Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-02
WILSON ADMITS CRIME
MAN WHO MARRIED oLADBRooK
MILLINER coNFEssEs TO
SEVERAL MARRIAGES
coURTED MISS TINKER WHILE
RESIDING IN MARsHALLrowN
Formal Charge of sisamy Filed
Against Wilson at Des Moines-sec.
ond Wife Accuses Affinity Of Con-
Quoting Aggressive courtship-Miss
Tinker is Wealthy.

Tinker is Wealthy.
Waterloo. Sept. 2.-Levi M. Wilson,
the telegraph operator who illegally
married Miss Helen Tinker, a Glad
brook milliner, in this city. one week
ago Monday, is a confessed bigamist,
having divulged his matrimonial career
to Polk county officers in the county
Jail at Des Moines.
A friendly meeting with a beautiful
young milliner from Gladbrook, Iowa,
mutual infatuation on the part of
both, series of love letters profuse
with endearing terms, interspersed with
frequent visits on the part Of the young
woman to Marshalltown, where Wilson
was working as a telegraph operator,
and a casual acquaintance which rip
ened into love. resulting in the mar
riage of the couple in this city, is the
history in brief of the events leading
up to the arrest and imprisonment of
Wilson charge of bigamy.
Lawrence DeGraff, county attorney
for Polk county, arrived in Waterloo
Tuesday night on his way east, and
stopped off in the city to investigate
the evidence against Wilson which is
available here. He experienced little
difficulty in finding his material, as the
marriage certificate was issued and is
recorded at the court house together
with the return of the license.
Self Confessed Bigamist.
Wilson is in Des Moines having been
released from Jail where he was con-
fined on a charge of wife desertion, af-
ter furnishing $500 bail. The date set
for his trial on this charge was to be
Sept. 8. before Justice Rose, of Des
Moines. Now that the man has con-
fessed his guilt of having married Miss
Tinker in Waterloo in spite of the fact
that his wife is living in Des Moines
County Attorney Lawrence DeGraff
filed charge of bigalny against him
and withdrew the original charge of
wife desertion. Wilson has further adj
mitted that this is not only his second
marriage. but that it makes three trials
tor him, claiming that he secured a d.
vorce from his first wife who was a
WILLIS County woman.
Which Wife Has Authority.
The prosecution of the case requires
the exertion of care in order that the
proper party shall file the charge of
bigamy. If Wilson'S first wife was not
divorced, it will be necessary for her
to file the charge of bigamy, as wife
No. Q, never could have been legally his
spouse, unless the court. would hold
that she was his common law wife by
reason of her having livedrwith him as
his wife for four years.
Mrs. L. M. Wilson, of Des Moines
the second wife, is the one who turn
ed detective and discovered that Will
son had been posing as single man
and making visits to his affinity unbe-
known to her. She traced her erring
husband for four days and learned OF
the issuing Of the license in Waterloo
on Aug. %.
Love Letters as Evidence.
In speaking of the history of the case
leading up to the third marriage Coun-
ty Attorney l.. DeGraff said Wednesday
morning: Il have in my possession
numerous letters which were written
back and forth between Wilson and
keeping each others company In my
opinion it seems that this woman was
hopelessly infatuated with the man and
continued to write him letters, making
appoints to meet him while he was
working at Marshalltown and she was
proprietor of millinery store at Glad
brook. honestly believe that the
woman in the case is responsible for
the marriage. into which 1t appears the
man was practically forced by the
threats Of the woman"
Many of the letters written by Miss
Tinker to Wilson were sent to him at
Marshaltown, while some were adj
dressed to his home in Des Moines.
The opening sa1utation Of some Of the
letters were, my Precious Lovey
Dove" "My Darling Sweetheart" my
Baby Doll" and other endearing terms
too numerous to mention.
Wife Blames His Affinity.
Unfortunately for Wilson, his wife
opened these letters when they came
to the houes and has now turned them
over to the county attorney to use as
evidence In the prosecution Of her
husband at his trial. which will come
up in this county at the September
term Of court Mrs. Wilson realized
the relationship Of the couple and
wrote a letter to Miss Tinker warn
| ing her to desist from her attentions
Ito Mr.. Wilson. but tho woman paid no
attention to the note. The wife blames
the Gladbrook widow for the aliena-
ton Of her husbands affection and
thinks he would never have married
her had she not compelled him to dc
so.
Miss Tinker 10 Wealthy.
It Is said that Helen C.. TINKER Il
quite wealthy, being proprietor OF a
millinery store and owning property
at Gladbrook and was leader In
church and social circles in her home
town. She secured Rev. j. w. Parks
of GladbroolS, to come to Waterloo to
perform the marriage ceremony.
The outcome of the trial Of Wilson
on a charge Of bigany which will be
u>.s~ TITO