Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-03

tics Yesterday Is n Great Grand
son of Patrick Henry and Widely
known In Va.
Thomas Bruce. son of one of the most
prominent families in Virginia, and
great grandson of Patrick Henry, after
remarkable career, in which he has dis
sipated a large torture. and spent fifteen
out Of forty;lve years as an advcnturer
and a professional bridegroom. Is held in
Baltimore jail to answer the charge of
bigamy.
Just how many wives Mr.. Bruce has,
is not accurately known at this time.
There are certainly two, perhaps three.
and one at least Of his victims believes
that there may be round dozen. It is
chara u that since Thomas Bruce cut
himself adrift from his relations, he
has supported himself by his matrimonial
ventures, and has robbed his uuondanl
wives of all their worldly fortunes.
After his arrest in Baltimore. Bruce
was released on So, ooo bail. but Governor
Smith has granted the requsition of the
we" Jersey ana lllC
viii be taken to the scene of his last
matrimonial venture. to answer the
charge, which, if proved. will settle him
behind the bars of the New Jersey peni-
tentiary for long term of years.
Mrs Nolic Hammond Bruce. the last
wife of Thomas Bruce, is in New York.
in very reduced circumstances. She was
seen there last night by Dispatch cor
respondent. who secured an interview with
her and her aged mother.
In PitifuI Plight.
III a. pitiful little apartment of two
rooms at No 23t east Seventy-sixtu
night found Mrs Mollie Harmon Bruce,
third wife of Thomas Bruce, alleged
bigsmist, of Richmond. and her aged
mother, Mrs. Hannah.
The furniture was meagre, the woman's
apparel was neatness itself, yet showing
signs of poverty.
The two women, not many months ago.
were in aff1uence. They had a con1for-
table home in Jersey. and all that money
could want NIollie Hannah, is an ac-
complished painter. She Is tall and state
ly. with the bronze hair that Titan fam
ed. Her features are classical. her
whole personality artistic to the finger
tips.
Thomas Bruce, the husband, is under
arrest In Baltimore charged by the
women with bigamy. His third wife to-
night said he was a professional BRIDE
groom" Her mother told with tears in
her eyes how Bruce had robbed them of
everything.
The women are going to prosecute.
The other wives have been asked to
join. Bruce may be punished. but as
Mollie Hannah said tonight as she pat
ted the head of her white haired MOTH
er:
I'VE must begin the struggle of life
all over again.
Said His Wife Was Insnne.
The story is SO very distasteful to me
that 7 really shudder to relate it. It was
late in 1856 when first met Thomas
Bruce. He was introduced to me at my
home in Newark. N. J., and frequented
our house almost nightly. When he be-
gan paying attention to me he told HE
he was a widower and told US al that
his wife had died in an insane asylum
in Richmond. He posed as very wealthy
man and spent money quite literally. He
led US to believe he was largely interested
in coal and timber lands in Virginia. He
also represented himself to be the author
of various works on mineralogy.
We lived together for fourteen months.
he making frequent trips as supposed
on business. but later I discovered he
had married May II, 1896. Her name is
Pearl Arnold. She is an actress ana
known on the stage as Ruth DeShon. AS
soon as heard this I began an invssti-
cation. I discovered that his first wife
was still living. and he had not even
obtained a divorce. He has, I'm sure,
several moro wives. / discovered that he
was keeping an establishment in Pitts
burg. The woman whose rent he was
paying there is a woman physician. Her
name is Mrs. Annie christian. at $40
Pennsylvania Avenue. She may be one
of his wives. I wrote to her and warned
her and asked if she had been deceived
into marrying him. Here is her reply:
Dear Madam: / beg to thank you for
nished me-
Kindly" was heavily underscored. His
first wife was Miss Louisa Howard. whom
he married in Riyhmond in 1879. He talk
ed to me continually about his properties
in Virginia and his Richmond home, but
whenever suggested going there he had
an excuse.
.sWhen 1 made my first discovery and
began to Investigate / found my husband
was a professional bridegroom He be-
came acquainted with the law in New
Jersey, which outlaws the crime of big
amy after failure to prosecute within
two wears Among his effects found
hundreds of letters, all OF the most en-
dearing description, and scores of photo.
graphs of women. In many letters he Is
addressed as husband
Il believe if the matter is thoroughly
investigated it will be found he has
dozen wives. He is a cousin of William
Cabel Bruce. formerly Senator from Bal
,imore. In Richmond he has an uncle,
whom / must blame for misleading me.
corresponded with him. Scores OF let
te,s have / written to him in the past
three years. In none of his letters did
he ever disclose the fact that his nephew
had SO shamefuly deceived me. Surely
he must have known that Bruce'si flrst
wife. whom he claimed died in a Rlch-
mond insane asylum, was alive and Well
When l wrote to his uncle about my
husbands periodical desertions. he wrote
me, kindly enough. letters telling me
must get used TO it. for he charged that
my husband was demented.
From what j have discovered. l feel
sure Thomas Bruce made a good living
by being professional bridegroom. He
got all our money. He knows New Jersey
law. which outlaws bigamy if il goes un-
prosecuted for two years. From his let
ters ] have found this important fact.
that he invited all his prospective brides
10 go to Jersey to get married am
<yIad be will at last ha punished not alone