The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-26
BABIES AND BIGAMIsT.
Fourteen Infants and Fifteen wives
Mentioned in Divorce Cases.


From the Chicago Daily News.
Fourteen children figured in a case
involving the absence of a father and
fifteen wives regretted the acquaint-
ance they had with their one and only
husband. The scene was laid in the
county building. One case-that of
the fourteen infants-was heard in
Judge Tuley's court to-day, but de-
cree was not entered because Mrs.
Ormsby, the plaintiff, had not been
able to find her recreant spouse. The
other case came up before Judge Chy-
traus and may mean. unless a null
tidudinous husband escapes the peni-
tertiary in Iowa, that he will be tried
here for bigamy.
Cheese. Your Honor! He threw
cheese at me and then he left. Only
four months after he deserted me four
children were born and he has not con-
tributed, since that time, one cent to
my support, nor has he seen his ba-
bies.''
This is part of the story told to Judge
Tuley by the only woman in Chicago
who ever brought into the world TOUR
children in one day and was fortunate
enough to successfully nurse them
through their early infancy.
I'VE lived at 4O6 West Forty-third
street" Mrs. Ormsby continued. AS
she talked she meekly folded and un-
folded a white handkerchief. ION June
IS, a year ago, my husband, angered
at nothing except that our family OF
children was to be larger. left home.
How many children had you when
your husband left?" asked the Vener-
able jurist.
Seven. then" was the response, but
now there are eleven. three OF 81 Hy ;,
children died before my husband leIt.
How long have you been married..
Seven years"
Fourteen children in seven years.
asked the court, aghast. and everybody
In the court room save himself broadly
smiled. for everybody had read the
story of the Ormsby "quads" and how
their father had deserted them before
they were introduced to tribulation.
Then Mrs. Ormsby, herself an at
traotive-looking woman, despite her
heavy burden, told how 1t was that she
and her husband were blessed with
such a bountiful progeny. When she
had finished her story the court asked
why il was that Mr. Ormsby had made
no appearance
The fact that the husband had
thrown dishes, washboards, cheeses, oil
cans and epithets at his wife did not
convince the judge that divorce was
necessary. Mrs Ormsby admitted that
she had not been able to find MIR. Orms-
by and that she had notified him of the
suit only by means of advertisement.
This is not enough" said the court.
II have been informed that lawyer
has seen your husband recently in Chi
cago. That being the case you must
get personal service upon him, and ac-
cordingly 1 will continue the case till
the next term Of court"
Then the mother of the largest brood
of little ones in the city, and possibly
in the world, considering the few years
since she became q matron, walked out
of the court room, and tearfully.
All the while the Ormsby case was
holding the undivided attention of a
large audience in Judge Tuley's court
there was a still larger throng before
JudgeChytraus. listening to the story
that hedges the life experience If
Charles r. Reuter-, young man who
has enough aliases to fill village di-
rectory. Reuter-, If the evidence is to
be credited, has exactly fifteen wives
Nobody knows how much larger the
number may be, but that many women
claim him as their husband.
A photograph of Reuter- was by two
women identified as that of the man
both had married. Mrs. Minnie KLEIN
was complainant in a divorce suit
against him. Mrs. Anna Wegner. who
had procured divorce last week, was
a witness When they had testified
they smiled at each other and nodded
their heads with triumphant air.
They left the courtroom together.
Judge Chytraus granted Mrs. KLEIN a
divorce.
Reuter- was arrested in st. Louis,
March 26, on a charge of forgery, and
is now at Popular Bluff awaiting trial.
After his arrest women in different
parts of the country claimed him as
their husband His first wife lives at
Webster Groves. Mo, with his two
children. He deserted her three years
ago. Convinced that he was dead. she
began suit to recover $4,000 insurance
on his life. SO far three Chicago wo-
men have acknowledged him as their
husband.
Mrs KLEIN is little more than a girl
Her maiden name was Minnie Wilde.
She lives at 971 Spaulding avenue. She
married Reuter- in May, 1900 He then
gave name of Charles p. Kiehn She
said she lived with him eight months
as his wife. One morning he kissed
her good-by and walked out Of their
home. taking $3.50 of her money. She
never has seen him since.
Mrs. Anna II. Wegner, witness in
the case, was Anna Kraglein before she
married Reuter-, who represented him
self as Frederick Robert Wegner. She
married him Dec. 18 1900 He lived
with her two days, she said, and de-
serted her. He is said to have mar
ried Adelaide Cutting under the name
Of Robert Raisner, at Waukegan, Dec.
27. nine days after his marriage to
Anna Kraglein. Mrs. Wegner said he
took $500 from her before he disap-
peared. and $500 from Adelaide Cutting.
Adelaide Cutting has not yet secured
divorce. James a. Brady. Mrs.
Kiehn's attorney, received a telegram
from Chief Of Police Kelly at St Louis
yesterday saying that Reuter- was
awaiting trial at Poplar Bluff for for
gerry and that the evidence against
him probably was strong enough to
send him to the Denitentiary II he
escapes on that charge he viii be prose-