Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-02-04

TELLS a STRANGE sToRN
Was to Help the Girl Obtain Charge of
Her Child That He Consented to
Pass Himself as Her Husband
Johnston's Wife Files Action charg
ing Adultery.

Ira Johnston, the young man an
rested at Muscatine Thursday night
charged with bigamy, in an in1orna
ton filed by his brother-ln- law. Z. ,.
Gowdy, was brought to the city TINS
morning by Sheriff G. S. Hutson, and is
in JAIL The charge Of bigamy, from
present appearances, cannot be sue
cessfully prosecuted, as 1t now deVel-
ops that the claim of Johnston and
Margaret Espersen, to the effect that
they had been married at Muscatine
on January 4, is not true.
Johnston denied at Muscatine. upon
his arrest, that he was the husband OF
the Espersen girl, and claimed that he
had got into trouble with his wife. IN
an endeavor to help the girl get pos
session of her babe, which had been
kept by it's grandmother, in this city.
Johnston was seen in Jail here this
afternoon, and told his story as fol-
lows:
Il am not married to Miss Espersen.
nor have / ever intended marrying her.
consented to help her get the custody
of her child. which she told me her
mother would not give her until she
had a home for it. 1t seems that the
girl wanted the child, but that her
mother had always maintained that as
long as the daughter was working
out, and without a home. the babe
could be better cared for here.
Miss Espersen has been working at
the Record office in Miscatine, and I
met her. She told me of her desire to
get her child, and proposed to come to
Marsllalltown. ! thought | would do
a little running around, and see If there
was any work In Cedar Rapids and
Burlington. and came up bore last Sat-
urday night. | hunted up Miss Es-
persen, and she told me that she had
told her folks that she had married me,
and asked me to bear her out in che
statement. She said to make the date
January 4. This did. in order to nelp
her out l cautioned her about making
the matter public, for j knew that my
wife was only sixteen miles away, and
that she would surely see the account
of our alleged marriage, IL 1T We're pub
lished. AS soon as ! saw the account
in the paper, | was prepared for ar
rest, for l knew what would happen
Not Worrying Over Charge.
Johnston is not worrying over the
charge of bigamy, for he says that it is
folly to think of his committing big
amy. He admits having been indis-
Greet, and compares himself to "Hap-
by Hooligan," who has got his foot
into it, in trying to do good turn to
another. II understand that my wife
is going to prosecute me on the charge
| of adultery, but am not afraid of this.
| either"
Were Not Married in Muscatine.
George Espersen, brother of Miss
Espersen, said that when his sister
came home, and claimed to be married
to Ira Johnston, she said that the Con-
gregational minister at Muscatine had
married them on January 4. The T.-R.
wired Muscatine, and received a reply
this afternoon, saying that no license
was issued to Ira Johnston and Mar
garet Espersen, and that Rev. J. p.
Clyde, pastor of the Congregational
church, said he had not married the
| couple.
Wife Charges Adultery.
In Justice Clark's court this morning
Mrs Mabel A. Johnston, nee Gowdy,
filed an information charging Johnston
with adultery. Margaret Espersen Is
named as correspondent. Johnston was
given until this afternoon to secure an
attorney, and upon arrangement both
cases, that of bigamy and adultery,
were continued until next Saturday.
Johnston entered plea of not guilty
in both cases. His bond was fixed at
$780, but late this afternoon he had not
been able to furnish 1t.
Miss Espersen, accompanied by her
babe, returned with Johnston to the
city, Miss Espersen said that she was
going to do all in her power to assist
Johnston in getting out of the trouble
that had been brought upon him be-
cause of an effort to assist her.