Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-05-09
HARRY HAYES sWEARs THAT
MAY HAYES HAD HUSBAND BE-
FORE HE MARRIED HER.
WERE NOT DIVORCED
Claims Bride Told Him That She Had
Secured Legal Separation From
Her Former Mate-Wife Says "spite
Work"-Woman Arrested.

Charging that the woman he mar
ried last October, was then the wife
OF another man, Harry Hayes, who
resides on East Main street has filed
information accusing his consort, May
Hayes Of bigamy. Hayes claims that
when their marriage took place he be.
lleved that his bride had been d.
ycrced from her former husband,
George Boofter, but that he has since
learned that she was not then, and
is not now divorced, but is still the
wife, legally, of husband No. /.
HRS. Hayes was arrested in Des
Moines yesterday afternoon by Con
stable M. W. Crisweil and brought to
OtInmwa. She was arraigned last ev-,
ening in Justice G.. B. Melick's court
and pleaded not guilty. She gave bond
and Is at present at large awaiting
the trial Of the case.
Married at OttumWa.
Harry Hayes and May Robinson
were married here last October in the
parsonage Of the Willard Street Meth
odist Episcopal church, the pastor,
Rev. e. j. Shook performing the cere-
IRONY. Mrs. Hayes is the daughter Of
prominent parents. residing at Knox
vile, la.
Mr.. Hayes states that at the time he
married the young woman, he knew
that she had been married previously,
but she told him that she and her
former husband were divorced. Hayes
claims that George Boofter Of Des
E1oines is the first husband of the
girl. Hayes alleges that his wife told
him before her marriage that Boofter
had obtained a divorce on the grounds
of desertion. According to Mr.. Hayes
he and his wife moved to Des Moines
and started housekeeping He was
employed by Swift and company. Ear
ly in January, he states, he and his
wife had a dispute and he came to
Ottumwa where he has been working
since. Recently he has learned that
his wife never was legally separated
from oBofter and for that reason he
has filed the charges against her.
Says It's Spite Work.
When interviewed this morning,
Mrs Hayes stated that the whole pro-
| ,ceedings are spite work on the part
of her husband
HE left me last January" she said,
land came to Ottumwa. am divorced
from Boofter and my attorneys can
prove 1t. l, myself commenced a III
worse suit against Boofter in Novem-
Der, 1905 on the grounds of desertion.
Ny decree was granted but couldn't
| raise the money to prove UP on 1t and
let 1t so. Later, after Boofter hal
gone to Des Moines, he told me that
| he had secured a divorce while IN
Missouri. have never saw the pap
ers, but believed Boofter when LIE
told me and believe him yet.
81 took my maiden name after that
and under that name married Hayes.
We moved to Des Moines and then lie
left me in January and came to Ottum-
wa. The present case is nothing but
spite work, because / wouldn't admit
that was his wife to save him from
paying some money he owed here a
lawyer here wrote me while was r.
Des Moines. asking me to sign papers
proving that was Hayes wife, The
4 lawyer stated that. Hayes had been
| trying to get out of paying some bills
/ here because he had wife to support
in Des l,loines | wouldn't sign the
papers. Instead of that / wrote that
as far as supporting me was concern.
ed, Hayes hadn't been doing that and