The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-11-17

rom tuesdays Daily.
That old saying, truth is stranger
| than fiction" is illustrated in the
remarkable story of Wales w. AID
ridge of Leland, Iowa. The strange
adventures of this man would sur
pass some of the thrilling romances
of the most Frenchy authors OF the
romantic period in the land Of Dumas.
Married seven times and under a num-
Der of assumed names, then being
found after his third wife. Lille. NJ.
Aldridge, had sued two lodges for
! his insurance, supposing him TO
be dead, is a brief synopsis of
this mans remarkable and somewhat
thrilling career.
While at Leland. Iowa and married
to Lille M. Aldridge he was insured
| in the Brotherhood OF American YeO-
men, and also in the Modern Wood
men of America. He then left his
home and was not heard OF for many
years. His wife, thinking that he was
dead, claimed the insurance. After
jury had proven him dead, she
was given the money by the first
lodge, but the Modern Woodmen
were not satisfied with the investi-
CATION and ordered a search.
3. D. Smith in Search.
Attorney B. d. Smith, head coun-
sci for the Woodmen, OF this city
has been instrumental in finding a
number of missing men who are
members of the Modern WOodmen,
and he assisted in locating Aldridge.
He took the matter in hand and
found that Mr.. Aldridge was in life
and good health down in Texas, and
living with his seventh wife. The in
surance money was therefore not
paid, and the money which had al
ready been paid by the American
i Yoemen was withdrawn.
The suit which first Instituted this
action was that of Aldridge VS..
Brotherhood of American Yoemen,
ct al. and it was carried into the
supreme court of the state OF Iowa
for adjudication. Here are the finding
of facts by that tribunal.
i History of the Case.
That the insured was reared in
Virginia, where he married, and to
that union were born two children,
Henry and Worley Aldridge. They
with their father came to Missouri
about the year 1894, locating near
Houston. Shortly afterwards he mar
ried the eldest daughter Of w. j..
Montgomery She died at the birth
of their first child, about February.
1896. He married plaintiff on April
7, 1898. She, too, had been previously
married, but had no children. At the
time of this marriage plaintiff had
about $500, and her husband had a
l 10, 81 ,t,tn how
until the following September In
November, 1900, the insured, this
plaintiff, their Chem only child,
/, and Henry and Worley Aldridge,
moved to Leland, Iowa, where they
. resided till about the middle of
February. 1902.
Storekeeper and Carpenter.
During this time the insured owned
and operated a store and worked at
the carpenter trade. The store most
of the time was under the manage
ment and control of one Albert
Squires In the latter part of 1901,
they sold their property and their
stock of goods, and the insured
started for Oklahoma to find new
location, leaving Squires to close up
the business At the time of his
departure, he took about $500, and
under direction there was shipped
to him at Oklahoma City the unsold
shoes i'm the stock, worth perhaps
$500, and about 5000 worth of general
t merchandise, as well as his carpenter
tools. The evidence tended to show
that the insured was devoted to his
family, a good provider, kind and
affectionate, enjoying the full conf
dence of his friends and affection OF
his wife. In his business he was
Everything Was Tranquil.
moderately successful. He was of
exemplary habits, and enjoyed a
good reputation both in Missouri and
Iowa There was no domestic distur-