The daily sentinel., 1903-12-04
JECKYL and
HYDE AFFAIRS.
]. E. Burch Arrested Here On
Charge of Bigamy. Will
Have to Face the Music.


is wanted there. about whom the pa
pers of that city have made quite a
story.
The man in question is J. E. Burch
and he was arrested in this city. He
has been residing near the city for
several years past and has new fam
lily. so it is said, beside the one he
dserted. The man has been doing well
since he has been here and the auth
critics claim has been leading an ex-
emplary life since coming to Mesa
county.
Here is the story as it is told by
the Gazette, of Colorado Springs.
He will be taken back to the Springs
tonight.
after disappearance of over two
years following the writing of letter
saving he would commit suicide, a
man believed to be Edward Bu.ch.
former member of the police force.
was arrested at Grand Junction yes
terday morningon warrant charging
him with oesertion and nom support
The arrest was made on instruc-
tions from Chief Reynolds at whose
suggestion Mrs. Burch swore to the
warrant against her husband about a
week ago. About two weeks ago Chief
Reynolds received word from the po-
lice officials at Grand Junction that
they had a man who answered the
description of Burch. and Chief Rey-
nolds at once sent for Mrs. Burch
and acquainted her with the facts.
The issuance of the warrant followed.
Burch has been thought to be dead
by many persons. owing to the fact
that he left a letter when lie 'disap-
peared saying he would kill himself.
The letter was addressed to Vincent
King. then chief of police. and gave
no further information than that the
writer was tired of living and had
dete rmined to take his own life.
Immediately on the receipt of the
letter a searching party was organ
lied by the police and for several days
force of men were at work securing
all the hills and canons in the vicini-
ty of Colorado Springs. The creeks.
ponds and lakes were dragged and
to find the remains of the supposed
suicide. The police were inclined to
believe that Rurch's suicide was a
ruse. and in order to make sure that
he would be arr ested in case he was
alive, notices were sent all over the
1E 3
man who had so mysteriously disap-
peared.
Burch left attired in his uniform
and his wife and family knew moth
ing of his disappearance until the fact
was made public through the news
papers. Mrs. Burch clung to the sui
eide story for long time, believing
that er-husband could not desert her
without warning. AS the daNs
heightened into weeks and into
months and finally year rolled by
without tidings of the missing police
man, his wife's faith in him began
to shake and she appealed to the po-
lice for aid in hunting down her hus-
band. having come to the conclusion
that he was alive.
When the ex-policeman disappear
ed he left his wife and three children
in almost destitute circumstances.
During the two years he has been abb
sent. it is said by the police, that his
wife has been compelled to take in
washing for living, and that his
eldest daughter had spent II ost of her
time bending over an ironing machine
in laundry.
The credit for the arrest of Rurch.
if the man under arrest should prove
to be Burch. is due to Chief Reynolds,
who has devoted several weeks to
running down various clews and in
forming the police in various parts of
the state of the mans description and
of the fact that he was wanted.
Burch was on the police force for
about five years in all. having been
appointed first during the incumbency
of Col. L. G. Dana, as marshal. He
resigned after serving about two years
and was later appointed and served
almost three years. when he disap-
peared.
Fotoprafer Dean has Just received