The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1913-08-22
MRS. LE0NA FENSLER HEARS OF
BOTH ALMOST AT THE
SAME TIME.
MARRIED HERE YEAR AGO
Man WHO Deceived Her Held IN
New Orleans Lee Beck
ham Expires In Fish
House.

No tragedy in book or on the stage
ever had more impressive setting
that the stories Tuesday revealed in
quick succession to Mrs Walter FenS-
ler, nee Beckham, at her home on
Canty street. Sitting there con-
versing with her brothers, sisters
and neigllbors over the sudden death
of her father, Lee Beckham, aged
F58, a few minutes before, she Was
asked by a Democrat-Star repre-
sentative to make a statement. She
consented, but thought it was about
her fathers dropping dead. She had
not heard Of her husband confessing
bigamy in New Orleans-the news
paper man had not heard the news
Of her fathers sudden death, which
had just been sent to the house
from the river front.
My father was good man. /"
sad the young woman, who was Fl
years of age last June. But how
about youf husband, who has con-
iessed to bigamy in New Orleans, /"
she was asked oy the newspaper
correspondent,
WHAT" she gasped.
Why your husband walked into
a police station in New Orleans and
confessed that he had more wives
than you, but that he loved the one
in Mississippi most"
Then she broke down and wept
historically, crying between Sobs:
My troubles all come at once. NV
father, my chief protector, has Just
gone and now my husband proves
false. 1t is more than | can bear"
Her child, Myra Bell, who will be-
six weeks old this coming Sunday,
leaned quietly in the arms of a nurse
by her side.
Recovering, she smiled. Another
thought had flashed across her mind.
But he said he loved me best. He
always told me thai when he said
he had married another woman,
Mrs. Elizabeth somebody, in Birm-
lngham before me, but that he had
been divorced from her. He told
me that about a month after he and
| were married by Justice of the
Peace Chldsey here at the home of
my sister, Mrs. j. A. Pol, July "a.
1912, and believed him. H. ne ,er
told nle anything about having a
third wife.
He worked as wiren,an for the
l.. & N. Railroad Company and
drank so much | believe he was
losing his mind. Yes he drank be-
fore we were married, but he got
down on his knees before my father
and vowed that he would never
drink again if he would allow me to
become his wife. never wanted
for anything and had faith in him
until lately, when he was drinking
so much that | was beginning to
believe he might be false.
After we Were married We board
ed until last May, when we went to
housekeeping. Just before the
baby was born we broke up house.
keeping and came home.
Walter, then slightly under the
influence of liquor, left bere last nivht.
saying he WAS gniEg ~ New Orleans.
He paid Ernest Witchen sIV To- y,
along with him aud Dragged that ba
had sl.ioo Il- did have big roll of
money.
walter, nov s2 years old. came
h-re fs"n, Birmingh.m, I've mid me.
two years agD this coming Janussy.
lie said he was trapped into MARI, snr
4 widuNv, With "a chIld. before he left
birmingham, bnt that they were ~na
parted. lie s-aufc urtvinaIlV fr....
Toledo. o., where his father, David
FensIer, Is prominent criminal law
yer. according in his cnusir. NrN
smith. tf Mn Bsnk. Nf~<