The Savannah morning news., 1902-10-24
ARE NOT HIS WIVES
ALLEGED BIGAMIST SAYS FOUR
WOMEN WE'RE DECEIVED.
CLAIMS he NEVER MARRIED.
HUNTERS SWEEPING DENIAL IN
FACE OF HIS IDENTIFICATION.

sheriff t. A. HasIett of Lawrence
willie Identified Paperhanger as
Man Wanted in Gwfnnett County
for Abandoning Children by Wife
No. 3-Prisoner Taken Away Last
NiEht-He Now Denies Marrying
Mrs. Maggie Wise Here-Hunter n
Confederate Veteran with a Bull
let in His Side-Says He Has Had
Close Calls and Doesn't Fear a
Trial.
With four women claiming him as
husband, Charles J. Hunter, the paper
hanger arrested by Detective J. ]. Muir
ply on a bench warrant charging the
abandonment of his third wife's chill
dren, declares that he has never been
legally married.
Hunter actually denies that he mar
ried Mrs. Maggie Wise in this city.
When Sheriff T. A. Haslett of Law
renceville reached the city yesterday
morning and positively identified Hun
ter as the same individual who has
been wanted in Gwinnett county since
1900, the prisoner made no further eff
Fort to conceal his identity. He frankly
confessed that there is woman at
Norcross who claims to be his wife,
and by whom he had children.
Wedding without "a Record.
The alleged bigamist, however, de-
clares that no marriage license was
ever secured. and that while a minis
ter read the marriage services the we'd
ding was never recorded. He expressed
a willingness to return to Gwinnett
county for trial. and declared that he
has no fear of the outcome. The aged
paperhanger, who is credited with
having no less than four living wives,
was not in the least disturbed when
Sheriff HaSlett visited him in the police
station house. He at once recognized
the sheriff and shook hands with him.
Later Hunter talked with a represent
tative of the Morning News. He con-
feSsed that he has several children in
different parts of Georgia, but aYerred
that he has never in the eyes of the
law been married. He did not care to
go into details, although he declared
that no one could be found who ever
saw him married lust what Hunter
hopes to gain by such a sweeping as
sertion is not quite apparent.
Shrewd Denial.
1t was suggested when he denied
marrying Mrs. Wise, who has stood bv
him even since his arrest and declared
tnat he did not even know her. than
he might be trying to make ii appear
mat his mind has grown weak. The
impression was gained that Hunter is
rather shrewd individual. but IT is
doubtful that he will be able to con-
vince jury that he is absent minded
ana III this manner accumulated sever
al more wives than the law entities
him to.
Hunter is native of Effingham
county, ard is a veteran of the Civil
War. He is 81 years of age and ac-
cording to mis- story, has spent all of
that time in Georgia. During the fight
between the states the man now
charged with being bigamist
on large scale was wounded.
Even now he carries a bullet in his
left side received during the war
Has Had Many Close Calls.
The old soldier says that he has had
close calls in his life and that little
thing like a criminal charge at this
late day cannot brighten him. The
bullet in Hunters side is imbedded
near the surface and can be felt
through his clothes. 1t has become
insisted and causes him no inconveni-
ence.
The prisoner was taken to Lawrence
Vllle last night by Sheriff Haslett and
VIII be tried for abandoning his chill
dren by the woman who is said to be
wife No. 3. Sheriff Haslett stated yes
terday that this wife is In an almost
destitute condition and that there is
no little feeling against Hunter at
Norcross. The woman is determined to
see that the man she married be pun
ished for deserving her. and Sberiff
Haslett believes Hunter will have a
much harder road to travel than he
imagines, or pretends to imagine.