The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-07
WIFE IS AN ASSET
HUSBAND INCLUDES HER IN BILL
OF SALE OF FAC
TORY
DEPARTS OWING FOREMAN
Pays the Debt by Making Over Bust
ness and His Better Half, Who
Is Young, Pretty and Rich,
but UncOngeniaI.

ROCKAWAY BEACH. N Y. April g.
Charles l.. Witherby, the leading archi-
tect of ROckaway Beach, has vanished.
And in his bill Of sale sent by him to his
foreman, J. Albert Thorn, he inserts
remarkable clause which includes his
wife. The item reads as follows:
II also bequeath to you to have and to
hold, my wife"
Witherby lived in the finest house on
ROckaway Beachs Snowy boulevard. He
has been gone several days.
The bin of sale to J. Albert Thorn, his
foreman, was in payment of salary he
owed to Thorn. He mailed it to Thorn
from New York, first having it duly exc
cuted before a notary public in iris city,
and sending it to the foreman with a let
ter announcing that he ha1 gone to
South Africa.
Witherby left debts said to aggregate
at least $4,000. Most Of this sum was
money borrowed just before he left, and
for which he gave checks. There were
many of those checks, varying in amount
from $40 to 500.
She Is Pretty Young and Rich.
Since her husbands disappearance Mrs.
Witherby has been living in the big
house on the boulevard, at Bond avenue.
She is a remarkably pretty young woman,
of fine figure, with black eyes, black hair
and rich complexion. She was married
10 Witherby only a few years ago, and
IS said to have an independent fortune
Of her own. Her neighbors all sympathize
with her in her desertion.
Witherby had large income am spent
it lavishly. He was an enthusiastic fol-
lower of the races, where it is said he
often plunged. He frequently took part
in big games of poker played at Rock
away Beach and in this city.
Wttherby was until recently Republican
leader at ROckaway. He was architect
of Lillian KusselI's cottage at Lawrence,
John F. CAROLS cottage at Far Rock
away and many other artistic cottages in
that section. In his Office at Boulevard
and HamelIs avenue. Rockaway Beach,
six draughtsmen were employed. He las
also builder and when he left had con-
tracts for a large amount of building
One contract was for $4,000 worth of cot
tages for William Scheer, the Millionaire
JeWeler of No. 542 Fifth avenue.
Couple often Disagreed
The day he left Rockaway Beach
Witherby told Thorn that he was about
TO begin suit for a separation from his
Wife, and was going away for two or
three days while the papers We're served.
He wanted to avoid a scene, ne said. He
came to this city and communicated
with his office two or three times Miss
Strickland, his private secretary, came
TO New York to confer with him about
business matters. He sent her to William
Scheer for a check for $500, which she de-
ivered to him
1t was not until nearly a week later that
Thorn received the letter from Witherby
Enclosing the bill Of sale. Witherby
owed Thorn $500 for salary, and the bill
Of sale conveyed to him the office furni-
ture. Added was the paragraph trans
ferTing TO Thorn his wife also
Thorn Regards Thing as Joke.
Thorn said that when he received this
document he looked on the paragraph
concerning Mrs. Witherby as a grim Joke
on the domestic differences. 1t was I'M
derstood that the Witherbys had not
been happy of late, Thorn said.
1t was not until the news of the checks
spread that the people of Rockaway
Beach believed that Witherby had gone
for good.
Il should say Mr.. Witherbys debts, in
Guiding the checks he gave, and the
money he borrowed just before leaving,
would aggregate about $4,000" said
Thorn. He seems to have collected
money from all the sources he could
Many of his acquaintance cashed checks
Tor him that were returned. l got two
or three of them myself
His financial matters were coming to
a climax about the time he left. Notes
for borrowed money were about ready ia
fall due. Then he borrowed sums rang>
ing from $40 to 800, and gave checks for
the amounts. He seemed to have lost in
terest in his business during the last
i've or six months, and paid little atten-
ton to it,"
When it became apparent that Wither-
by had gone claimants began to worry
Mrs. Witherby. A deputy sheriff called
at the house with an attachment, but
was refused admittance. He created a
commotion, and a policeman ordered him
away.
I have nothing to say" said Mrs.
Witherby yesterday. Il don't see that
this concerns anyone but myself