Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-07-15
ENOCH ARDEN
TN REAL LIFE


" ife RDd family for twenty -one years,
john Taggart, formerly Rev. john
Tsggart, preacher in the Methodist
Protestant church, and a modern Enoch
Arden. turned up at the home Of his
wife in Hemlock township, Columbia
county on Friday, only TO find that she
had been married for many years TO
suotheT and that her second husband,
John Van Horn, was now in the ooun-
ty Jail, serving a sentence following
his conviction OF a crime in which
Iaggart's son was the prosecutor and
which implicated Van Horns own
daughter. Now after few days in his
old home Taggart has again left for
parts unknown, stating that the talk
oocssioned by his return vas 700 much
for him 10 stand.
Stranger than fiction IS this story,
involving one time prominent man
OF the cloth. and those upon whom he
depended Ii was back n the winter
Of SSi and 1888 that Taggart, then an
active Clergyman Of the Methodist
Protestant denomi nation, welded Eliza
Ivey, daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs. George
Iyey, formerly Of Bloomsburg, To
them in 1888 there was born son, and
then the tongues Of the gossips began
20 wag, with the result that Rev. Tag
sgrt threw up his charge and left,
osteusibly TO find work From that dav
until Friday not word was heard Of
him. His wife heard report that he
had been drowned in the Johnstown
food and never hearing OF him, con-
cluded that he had there met his fate.
Thrown upon her own resources, Mrs.
Tagagrt came TO Bloomsbury and Sc
cured employment as domestic in the
home Of c. W. Miller, Esq, and after
living Ehere for a time, became the
wife Of Samuel Van Horn in a cere-
mony in Bloomsbury June 26, 1892
After their marriage they moved to
Glen Lyon whe7e Van Horn was em =
ployed around the coal mines and two
years later moved down to Hemlock
township. BY her marriage 30 Van
Horn two children were born, a dsugh-
ter OF fourteen Summers who figured
in the recent case for which Van Horn
is serving time, and a boy seven years
of age.
1t was with the family affairs in
this condition with the husband and
father in isil since the May sessions
for nonpayment OF $50 fine, that
Tsgssrt found them upon his return.
TaGgart said that ne left his wife
and baby to seek relief from troubles
that were burdening him and breaking
him down. He lost control Of himself
and when he finally came to himself
he found that his wife had again mar.
ried and rather than stir up any tTou.
Bile he allowed the matter 10 remain as
it was and to keep his whereabouts
unknown. He would not have return
ed now, he stated, had ne not learned
of the trouble his family have been
having and he felt it was his daty TO
render them any assistance in his pow.
er During all those years, he stated,
he had no communication with his
wife and she supposed MIN dead and
knew nothing TO the contrary until he
walked into the house last Friday
When asked where he had been ali
these twenty one years he replied that
IL would be impossible to tell, s. he
had been almost every ywhers-north,
south, east and west even a. far A~
Honolulu. lie followed the trade Of
painting and paper hanging and had
preached from time TO time Ii was
his purpose, he stated, 10 take his
family 10 some section OF the country
where they were lot known aud starr
lie over again, as the children had no
future before them in This section OF
the country under the condition O!
things. To this arrangement Mrs.
TaEgREt. or Van Horn, las agreed
AGAIN LEAVES.
-aggRrt went TO Bloomsbury sun
day evening and tooE the D 7. < W.
train tor parts unknown, bat stated 10
his wife, before going thG. Ae .r:aDd.
ed making q nome for aer ara the
children elsewhere and would then
send for her.