The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-10-01
EX-POLICEMAN
HELD FOR WIFE
ABANDONMENT
Former Member of New York
Force Jailed In Default
of $4,000 Bail.
PLUCKY WIFE WAS
HER OWN SLEUTH
Accompanied By Tiny Son, a
Cripple, She UnearthS Her
Recreant Husbands
Hiding Place.

Domestic wreckage left behind by
a merry widow of flirting habits, a
fight being made. not herself. but for
the life of her child and the culmina-
ton OF years search were noted in
city court this morning in the arraign-
rnent of William Porter, alias William
Powers. former New York policeman
charged with wife abandonment and
living with another woman. Accom-
panied by her two years old child, a
partial cripple. the woman clearly
showing the strain of the search, told
Z her story before Judge Thomas C.
Coughlin. a story teeming with trou-
bic Porter made no defense, prob
able cause being found. He was
held for the next term of the Super
dor court under bonds of $4,000.
Defiant until yesterday and refus-
ing to admit that he had lived with
another woman, Porter would only
say that he may have left his wife.
To the other charge, he simply said,
lind the other woman"
She or rather. what were consider
ed satisfactory clues, were found yes
4erday afternoon by plucky Mrs. Por
ter. following some detective work of
her own
It was by chance that the meeting
took place. Penniless, she had ap-
pealed to the authorities and Porter
agreed TO give her an order for SO
on his pay at the United Illuminating
COmpany's office She had just Sc
cured It and was near the door when
she saw a woman passing on the
other woman" the merry widow who
used TO live opposite the happy New
York home and for whom Porter is
alleged TO have thrown up his posi-
rion and left hurriedly for parts un-
known The other woman" recog-
mixed Mrs Porter and hurriedly con-
tlnued her course. She followed and
saw her go IN the rooming house at
Sc Courtland street The officers be
1isve that she simply went through
a rear door as no signs of her were
found in the house The experience
was reported to police detectives and
prosecuting Attorney Alexander L De-
Laney and the missing link was sup
piled
Mrs Hattie Bonneville of the Court
land street address testified in court
that Porter, known to her as Powers,
and a woman not the Mrs. Porter
bringing the charges, came to her
house in July and wanted a room. She
admitted that she did not remember
heerfnE him call her his wife but
took IL for granted that they were
married
Mrs Porter testified in low tones
with a sob-catch in her voice and
told about their happy home in New
Tork until the widow secured the
affections of her husband. who was
AT that time a member of the police
force She had money, according to
report and gained from the life in
surance of her former husband. The
two kept up their meetings, as she
leaned. and then disappeared about
q year ago. Since then she has been
searching for them
1T is not 50 much for myself but
FOR my child" she said that 1 am
here He is partially a cripple now
and, unless he has surgical attention
and nursing. I am informed, he will
be a cripple always
Once before. this time in New York,
she informed local officers Porter
was arrested but the case fell
through on account of the death of
the officer making the arrest and in
vestigation before it came up for trial.
This morning a telephone call was
received from New York, the speaker
saying that he was Mrs. Porters
brother and asking that the charges
against the accused be dropped and
that he be given another chance