The Oskaloosa herald., 1907-02-14
BECKWITH IS FREE,
WIFE HAS CHILDREN
JUDGE WiTHRoW GRANTS DE.
CREE FOR DISCRETION.
THE END OF AN IOWA ROMANCE
Grand Daughter of President Lincoln
Is Divorced BY Her Foot Ball
Hero Whom She Welded
In Haste.

Mount Pleasant, Ia, Feb 1o.-Judge
Withrow heard the divorce case Of
Warren Beckwith against Jessie Lin
coin Beckwitn and he was granted q
divorce on the grounds of desertioa
The testimony showed that she left
the plaintiff early in January, two
years ago, since which time she has
remained away. Judge Withrow re
stored both to all the rights o. unmar
ried persons and held that neither
one was entitled to any alimony from
the other and that neither had any
claim on the property of the other
The two children, Mary Beckwith
and Warren, Jr, were given into the
care Of their mother and are now with
the parents of their mother in the
south. Beckwith was represented in
court today by H. A. Amber attorney
and Judge Babb looked after the de
PENDANTS interests.
No contest was made as to the
granting of the decree, defendant
merely contending for the custody OF
,C1e children, which was not denied
by the plaintiff.
-, End of An Iowa Romance.
!, 1t was early in the fa.. of 1897 that
a young and beautiful girl came to
Mount Pleasant on a visit to her
grandfather, the late Senator Harlan.
She was the daughter Of Robert Todd
Lincoln of chicago, president of the
Pullman Car Company of Pullman,
Ill, 1t had been the young woman's
custom to make yearly visits to the
quiet cou9try home of her mothers
father and romp through the ancient
halls of the beautiful structure.
On the day that the Wesleyan uni,
yersity team was to meet an opposing
college on the gridiron she deciled to
attend the contest with, oLner girl
friends. Warren Beckwitn was cas-.
lily the best athlete in his home school
and the star half-back of HIS team.
And that day he distinguished him
self by his clever work, proving the
hero of the struggle, and carrying
the ball to final touchdown AMI vic.
tory,
After the game the young couple
were introduced. those who know
say it was case of love at first sight.
Nevertheless the visit of the pretty
Chicago girl was prolonged uatil far
into the winter. Every place where
a social event was neld Warren
Beckwith and Jessie Lincoln were
seen together They liked each oth-
erss society. Their tastes were sim,
liar and in fact they agreed on many
things of mutual interest.
So the young people saw much OF
each other. Both knowing that the
parental side of the rose was a grim
specter in their plans, they quietly
planned to get married. And in the
fall of 1898 they eloped to Milwau-
kee where they were married.
But the anger of the girls elders
could not be appeased. Young Beck
with was forbidden to enter the house
and prevented from seeing his wife,
who, it was said, was kept prisoner
in the big mansion. But the girl la
bored persistently for forgiveness, and
her husband was given a position
some months later in the vast car
shops of the Pullman company. The
couple, still in the bliss of happiness
went to live in a little cottage on the
south side of Chicago. There a
baby girl came to brighten the lit
tie home.
But the family opposition was still
strong and finally the young wife con
sented to leave her husband and &c
away with her mother. Rumors hal
been current for some time previou:
that Mr.. and Mrs. Beckwitn were moi
living happily together, but these
were always denied. At any rate in
1904 Warren Beckwitn returned tc
Mount Pleasant to make his home
but his wife did not accompany him
It was said that she had gone to joir
her mother at her country home in
the hills of Vermont.
The romance of the granddaughter
Of President Abraham Lincoln a1C
the college loot ball hero which begar
in the fall of 1897. has been shat
tered.
Minnesota Paper Changes Hands.
Winona, Mimi, Feb. ia deal was
~ 49, - N,