The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-02-09
DESERTED HIS
SECOND WIFE
GUFFIN TOOK A SNEAK
FROM ORRvILLE.
Without Stopping to Say
Good Bye.
THE WOOSTER SHERIFF
The WOOSTER SHERIFF

Says Information Has Been Filed
Against Him There Charging Big
amy-Father Of tho Deceived Orr
willie Girl viii Proseoute--fiouse-
hold Goods are Still at Lima
Theory That the Man Is Crazy.
According to information received
here from Orrville and Lima. Richard
s. Guffln, the much married printer, is
q fugitive from Justice, having desert
ed his second wife at Orrville without
the formality of bidding her good bye.
and that information has been filed
against him at Wooster and the sheriff
of Wayne county is looking for him.
The story Of GuffRs career was
given in Thursday mornings News.
He deserted his wife and 14-year-old
son In Lima and went to 0rrville
where he married Miss Ida MeCor-
mick, stating to her and her father
that he had been divorced from his
former wife.
Positive information has been re-
ceived from Lima to the effect that
neither Judge Cunningham nor any
other judge in that county granted
Guf1ln divorce, and no divorce case
has ever been filed by him against his
wife One story he told was that he
had given a large sum Of money to a
brother Of his first wife to secure a
divorce for him, but at Lima it is said
that the wife had no brother living
there and that all her relatives live in
Illinois, where she has gone.
1t appears that the man lived with
his Lima wife up until few days be-
fore his second marriage and LETT
without any intimation that he was
about to marry another woman. What
cnnnot be understood is where the
courtship took place. While Gufin was
ir Canton he was in the company of a
woman a number Of times which he
said was friend of his wife, but no
one here has been able to locate the
woman or ascertain the truth Of his
statements.
The sheriff Of Wayne county tele-
graphed the cdlerk Of courts at Lima
asking for positive information as to
whether or not the divorce had been
granted. He also stated that parties
were there from Orrville to file infor-
nation against Guffin charging him
with bigamy.
Over at Lima many persons who
knew the man think that he has gone
crazy, as they cannot in any other
way account for his strange actions.
His household goods are all there Just
as his wife left them when she started
for the west.
The Morning News called up J. A.
Mccormick, the father of wife No. 2.
at Orrville, last night and asked him
for information. He said that Gufln
had gone down town Friday morning
and sent back word that he was going
to Cleveland and then, to Lima and
would secure the papers and prove
that he was, innocent of the charges
brought against him. He did not go
to the house to bid his new wife good
bye
An effort was made to talk to the
daughter of Mr.. Mccormick. who is
the victim Of the unlawful marriage,
but she had retired and was sound
asleep. worn out with the worry and
humiliation Of the affair.
Over the telephone Mr.. Mccormick
stated that he had telegraphed the clerk
at Lima and had received the positive
assurance from him that Guffin had
not been divorced from his wife and
that she was still bound to him by the
law
What are you going to do about it;
are you going to let 1t go by?" was
asked of Mr.. Mccormick.
mo. sir; / shall prosecute him II he
does not clear the matter up" replied
the gentleman, very emphatically.
why did you not do something he
fore he went away?"
HE claimed he was innocent and
could prove 1t, and seemed so earnest
that l believed 1t. l now believe that
oil these stories are true and that he
has deceived my laughter. II he Is
guilty Of that will hunt him down"
Gufiin Is man about 40 years of
age. He has SO far as the people at
Linn know. lived an exemplary life.
He Is not drinking man, at least not
to excess. He Is dark complexioned,
with a heavy dark mustache. and has
a rather shifting eye. Where he went
from Orrville has not been ascertained.
il. as Is thought at Lima, he is insane,
he may show up at almost any point,
but II lie is guilty and in his right
mind, the indications are that he is
getting out of the state.
No word has been received from his
wife and II is possible that Gufin has
gone to his former home in Illinois.
pERMITS To UIEn