The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-12-28
sde John Collins Was a Biganist
MO Widows With Large Fam
lies Survive HIND Deserted Wife.
O. 1 and Married Nc. 2 Here.
Dual Life known to Relatives Who Failed to Ex-
pose Him Wives Become Aware Of it Through.
Pension Office Son nof Vile No. Comes Here
To Get Proof Of His Death.

gers VINO llleW Inc late John
2, llits are amazed TO learn that he
bigamist They can scarcely be-
lieye tle loot thak he @as allowed to es-
cape IRE clutches Of the law, and yet st
appears that such was the case, on ac-
count 81 the negligence OF relatives to
prosecute and bring him to justice
Iryestgatfon into his death, or, rather,
proof of his death, brings out the facts
rsthe case and establishes beyond a
ddlsbt his guilt, lie has two widows
Living, one IN pibtsburg and the other in
glarhsbtrg. The first has seven grown
sons and daughters, and the latter five
small children, all born OF their wedlock
with Collins,
Collins was q Civil war veteran and
application for a pension by the Pitts.
burg wife revealed the fact to her that
there was another claimant, namely,
Ars. Martha E, Collins, of CLarksburg.
Being apprised Of this, one OF the sons
/ 3. II, Collins, came here to nyestigato
gadst TO get proof of dis father's death
vas astcunded to find that his father
had another large family here, and he
denounced the actions Of the deceased in
seyesest terms.
Accordtng TO the story told by him,
John Z. Collins was about 60 years of
age, He married Margaret Workman at
at5nington, Fay0ttes comtty Pa, in.
1861, where the first Mrs. Collins has a
number OF brothers and sisters still liy-
ing. They resided happily together for
many years and eleven children were
born to them. OF these -four died. The
Others are oil grown, the eldest being
about 4S years old, and the youngest "a
years of age.
In later life Collins wandered away
from home, but frequently returned.
They were Dunkards and the wife asked
no questions He even visited her after
he came to clarksburg dozen years ago
and vet she had no inEling Of his dual
lilo.
Here he became acquainted with Mar
tha Wine, daughter of Henry Wine,
cotrted and married her, though he was
der senior by many years, she being a
very young woman. She knew nothing
Of the other Mrs. COLLINS and he never
told her. They resided together until his
death December 81, 1900, and he was
buried here without the knowledge of
his other family. The union with The
second wife brought him five children, ali
Of whom are living. This marriage was
contracted after 1890, the date when a
law was passed to the effect that the
widow of a veteran who married her
after that date was excluded from the
pension right.
During this wedlocI a couple OF ncph-
ews, it Is claimed by S. H. Collins, came
to Clarksburg and visited Collins at his
home, They ascsrbained The conditions
and denounced Collins bitterly for hit
dual life and threatened to expose him
but nothing along that line was done.
It Is also stated that relatives living in
Preston county, this state, knew of his
second marriage, but they made no ef-
fort TO prosecute him or to bring the
matter 10 The attention OF the first wife
Among the Preston county relatives was
his3tinst wite's sister, Mrs. Clark Coburn
She and her husband knew Of the of
fair, but they kept silent.
Mrs. Martho Collins, wife No. 2, was
very much shocked when she learnei
through the son who came her from
Ptbtsburg that there was another Mrs
Collins living, but she accepted the in
evitable and has made up her mi'rl
abide by tie consequences. Wife No.
will get the pension, if one is allowed by
Tie government