The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-07-08
JAY R. FRANKS HAS
TWO TOO MANY
OF WIVES
Alleged That He Remarked
Twice Without Divorce
LAST VICTIM LOCAL GIRL
Travelling Man Said to Have One
Wife in Michigan, One in Chi
cage and One Here
LAST VICTIM LOCAL GIRL

jay X Franks, who on May IL, lyll
married Miss Clara b. Barber OF
Pownal was arrested last night at
Troy charged with bigamy. Records
show that on August 81. 1892 he
married Miss Anna Simpson at Brigh-
ton, Mich, and that on January 20,
1900 he married Miss Ethel May
Watson of Buffalo. He has one child
aged 10 by his first wife and two,
aged and by the second.
His first wife says he deserted her
in 1899 and the second had not heard
from him since last November when
he first came to Bennington, travel
ing for the Vermont Farm Machine
company of Bellows Falls. His de-
lection was due to a letter from his
second wife to Chief of Police Brazell
here as last time she had heard from
him was by letter dated here.
This letter stated that his last
letter was written from the Putnam
house, Bennington, in November and
she feared something had happened
to her husband Investigation prov
ed that something had.
He had gotten acquainted with
Miss Barber last February while call
ing there to sell farm machinery. He
represented himself as single man
and the friendship then started re-
suited in their marriage May II at
Troy After a short wedding trip
they settled at the Barber farm and
lived there until two weeks ago Tues
day when the inquiries from Mrs.
Franks No. 2 disturbed the even
course of events and he went to Troy
but has since been under the sur
yeilance OF the police until the chain
of evidence was completed and he
was arrested at 10 o'clock last night.
THE warrant was issued by Robert Il.
Healey, grand juror. To bring him
here for trial will require a requisit-
ion from the governor and this the
states attorney will at once ask for.
Franks is a pleasant appearing
man of 40. The record of his first
marriage gives his age as Il and his
wife as 10. When married the sec
ond time he was % and took a bride
of IS. His second wife is now living
in Chicago with her children. At his
first marriage he gave his occupation
as a farmer At his second as clerk
and the third time as auditor. The
Troy Record of this morning gives
the following account of Franks ar
rest
Thrice married and looking fol
another mate, Jay h. Franks, OF Fow
Ilerville. Mich, and other places, who
has been travelling under the assum
ed name of Frank James. was pleas
lantly hailed by Detectives Talbot anC
Preston In front of the postotlice al
h0 o'clock last night and then taker
to the Second precinct station, where
a warrant charging blgamy wa'
read to him, and he was locked up FOL
examination in police court this
morning. Acting on information fur
nished by Robert Il. Healy of Ben
nington, VT, the detectives had beer
on the lookout for Franks for severa
days.
According to this information
Franks had a room at 199la Eight
street, this city, which he left earl!
every morning to go to Albany where
he has been employed by the Inter
national Harvester company. Com
ing back to Troy after his days worl
was completed, he has been In thu
habit of calling at the postotlice ant
getting mail addressed to Franz
James.
According to the warrant Franks
married Anna Simpson of Detroit
Mich. at Brighton. Mich, August 81
1892: Ethel May Watson at Buffalo
January 20, 1900; and Clara b. Bar
Der of Pownal, VT, In this city, Ma.
II. 1911, City Judge Roy performing
the ceremony. All three women arr
living and from none has Franks Sc
cured divorce The warrant how
ever. simply charges that he married
the Barber woman while his undivor
ced wife, Anna Simpson Franks, wal
living in Detroit, Mich.
The detectives had pretty goo'
description OF Franks or James
Judge Bates and Sheriff Nash of Ben
nington county having arrived herr
Yesterday afternoon with the war
rant and other details to assist II
making the arrest When Detective
Talbot accosted the alleged bigamis
the latter readily admitted his iden
tity. AT the police station he said HI
was married man and employed al
an auditor,
The prisoner will be held pondinl
requisition papers which William J
Meacher, states attorney of Benning
ton county, is preparing Franks II
40 years of age. smooth faced an'
much sunburned. Despite his asser
ton that he has been employed In Al
bany as an auditor the Vermont mel
in this city last night in connection
with the case. state that he has beef
I,,.,rlsinv no "A lnhOrpr