The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-26

home broken in health to die. On the
night of June rs. 1901. he called his
father to the bedside and exacted a
promise that he would never, while
/ he lived, forsake the pursuit of the
| wife and mother, never desist I'M
| til he found her and delivered the
| message from her dying son beseech-
| ing her to leave Eifert and to lead an
upright life, even though she would
not return home. The father prom
| ised.
He started on the search. working
for few weeks at a time for money
to continue, returning to his home and
chlldren as often as his vigil per-
| mitted. Misfortune haunted the un-
dren. two daughters, Mary aged TO-
and Myrtle aged 16, died, leaving only
the father and the errant mother.
Money was lacking and Hayes
plunged into gambling to win what he
could not earn. He frequented mining
camps and railroad outfits, working
some and gambling a great deal, sue
cessfully. A few hundreds ahead and
ne would start on new clue. but only
10 return baffed, to the toll and vice.
An evening about a year ago Hayes
and his partner drifted into Buffalo
Mo-. where they intended to open a
gambling den and saloon.
We thought that it would be
good opening. Buffalo is a prohibit
| ton county and we expected that we
could catch lots of innocent young
men and get the suckers money" said
Hayes. 1T was anything with me lust
SO could get the money to hunt my
wife.
There was murder in my heart. In
my weary search I became desperate
4! was determined to find Eifert and
XIII him. 1t was revenge I wanted.
Revenge in the name of my despoiled
home and the children who died with
| their mother in disgrace
AS they were looking the town over
4 &c OWN
gospel meeting. There one of those
inexplfcable mysteries of Gods own
doing was enacted. Hayes was con-
verified and his wild desire for revenge
was transformed to a wholesome de-
sire for justice, stern perhaps but JUS
tfce. The search was continued, but
with a new purpose vengeance
modified.
While on an excursion through
schuyler county where he hoped to
learn of Eifert, Hayes met a soldier on
Fturlough from Fort Leavenworth- who
informed him that an Ed Eifert was
employed as mail carrier. Anxiously
they compared descriptions and Hayes
was satisfied that he had at last To-
Gated the guilty pair.
Yesterday afternoon he walked into
the yard at No. 421 North Seventh
street and met the woman who had
been the object of his long weary
seven years of heart-breaking search.
he stepped up to her briskly and
kissed her. She looked up surprised
and perhaps Duzzled-she did not
recognize her husband.
step into the house; 1 want to
speak to you,' he said quietly
In the house he turned her face to
his and smiled. 1t was a bitter-sweet
satisfaction.
Don't you know me?"
Don't you remember Burrie?"
A flash of wild establishment and
sickening realization swept over her
race as she started back limp and pale
MY God! What are you going to
do? she gasped.
Have you got a divorce?" asked
Hayes of the cringing woman.
Yes. have"
Let me see it?''
Il don't have to let you see any
thing" she answered. her voice husky
with the awful dread
All right, I'll make you show me-"
With head bowed he stood silent a
minute. Then he asked for the pic
taken from their home seven years
ago. He looked at them tearfully and
placed them in his pocket
Ill have them drawn in crayon and
return the photos to YOU" he answer
ed to her insistent angry pleading.
Then out on the sidewalk as he was
leaving to consummate his plans by
placing the matter in the hands of the
1T will be long time before you see
these pictures again."
Hayes appeared before Lee Bond,
county attorney, to swear to COM
plant charging Elfert and Mrs Hayes
with adultery. That no injustice might
De done Bond sent for Elfert, who was
working at Wits grocery on Shawnee
street He asked Eifert to produce a
decree dtssolving the Hayes wedding in
1881 This Eifert promised to do and
was allowed liberty until o'clock to
get the divorce decree which would dis
miss the prosecution.
Eifert went to the grocery and drew
his wages, saying that he was going to
quit. He did not appear at the county
attorneys office at the appointed time.
Sheriff Tom Brown Immediately notified
Lieutenant Krumm at police headQuar-
tiers that Eifert was wanted and to
make haste to get him, not wishing to
lose the time necessary to go from the
county jail to Eifert's home, No. 421
North Seventh street. Krumm went to
the grocery and learned that Eifert had
gone. He detailed Detectives Titel and
Barrett who found Eifert at his home. |
Eirert was unable to produce divorce
decree for Mrs. Hayes and they were
taken to the county jail on a warrant
charging them with adultery.
Hayes will remain here until the pre-
liminary hearing Is held.
Il will not rest now until they are
convicted" he said last night THE |
past seven years shall not be wasted.
But this Is not all, for Eifert-I have
another score to reckon with him. will
prosecute him after this in Missouri for |
the unnatural crime for which / dis
charged him that day seven years ago.
Then he is wanted in Schuyler county
for obtaining money under false pre-
lenses. I know this positively. There
has been reward for him for several
years.
LAS for my wife; she will surely be
punished enough. I don't want her now
In her disgrace. but am willing to let
her alone