West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-01-07

From the clarksbafx Tslsersm
Cisskshasgru ~he kne~ ,As isir 5eAn a.
co'lias are amazed H. iram ,tsi - ~ss
bigamist. They ess sessosls belisse IA
fact that he ~ss slle~sd - eseap< nc
eluiehss 81 the is~. aad yes "a appsau ,h.l
such ~as ihc case. oa ASeoaat q ihr srrli
genee OF relatives 90 p's~ecase sad s.iax
him 10 iaslsce.
investigation ia,u hi. eea'h. o. sa,hss.
proof 81 his draih. b,iug, oai ne facts in
,he case su.l establishes her.al asa., hh
guih he hps ,n' ~ilo~s living, ono 10
Pis'sbu aud The oshe, ia ciasksbaV. The
first has seven crcwn sons AND daughters.
aud the iauer i've small children. All hon
VI ihvir wedloek with Collns
Collins was Civil War veteran aut ap-
piicaiian Tor pension by the clartshafr
widow. Mis- Manha H.. Collins, wos made
Bsing appsised Of ,his. s. II. coiAns. son
OF the widow living IN Phlsborg, came here
10 iusessivaie aud get proof Of his fashes's
death. lie was as,onndsd to find that his
father had another large family here. and he
denounced the actions OF the deceased In
severest terms
According TO the story told by him, John
4 Collins wns about OF years OF age. Tie
married Margare, Workman a, Fsrming,ou,
Fayeste county, Pa, in 1901. where The fast
Mrs. Collins has number Of bro,hers and
sisters still living They resided happily
together for many year, and eleven children
were born TO them. OF these -four died.
The others are all grown, The eldest being
abou, 43 years old and the youngest - years
Of age.
In later life Collins wandered away from
home, but frequently returned they we're
Dunkards and the wife asked no quessions.
lie even visited her after he came 10 cIarks.
burg dozen years ago. aud ye, she had no
mixing Of his deal life.
Here he became acquainted with Sinr,ha
Wine. daughter Of Henry Wine. courled and
maried her, though he was hcr senior by
many years, she being very young woman.
She knew nothing Of the other Mrs. Collins
and he never told her. They resided to-
gethes until his death, December 81. 1900.
aud he was buried here without The know
ledge IT his other family The union with
the second wife brought MIN fve cnildren,
all II wh.m are living. This marriage was
contracted. after 1900, the date when law
was passed to the effect iha, the ~idow of a
veteran who married her after that date was
excluded from the pension tight.
Daring this wedloek couple Of aephewp.
1t is claiped by s II Collins. came TO
cia,kshusg and visited Collins at his home.
They ascertnined ,he conditions. AMI
denounced Collins bitterly for his dual life
aud threatened 20 expose him. but nothing
along that line was done. fsis also stated
that relatives living 10 Preston eoonty. th's
State, knew of h.s second marriage, bu, iiey
made 40 effort 10 prosecute him or.bring shs
matter 70 The attention Of inc 6ssi wife .
Among the Pseslon county relauvrs wcte
his first wife's sister. MIS- Clark coi,ufn.
She aud hef husband knew Of the affair, bu,
they kept silent
MIS-. Martha Collins, wife NJ 2. was
very much shocked when she learned lliroagh
the son who came here f,om Pinsbnrg that
there VAS another Mrs Collins living bBl
she accepted the insyitable and has made
up her mad to abide by the consequences
Wife No. viii gel the pension. u one is
allowed BY the government.