The Detroit times., 1912-04-29
REVELATION THAT She
MARRIED OWN BROTHER
CRUSHEs HER WITH GRIEF
Young Woman Learns Secret
Many Years After Marriage
in Cincinnati
COURT GRANTS DECREE
Never Knew in Childhood Who
Her Mother Was, Says I'm
happy Helen Hoffman
COURT GRANTS DECREE

CINCINNATI, o.. April FIT love
him, no woman can tear from her
heart her love for the father OF her
children, even though she knows such
a love Is a violation OF the laws on
earth and a sin against God"
That Ia the .outburst of a broken
heart. The cry OF young woman,
living as probably few have lived
In a literal hell on earth.
She In Helen Hoffman. This Is her
story:
IT never knew during all the days
Of my childhood who my mother was.
I lived with my father on his farm
near Sheridan. O. When i was Is l
came here to the home OF my mother,
but who was told was my aunt.
There were Ave boys In the house,
my cousins, I was told. The Oldest.
John, and I went TO dances and par
ties together. and soon We were In
love with each other. loved him as
sincerely as any girl can love man.
love him now. more than | can ever
love any other man.
"Then we were married, Oct. 20,
1910. and lived as happily as a
couple ever did. My husband was kind
and good and thoughtful, he did
everything he could for me and the
babies, Buella and Burnetta.
''But somehow the neighbors began
talking. heard some of II and went
toto Mrs Ruch. whom | regard I'd as
my aunt and mother-in-law. Here IN
her home and where John and first
learned to love each other she told
, the story that nearly broke our
hearts.-
Helen is your sister, John" the
grief-stricken mother of both said.
The three OF them went to Judge
Lueders, who after hearing the con-
fession of the mother, legally separat-
ed the young couple.
Years ago." Mrs. John Ruch, ST..
said, when I was young girl on
farm near Sheridan. / met and was
wooed by q man nearly twice my age.
I loved him too well, better than he
did me. guess, for afterwards he re-
fused TO make me, the mother OF his
child. his lawful wife.
After my mistake was driven
from home by the gossiping tongues
OF the countryside. left behind,
With the father, a girl baby. The baby
Anew into girlhood. had come to
Cincinnati and married. and had i've
boys. But | never lost the longing
for my first-born, the only daughter.
At last. when that longing became
too great to resist, 4 sent for, hey,..,
Helen came. and the better TO
guard the secret Of her birth j re-
ceived her as q niece. but shower
ed upon her all the mother love she
missed during the years she was from
me. u
IT was blind to the growing affec-
ton between NV oldest son. John. and
my daughter. One day Helen came
to me and told me just such story
as | was compelled to tell my par
ent % years ago. But the frightfui
horror OF II came fully home TO me
when she told me who was respons-
ible for her condition.
John, she said"
II told them TO marry, hoping that
! might keep the secret. They were
married. But not an hour has passed
since then that have not bowed un-
der a great weight Of sorrow. have
continually prayed God to forgive US
all and point way out.
After the divorce was granted the
father of the babies. TO whom he Is
also an uncle, embraced the little
ones, kissed the woman, the daughter
of his own mother, and who had been
his wife and plunged into voluntary
exile. He will support the young
mother and his children; they viii
live with the parents of the divorced
husband, but he will not see them.