The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-12-20
Welded to An Ex-Convict, That
Is Her Claim.
WOULD CUT TIE THAT BINDS
Mrs. W. w. Williams, Former Kansas
City Girl, Tells Story to Relatives;
How II Was.

Minneapolis, December 1S.-The
veil of romance torn from her eyes,
Mrs. Walter Wesley Williams, for
merly Miss Marcia Jennings of Kan
sas City, is at the home of relatives
in Minneapolis suffering from ner-
vous breakdown from the shock of
discovering that the man she had
married but a month ago was an
eX-convict and getrich-quick worker
of the shrewdest type.
Mrs. Williams is staying with Mr..
and Mrs. w. II. Clawson, 1922 Nicol-
let avenue. Mrs. Clawson is a rela-
tive Of the tricked woman Mr.
Clawson is assistant superintendent
of the National Surety company and
it was partly through his individual
efforts and business connections that
the whole truth about the man who
married Miss Jennings in Kansas
City. November 18. under the name
of Walter Wesley Williams, has
been revealed.
So i'll was Mrs. Williams last night
that she declined to be seen, but
Mr.. Clawson talked freely regarding
the case.
Alleged to Be Ex-convict
Williams" it is said. both by
Mr.. Clawson and dispatches from
Kansas City, is Charles w. Owens,
an eX-cODvict.
These Kansas City advices tell a
startling story of Williams bold
sway In the Missouri city, his hur.
ried courtship Of Miss Jennings, who
was public stenographer. and his
deSertion less than a month after
their marriage. Mr.. ClaRson, who
made personal Investigation of
"Williams'' record. confirms the
statements made I'm Kansas City.
Since October 23, it is said. will
1iamS' was a man of wealth and in
f'ueuce in Kansas City. 1t is charg.
ed that he was released, from the
Iowa state penitentiary at Fort Mad
ison October Il. and went to Kan
sas City immediately. where he as
sumed the role Of an Iowa property
owner and investor. By November
Is he had won and wed Miss Jen-
Mugs, but now he has skipped out
OF range of the searchlight, his wife
has turned on his past ~
New Scheme For Making Money.
Williams" had a new scheme for
making money for every acQuaint-
ance he met in Kansas City. it is
said. He was pleasant, amiable and
seemingly we'll versed in the role
he was playing, that Of a former
locomotive engineer who had ac-
qrired some wealth. His business
grew He needed letters written.
He went to Miss Jennings office
and engaged her as his stenograph-
er. A few months before that Miss
Jennings had won damage suit
from E. c. Gatlin, whose motor car
had struck her.
According to Kansas City ac-
quaintances, Williams" was always
careful to say that his bank ac-
counts and other negotiable wealth
had been turned over to his foster
daughter, Marvel Elliott. She had
married a man named Preston in
April.
Williams" was always on the
point of going to Des Moines, where
he might take charge Of his prop
erty. He said he owned home at
502 School street, Des Moines, and
had rented to a man named John
Charles. His stories we're believed.
Married in November.
Miss Jennings married him No
vember 10, gave up her Park ave.
nue. apartment in Kansas City and
went to a cozily furnished cottage
at 1929 Highland avenue
Then some time between the
marriage day and last Friday came
the doubts. The wealth of "Wil-
liams" didn't materialize. He ran
out Of funds and went to Des
Meines. -... H..
Here the stories told by the Kan
sas City dispatches and that OF Mr..
Continued on Page Two.