The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-08
.LIKEENOCH ARDEN
Magnus Johnson Returns-Finds
Wife Married.
Went Away Without Word to
Family.
THOUGHT HIM DEAD.
After Period of Mourning Wed
ded Hired Man.
HIM DEAD.
Husband Leaves for Richland
YOwing Vengeance.

Magnus Johnson, alias Enoch Arden.
Rlehland, Kansas, is the latest entry
upon the register of romance and
pathos- Magnus Johnson, a farmer. left
ms wife and children over seven years
ago without word of parting and this
morning boarded a Missouri Pacific
traln at 1O:40 bound for Richland to re-
turn to the bosom of his family. But
afas- Another head of the family exists.
lot MS wife possesses another husband.
My God, is my Betty married. ex-
claimed johnson this morning as he re-
ceiVed the first intimation of his wife's
cohhuplal state. The news was con-
Veyed to him by an old neighbor. Mrs.
Wright Seybold of Richland who was
in the waiting room of the Missouri Pa
enc depot in Topeka preparatory to her
departure for her home. Johnson was
standing in the waiting room and ap-
preaching Mrs. Seybold said:
Aren't you Mrs seyboid." Mrs.
Seybold acknowledged to the identifca-
ton
Don't you recognize me-" continued
he.
Your face looks familiar but can't
seem to remember your name, returned
Mrs. SeyboId-
m Magnus Johnson" said the lost
one "How's my wife and the chill
dren, he instantly exclaimed.
Your wife is married came back
the startling response. What, my God.
is my Betty married?' The news an
peared to stun the unhappy man for an
instant Then recovering he poured in
vective upon invective upon the heads
of the pair, his wife and the man she
had married.
It's all put up scheme" said he.
I wrote back home four or five times
but 1 never received a word back Walt
until I get there. III fix that man.
may not be able to do it but I can ger
somebody that can.
Has he been good to the children o.
came the inquiry as the parental solicit
tude Qyercame the rising wrath which
surged to the surface.
The man created considerable atten-
ton by his loud talking and soon an
interested group were about the pair
johnson stated that he had been in
Kansas City, Omaha. and through the
greater portions of Iowa, Missouri and
Nebraska during his several years alb
sence and that the object which moved
him to leave his family so suddenly
was desire to increase his material
wealth and to bring some money home
to his wife and family. He said that a
number of years ago he succeeded in
accommodating S375 and was on his way
home when he was set upon by three
hlghW aymen and robbed of the entire
sum- He appealed to the police but the
money was never recovered. From his
broken speech it appeared that the rob-
berry had taken place in Omaha. He
then gave up the idea of returning and
started in to retrieve his lost fortune.
He was apparently not as successful
in this as he expected for he stated that
this morning that he was going home
and have his Betty take care of him.
Johnson maintains that he has been
gone only five years but his neighbOrs
say 1t has been six or seven years and
probably longer He left without a
word Of goodby and his wife and fam
lily were at a loss to account for his
departure They thought that he had
been murdered. All sorts of rumors
were started. Some of the gossips even
went so far as to state that his wife
and children had killed him and buried
him on the farm. Then a rumOr came
to the effect that Johnson had been
seen in Kansas City and that later that
he had died Waiting for information
his wife spent her time in looking after
the duties of caring for farm of 120
acres and the large family of children.
At last after year had elapsed Mrs.
johnson lent a favorable ear to the
wOoing of Robert Henderson, a laborer
who has been working on the various
farms adjacent to Richland for a great
many wears The two were married
and have been living in happiness to-
gether for the past six years believing
fully that Johnson was dead and that
their marriage was entirely valid.
Not a word had reached them of any
reported appearance of johnson in his
living state and the first intimatiOn
which viii come to the couple of John
sons return viii be late this afternoon
when the latter goes out to his former
home three miles west of Richland.
A week ago Wright Seybold and his
son. L. H. Seybold, neighbors of John
son s. attended a sptrttualiSt meeting al
220 West Sixth avenue. Out of curl
Osity they consulted the cfairvoyant
Inez Wagner, regarding the alleged
demise of Johnson. After putting the
question the supposed shadowy form
and mysterious voice of johnson is
said to have made its appearance and
acknowledged that he had died nat
ural death and that a considerable sum
of money was buried in one corner OF
the farm.
johnson is about IS years old, his
wife about so and Henderson is close
to SIS. johnson is small and thick sci
while Henderson is built on a large
scale. johnson and his wife are both
of Swedish descent and the former
cannot speak the English language
Mainly. Among his neighbors he has
been accounted queer and it is stated
that he acted rather queerly just pre-
vious to his disappearance.
johnson first appeared in Topeka
sunday. He hung around the railway
station the greater part of the day but
as the accommodation passenger tc
Rjchland does not run on Sundays he
could not get out to his home. Early
this morning he appeared again at the
depot and stayed there until the ar
rival of his train and the chance en-
counter with his former neighbor.