Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-10-27

| money matters began 10 trouble the
young woman. Her husbands salary
was too small to meet her growing
demands, and, it is claimed, she re-
sorted to forgery. Blackmail was the
next step, and at the trial of suit
| against Melville for store account
she unblushingly swOre that she had
been intimate with the senior men,
Der Of the plaintiff firm, one of the
most respected business men of the
city, and that said intimacy was to
have settled the account. Her thirst
for nOtOriety grew, and a series of
scandals resulted. 1t is said she &C.
cused different men of undue init
] macy with her and circulated scan
dalous tales about their wives. The
stories were not believed. but Great
Falls became too hot to hold the cop
pie, and they moved to Anaconda,
later to Butte.
Here Mrs. Melville began attend.
ing dances, where she represented
| herself as an unmarried woman. She
explained naively to her husband that
married women do not get any invi-
tatiOns. She met and became ac-
quainted with Harry Northey, who is
believed to be deserving of the most
pity of any one connected with the
miserable case. He believed her ev-
erything that pure and beautiful
girl should be and laid his heart and
home at her feet. She daringly in
troduced Melville and Northey at a
dance, afterward explaining to Nor
they that Melville was her Uncle
George She promised to bestow
her prospective fortune upon Northey
Melville Helps Her "Friend."
Early in September she showed
Melville a beautiful white dress, hose,
slippers, fan, lingeries and stunning
hat. These. she said, she was to wear
at the wedding of one of her friends,
as she was to be the maid of honor
She obtained permission to remain
at her friends house all night, as the
merry making would extend into the
small hours. She went but not as the
maid of honor. She became the bride
of Harry Northey, the unsuspecting
miner.
The next day she returned to Mel
vile, telling Northey that she must
not anger Uncle George" as he was
helping her in her efforts to secure
her fortune. She remained with him
several days, then, shamming sick
ness, she begged to be allowed to go
to her friends house for better care
She also persuaded Melville that it
was necessary for her to go to the
| coast to recuperate. and they arrang-
ed to store their household goods.
Her ingenuity again coming into play,
she said her friend" had plenty of
room and would take care of the fur
niture without charge. Thus did
George Melville furnish not only a
| wife, but household goods as well, for
the rival husband! Lorna promised
George that before going to the coast
she would return at intervals to see
him.
Unsuspecing, but anxious to con-
suit his wife in regard to some ar
rangement, Melville wendell his way
toward Northey's home one day and
inquired for Mrs. Melville No one
of that name was there. Wondering.
Melville departed but, meeting a
youth of the neighborhood, was treat
ed to a recital of the wedding recent
ly occurring at the Northey home.
The description of the bride and her
habiliaments was strangely familiar
and slowly a great light dawned up
on the mans mind. Rushing back
he entered the house and surprised
ilIS vile Will ANOllucS
Both Claim Wife.
''DO you know who that woman ISL
shrieked Melville.
'She is my wife, said the husband
| of a week
she is not; she is mine," shouted
the indignant Melville.
! "Why. Uncle George. how can you
say such things?" tearfully remon
ft,,., t.~l h. 1~-,.. 4 81
her in his arms.
Burning with the sense of his
wrongs. Melville hurried to the court
house and swore out warrant charg-
ing the woman with bigamy. The Of
ticers were at first inclined to believe
there had been some gigantic mistake,
but Melville introduced such incon-
trOvertible evidence that Lorna was
his wife and SO many persons testi-
fled to the fact that they had to be-
lieve. Mrs. Northey regarded all her
former acquaintances with a stony
! stare of unrecognition. She insisted
that Melville was her uncle, and even
provided him with wife, whom she
called Aunt Jean" This woman
proved to be an Anaconda acquain-
lance, Mrs. John Arnold, the wife
of railroad man, and of unimpeach-
able reputation. Upon the occasion
of some visit to the Melville home
she had been one of group in
kodak picture and this sufficed to
base her new character upon.
Takes Poison in Jail.
For many days Northey was stead
fast in the belief that his wife was
pure as an angel. and that all her
troubles were the result of a con-
spiracy to deprive her of her English
inheritance But he was at length
persuaded to visit the jail in company
with Melville. Northey remained out
side the cell and Melville entered.
Lorna threw herself into his embrace,
hugging and kissing him and saying
she was tired of Northey, anyway, as
he was only poor. ignorant miner.
Northey entered. and the adventures
turned upon Melville, exclaiming:
ooh. you Judas!' and tried to right
herself with her latest husband, but
| a now 1iphf had como tO him The