The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-02-02
Death of Charles Dubridge
Reveals His Past
Life.
WHICH IS HIS WIDOW?
Chicago Heights Woman Claims
Right to Bury the Remains
Hammond Wife Denies.

Inc death or Charles Dubridge
teamster employed by Golden broth
ers, who received fatal injuries last
Tuesday by the overturning OF his
wagon while he was driving into the
grounds of the Standard Steel Car
company's works. has revealed a re-
markable state of affairs in his do
nestle life.
Two women. each claiming to be the
widow of the dead man, awaited the
verdict or the coroner over Dubridge's
remains this morning. One Mrs. Du-
bridge No. ], sat in the undertaking
establishment where the body lay I'm
the morgue and was surrounded by
three small girls. her daughters.
In a little home in 37s State street
was Mrs. Dubridge No. 2, surrounded
by four children, two of whom be-
ionged to the late teamster by his first
wife.
The feeling that the two women bear
toward each other may be better
imagined than described and there was
no hesitation on the part OF either of
them to speak her mind about the
other.
Remains object of Controversy
In the meantime the remains Of the
dead man are being made the object
Of controversy between the rival wives.
one of whom desires to have them buri-
ed this afternoon while the other is
determined the funeral shall be defer
red until tomorrow.
According to the story of wife No.
I she had lived with her husband until
about two years ago, when attracted
by the charms OF Leona German, he
began to spend his money on the lat
Ter ana left her ana -hrY chi1dren IN
want. On account OF this condition
she was forced TO take In boarders. and
after some time he brought the sec
ond wife into the house while wife
No. l was absent. Her story continues
that Dubridge finally deserted her en-
tirely and taking the two older boys
and wife No. 2, who was Mrs. Charles
German until then. with him he de-
parted for Indiana Harbor. Here, ac-
cording to the story she sought him
out and asked him to come back to
their home He refused, and she knew
nothing OF him any more until she
heard OF his death yesterday
Her presence at the inquest she said,
was not so much for the great love
that she felt toward him, as for the
care for the children that she had. She
says she wishes to establish her claim
as the rightful wife OF the deceased
in order to recover whatever damages
may be awarded on account of Du-
bridges death. This she intends to do
for her children.
Husband of No. Does Time.
AS far wife No. is concerned
she, according to wife No. l, ran away
l4av hue,
who. in a fit of jealousy, followed her
and finding her in Dubridge's com
pany, fired a gun at her, for which
act he served a sentence in prison
The story of wife No. Of course.
is different one. She says that Mrs.
Dubridge No. l deserted her husband
and left the home with one of the
boarders, Thomas Blocks. The 16-
year-old Dubridge boy standing beside
his step mother vouched for the truth
Of that statement and added that this
took place on August 8, 1905. Mrs
German Dubridge reluctantly admitted
that she had not been granted a d.
vorce from her first husband, Charles
German, but that since leaving him
she had lived in the best of peace with
the late Dubridge. AS far as the
money IS concerned that might pos
sibly be paid to the widow as damages
for Dubridge's death, wife No. 2 said
that she washes her hands Of it en-
tirely and that she is above wrangling
about money over the body of a dead
man, and that as far as disposing of
the body and making the funeral ar
rangements she would have the last
say about that. especially since the
teamsters union, of which Dubridge
was a member. would stand by her.
Union Up a Tree.
AS for the teamsters union its off,
GERS are undecided what It will do in
the affair. At a special meeting which
was held last night II was decided to
withhold any contributions toward de-
fraying any of the funeral expenses.
At the inquest this forenoon it was
established that Dubridge came by his
death from injuries he received. The
body was given over to wife No. I, who
made arrangements to have It buried
this afternoon. According to the latest
reports IL looked as though wife No l
would win out. on the matter of the
time of burial as the undertaken gave
IA 70 ho-