The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-24


is the first in which her adventures
have brought returns in cash.
Mrs Willis career is remarkable
almost beyond belief. She abs a long
escapade took place in Kansas. At
that time Granville was her home.
She was married at that place to
Emory Willis, a well to do farmer.
Edith Simmons and her home before
becoming a wife had been at Perry,
Kansas.
Went Away to school.
She lived at Granville for several
years with her husband, and became the
mother of a baby girl After the child
was about three years of age, she rep
resented to her husband that she wish
ed to go to school at Bethany college
at Lindsborg to study music Her hus-
band assented and she went away
The first inkling of any wrong actions
on her part came to light when it was
reported from Junction City that ]. w.
Bundy, the Union Pacific station agent
at Ellis, Kan, had attempted suicide
there because of unrequfted love for
Miss Edith Simmons, who had prom
lsed to marry him. He took poison but
was rescued by doctors. Letters were
found in his clothes from Miss Sim
mons He said that he had formerly
lived at Perry, Kan, and had at the
time of the death of the girls mother
promised to look after her. She had
suddenly one day. He found that she
had gone to Abilene. He could not find
her and attempted suicide in his des-
pondency.
While Bundy was busy paying the
woman's expenses at Lindsborg she
was gathering other flies into her net
The next heart in the line of attack
was that of a young student at Salina
His name was J. H. James and he was
the son of wealthy mine owner at San
Marcial n. M. In the quest of adVen-
ture he had left home years before and
neglected his education. When % years
of age he thought that a college course
would be the right thing 50 he matricu-
lated at Wesleyan university in Salina
1t was there that Mrs. Willis met him
and captured his heart She had him
bound arm and foot and they became
engaged. He had money and spent it
on her lavishly. He suspected her a lit
tie, but she allayed his doubts by tell
ing him that though she was the wife
of another man she had a~right to give
herself away in marriage again because
aforner wife was claiming her husband.
She said that she had an elegant home
in Topeka. and that upon the settlement
of her fathers estate she would be left
wealthy.
But one day James heard that his in
tended had passed through Salina with
a Mr.. Elliott. He Investigated. A few
ried Elliott at Manhattan, and the press
dispatches of the occurrences quote him
as thanking his lucky stars that he
had not married her
Marriage to Elliott.
That naturally brought her romance
with Elliott into public notice. Elliott
was a travelling man with a Milwaukee
house. He had met Mrs. Willis some
where on his route and it was but a
little while until she had him captured.
She told him that she was a single wo-
man and that her home was in Topeka,
where har father, Major William Sims,
was a wealthy banker. She engaged
herself to him. So completely did he
believe her and throw caution to the
winds that he resigned his position, sent
back his travelling bags and sample
cases, and married her. After the cere-
mOny, just as they were getting on the
train, a newspaper reporter tried to get
an interview. Elliott refused to talk
when the reporter said: DO you know
that your wife has a husband living at
GrantVille?' That opened his eyes. He
investigated. In two days they parted
Mrs. Willis, undismayed went back
home and lived with her husband 1T
Perry, Kan. He took her again to his
hearth and for quite while she lived
with him and their little girl But her
old spirit broke loose again and she be-
came acquainted with a man by the
name of Scott Smedley and married
him. Then she went back home again
to Perry for a brief stay Finally she,
Mr.. Willis, Mr.. Smedley and the little
girl all left Perry and went to Lincoln,
Neb., to live. That was the last heard
of them according to telephone mes
sage received from Perry this morning.
None of them have been back since.
A Colorado Case.
But she has been busy since leaving !
the state. She must have gone on
wrecking hearts right along. Pre- I
vious to her present escapade with
Wells, she must have had ease
with an attorney by the name of
Hooker from Texas This special dis
patch from Colorado Springs tells the
story:
Colorado Springs, March 24.-E. w
Hooker, the youthful attorney of Cen
ter, Texas, who arrived here yesterday
afternoon to meet Mrs. Edith L.
Smedley, the woman arrested here on
coln Neb this morning admitted to
q representative of the Associated |
Press that he had expected to marry
Mrs. Smedley at some time and re-
fused to deny that he had come here
at this time with the intention of /
marrying her in this city, if she as
5ured him that everything was clear
to that end. He said that to meet her
was the object of his trip and that he
expected to leave this city with her.
Every man thinks himself to be a
Judge of human nature" he said. ''At I,
east do. and L am frank to say |
that my candid judgment is that Mrs.
SmedIey is being made the victim of a |
very great injustice
When asked whether he would go |
in her behalf he said:
'I do not understand the situation /
yet, bet I think 1 will go back to
Texas
Left Perry a Year Ago.
Perry, Kan, March 24.-AIrs. Edith
returned to her home at Grant
vile soon after her marriage to Mr.
Elliott, the travelling man. Her hus-
band, Emory Willitts, began suit for
a.
1t was recognized that her marriage to
Elliott was not valid because she had
a husband living. Nothing was heard
of Elliott after the marriage Mr.. and
Mrs. WilIitts left Granville about a
year ago with their little daughter. Ac-
companying them was man named