The young man is a native of Boston,
but was in business at Everett, a suburb,
when he met Maud Welch. According to
his story she was a waitress and by no
means pretty. She was a twentieth CEN
fury girl in every way, however, and
Thompson says that they were chums. At
no time did he have any idea of wedding
her. although he was most attentive to
her for several months. Thompson said,
with tears in his eyes, She had many
others on her string and 1 never dream
ed of making her my wife. 1 would
sooner have died than to have tied my
self 90 the woman. I am of a jealous
disposition and even though she had
changed her ways 1 could never have
lived happily with her. Several months
after I had been going with her regu-
larry I decided to keep away from her.
I'VE had seen nothing of each other for
several days, when an officer came into
my place of business at Everett and in
formed me that he had a warrant for
my arrest. I was astounded, but when
he told me that It had been sworn out by
Miss WEIGH and named the charge l saw
at once that it was a case of blackmail.
1 was taken to jail, but furnished bail
for my appearance in court. For several
days efforts were made to have me,marry
the girl and settle the case in this way.
1 declared that would die first and per-
sistently refused.
1.-THE affair went along in this way for
probably a week and at the end of that
time / was told that 1 must meet her
at her attorneys office, so that date
could be agreed upon for trial. I made
an engagement and went to the lawyers
office with a friend, who had signed my
bond The attorney was particularly
pleasant to me, and l was seated in his
his parlor for several minutes with only
my friend. When the lawyer returned he
announced that he had been talking the
matter over with Miss WEIGH, and that
everything would come out all right.
HE went into the adjoining room and
returned with the young woman, and
some wine. 1 drank a glass of the liquor
and Miss WEIGH did the same. l was
again asked to marry her and still re-
fused. A few minutes later some more
wine was brought in and drank anoth-
er glass.
1T cannot recall that it tasted peculiar,
but l lost consciousness almost imme-
diately. If my life, let alone my liberty
and good name depended upon it, 1 could
not tell what happened after l drank
the second glass of wine. 1t went to my
head with the rapidity of lightning and
/ knew nothing until the next morning.
Almost twenty-four hours had elapsed,
and when l opened my eyes I was in my
own bed, and my head felt twice its nat
oral size. My friend told me that l had
collapsed from the liquor, and that he
had brought me home. 1 attached but lit
tie Importance to the incident, and, In
fact never recalled it until my arrest for
tigamy Friday afternoon.
II have the word of my friend, whose
name is Lewis, that nothing transpired
during the time / was in a helpless con-
dition, and l have no idea that / was
married then. remained in Everett and
in Boston for several weeks and came to
Savannah about three years ago.
"A little over a year ago Miss WEIGH
came here and stopped with my sister.
She told my sister that she was married
10 me and when asked by her if it was
true / denied it. Then it was that she
was told that she would have to leave
my sisters home. She came 10 me then
and pleaded with me to marry her. l re-
fused point blank and hardly think that
she would have made such a request If
1 had married her in Everett. She sent
20 Boston and got money enough to re-
turn to her home.
Il met the young woman, who is my
only wife and loved her when first we
met. was free and we were married in
Christ Church in Savannah last October.
Our brief married life was a most happy
one and we never had a cross word. MY
indictment and arrest on serious and
false charge almost took my breath away,
and / am as unnerved as my poor little
wife. / am certain that 1t will all come
out straight, and know that 1 am inno-
cent. Still l have already been forced
to spend one night in cold and dreary
CELL and am about to begin another one
of torment l could not sleep last night
and my friends are now endeavoring to
secure bail for me. I wish the public 20
suspend judgment and l will prove the
truth of my assertions"
Thompson's friends have not deserted
him, and he was made as comfortable as
possible in his iron room. Blankets wero
taken to him during the day. and he has
a softer bed than the one upon which he
tossed Friday night.
No date has been assigned for the trial
of the case, but the young mans friends
hope 10 secure for him a speedy trial
They believe that he Is innocent, and the
arrival of the woman who claims to be
wife No. /, Is awaited with interest.
In the meantime II has developed that
| Thompson was engaged TO "A young lady
clerk here, before he married Miss Leach.