The Detroit times., 1908-08-13
B| GAMY CHARGE
FOLLOWS TRY
At SUICIDE
MRS. EDWARD c. MARkHoFF Al.
LEGGED TO HAVE ONE HUBBY
TOO MANY-PAlR JOIN IN THE
PROSECUTION.

When Mrs Edward G.. Markhoff de-
cided, Tuesday, TO attempt suicide by
drinking a quantity OF undiluted alco
hol. she paved the way for sensa-
tional sequel. Wednesday morning.
when her first husband John Lanstra.
living at Jefferson-ave. and Lillibridge
St in what used to be Fairview. Sc
cured warrant In police court
charging her with bigamy. The war
] rant was served on her in the hos.
pital by Detective Lombard. and the
woman was taken to police headquar-
tiers.
Mr., Markhof. husband No. 2. whose
home is at No, l4l Townsend-ave.. ac-
companied Lanstra to the police court
and aided In the procuring of the war.
rant. They met Tuesday for the first
time, and unfolded to each other soma
interesting facts about their matrl-
monial experiences.
Both men were armed with their
marriage certificates when they APP
peared before Justice Jeffries 10 Sc
cure the warrant. One of the certif-
Gates. a very elaborate affair resplen-
dent in colored ink and scroll work.
showed that May Allor and John Lam
stra were made one In Crosse Pointe
July 6. 1908. The other was simpler,
cheaper form 1t certified to the mar
riage OF May AIlor and Edward G..
Markhoff on May %. last. and bore
the signature OF the Rev. d. II. Hind.
the marrying parson OF Sandwich,
Ont
'She left me year ago and sup
posed she was doing housework for a
family on the east side said Lanstra.
we have never been divorced SO far
as / know"
"Stung," Says Markhon.
II met the woman through friend
about two weeks before we were mar
ried." explained Markhoff. "She told
me that she had been married before.
but had been divorced. so saw no
obstacle in the way OF our getting
married. But | seem TO have been
stung"
Marhhof's second marriage followed
closely the death of his first wife. The
womans demise attracted consider
able attention at the time by reason
of the fact that she had made all ar
rangements for her funeral a year
before the end came.
Fear that her first husband would
learn OF her second marriage Is be.
lieved to have driven Mrs. Markhoff,
or rather, Mrs. Lanstra, to attempt
her life. AT least. that is the opinion
OF Mr.. Markhoff. who says this is
the third time in six weeks that his
wife tried to kill herself.
Thrice Tried Suicide.
"The first time she used carbolic
acid. but we got the bottle away from
her before she had swallowed much
of il, and the only damage done was
that she spilled 1t all over herself"
says Markhoff. "On another occasion
she turned on the gas In her bedroom.
but | discovered 1t In time. | had
scarcely left the house. Tuesday. when
she drank the alcohol. We had had
no quarrel, and the only reason | can
think OF for her wanting to kill her
self is that she was afraid Lanstra or
would learn the truth about her"
Last Friday the woman called at
Lanstra's home and asked permission
10 take their daughter, Barbara, 4
years old, with her for few days. The
neople for whom she was working
were away. she said. and II would
give her good opportunity to make
the child some clothes Lanstra will
lingly consented to let Barbara go.
Markhoff was rather surprised that
night when he came home and found
the little girl there. He had never
known before that his wife had child
by her first husband. 1t Is said. How
ever he did not object seriously TO
the child's presence.
Tuesday morning Mrs. Markhof
sent her little girl home in company
with an older child from the neigh
borhood, and with her note TO Mr..
Lanstras sister, Mrs. David. who
lives on I4illibridge-st., near Jefferson,
I'm which she announced her intention
of doing away with herself.
Mrs. David at once hurried to the
Markhoff home on Townsend-ave., to
find that her sister-in-law had already
attempted TO make good her threat
She then learned for the first time OF
the second marriage and lost no time
in acquainting her brother with the
fact. Lanstra came, met husband No.
2. and the two arranged TO go for
warrant Wednesday morning.
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