The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-08-26
WAS |. H. MAXfIELO A
FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE?
Suddenly Departs, LeaVingSlght-
less and Sick Wife Without
Provision for Her Care
Special to Daily Leader.

Special to Daily Leader.
Bartlesvile. Okla, Aus 25-Whs
did L. II Maxfield who since he
came TO Oklahoma fifteen years ago,
who has been known as c. e Tur
ner, leave his blind Wife sick and
alone, a victim Of epilepsy on a ranch
south of Bartlesyille, miles away
from neighbors and without making
any provision for her care?
Was it because Of some infraction
of the law which caused him years
ago to escape to wild Oklahoma and
assume a new name which he cast
aside only ON the day when he mar
ried his wife twelve years ago thai
there might be no question as TO le.
galiN that he feared discovery ol
did the reason lay in the fact tha,
he had tired of the woman, who had
grown blind as his hepmeet and
broken down with overwOrk?
Mystery tragedy comedy and "a
whole most of human interest ele
ments miugle in the most remarkable
suit Tor divorce ever filed IN Okla
noml which Mrs. MaXlleld (alias
Tmnerl, caused to be recorded IN
.he district court The allegation
are OF the most startling and sehsa
tional nature and range from m
stances ot cruelty when the deleh
dant last year following his inyaria
bic rule that the plaintiff shoulo
purchase one-half the provisions ol
the household required her TO buy
two hGgs 10 his one for the reason
hat she ate the most meat, to
dramatic description OF the husband
action when i'm May he walked oul
OF the room where THE plailnilt la
blind and contored with an attack
Of fits. to which she is subject every
two weeks, and left her to her fate
without neighbor or help within
five mi 4 How the detendant court
ed her under the name of Turner b.
which he was known, and which he
still uses. ami never told lhe p.ainiiil
lhat il was assumed until he stood
with he before the altar and stated
that his true name was MaXtleld, Is
also told.
A humorous feature OF the petition
rs the plea of the defendant for her
name 10 be changed She states thai
she had four husbands before she met
MlXdell or Turner and that she
wants her name changed to Buchan
an. that of her third Her maideL
name. Tyner, she disliked because oil
unpleasant notoriety which has at
tached 10 it and her first husband 5
name was also distasteful. She told
her attorney when the petition was
being drawn up and the question o.
what name she wanted was being
discussed that her third husband was
a pretty coed man and she guessed
whe would takn his nhme-'Buch
anan'
Blind and almost a cripple from
Illness, Mrs. Maxfield sat in the
office Of an attorney and sobbing told
Of her career since her marriage with
Maxfield (alias Turner twelve years
lgo. The incidents OF the marriage
how Maxfield. who posed as Turner
told her when the ceremony was
about to be held that his name was
not Turner, but MaXfiCld, and after
ward she lived undI the assumed
name. dreading the past which had
caused her husband to make the
change.
She stated that when Turner lefi
her last MAY she came very near tc
starving, and but for the fact that
stranger happened to ride by the
house after she had been four days
without food or attention, she would
probably have died She is subject
TO horrible nervous affliction which
visits her periodically
The petition alleges cruelty, non
support, gross neglect Of duty and a
few other things as grounds for di
vorce. She asks the restoration OF
the name of her third husband, Buch
anah who she told the attorney was
the only one of her five husbands
that was good to hec.
II is alleged that the plaintiff is
in absolute distress for lack Of money
although she owns two arms on
which she lived. It was sold some
time ago, but because she was unable
TO give clear title on account of the
absence of her husband. she has never
collected the money which amounts
In about one thousand dollars When
Maxfield left her she had thirty-fivC
cents on which to exist.
An attempt is being made TO find
the defendant in the action but nc
trace of him has been fosnd since he
| went away.