The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-19


 cation of troubles. But before I go I will leave this writtsn record of one of the most complicated cases in the history of the world
 l am in jail charged with bigamy. Two women came today and identified me as their husband. Five more are scheduled to arrive for the same purpose tomorrow. 1 understand there are still others. but do not propose to wait to see them. 1 solemnly swear before God that I never married but one woman and l was run ming from her when l got into this trou- ble. As to these women I never heard of them before. They swear that l am mar ried to each and I have no way of dis proving the matter.
 l am printer by trade and had worked in almost every town in vne country. Like most printers of the old school I drank a little on occasion, which wap very dis pleasing to the wife I had married three years ago in a moment of insanity. had no more use for a wife than Satan has for a prayer book, but l had her, and when I sobered up my first thought was how to get rid of her honorably. She managed the matter most admirably. At the end of three years she returned to her mother aud invited me to go my way in peace. 1 went.
 We parted in Chattanooga, where her mother lived and I took an evening train to Birmingham, intending to go on after few days stop to the Pacific coast. On the train out of Chattanooga that night 1 was startled to find in the smoker man of exactly my own build and ap- pearance If ever man had q double that man was mine. We were about the same height, weight, hair same color had eyes alike and both wore black beard. l saw that he was as much startled at the striking resemblance as myself, and with the unconventional boldness of the profession l walked over and sat down by him.
 After an introduction we exchanged cards and entered into an animated con versation on the topic of our singular re- semblance.
 We had hardly exchanged dozen words when there was a fearful jolting of the flying train, sickening crash, a hissing of escaping steam, fearful groans and shrieks and all was darkness. When I regained consciousness l was
 
 stretcher I was put, along with others, on relief train, and was carried to Bir- mingham. l found that l was not seri. ously injured, having suffered only shock I was entirely recovered on the arrival of the train in Birmingham. Two of three passengers had been killed out right and many injured
 When 1 arose next morning l heard the newsboys crying the morning paper | ...x- Int. nnL on the A. G. S. l secured paper and was very much astonIsned to find my own name among the killed. read again. Yes. it was my name. John w. Rymes printer, Chattanooga, Tenn. The paper stated further on that my body, which was considerably mangled. would be returned to Chattanooga for burial. My wife hay telegraphed these instructions. I carried the paper up to my room and soon figured out the situa- tion. The man, my double, whom l had met just before the accident, was no doubt the man taken for myself. My card had been found on his person and led to the Identification. l remembered that he had handed me the last card he | had of his.
 At this juncture a wild idea occurred to me. To carry out this idea I went down and got shave, which altered my appearance materially. Then waited. Next days paper informed me that my wife had identified the body and that had been duly buried with decency in Chattanooga.
 Thenceforward my name was George Williams, which was the name on the card had received from my unfortunate double on the train. Under this name and with my beard shorn I returned to Chattanooga and had the satisfaction of seeing my wife happy in her state Of release I saw her dressed in mourning and smiled at the very inconsistency of the thing. But she had received thou sand dollars insurance and that was pos sibly worth a strained show of bereave- ment.
 I returned to Birmingham, and as I was short on funds, went to work at the case and awaited developments.
 George Williams card did not indicate his occupation or give me any other in- formation except that he hailed from Knoxville. Tenn. On the back of the card was written in bold, vertical hand the name. Mary Williams. l shied at this a little. not knowing what trouble or complications might turk in that name for me- Was this his wife. sister, mother or a friend? I decided to lie low and wait. I watched the Knoxville papers for an account of the disappearance of George Williams. I was disappointed, but about two weeks after the railroad accident l saw an account in one of the Knoxville papers of the peculiar disap- pearance of George Willis. The paper stated that he had left two weeks ago for Birmingham. Ala. and it was thought he was on the ill-fated train wrecked near Gadsden two weeks ago, but he had not turned up among the killed or missing. He was but little known in Knoxville, having only been there about a month, and was stopping with Mrs. Mary Will | Hams, a boarding house keeper on the east side. He had left one thousand dol lars with Mrs. Williams and told her that he would return in weeks time.