The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-07-23
PRATTS SECOND
WIFE PENS HER
own PETITION
Cape Girardeau Bride Draws
Petition for Divorce Which
She Will File.
MRS. PRATT NO. Ito
ALSO SUE HUSBAND
Man Charged With Bigamy
Takes Change of Venue
Trial Next Wednesday.

Bryan C. Pratt, the St. Louis pro-
moter, was arraigned in a Justice
Court at Advance yesterday afternoon
on a charge of bigamy, but the pre-
liminary hearing came to an abrupt
end when Senator Farris, representing
Pratt, obtained change of venue to
Bloomfield, where the hearing was set
for next Wednesday. Pratt's bond
was fixed at $4,000 and in lieu of it, he
was taken to Jail at Poplar Bluff.
Mrs. Alvena Edleman Pratt of St.
Louis, wife No. l, and Frieda McClat-
chey Pratt, of Cape Girardeau, who
became wife No. 2 only a week ago,
were in court to testify against their
husband.
Before court convened, the two
wives met their partnership husband,
and the greeting was cordial. "How
are you, Alvena?" said Pratt to his
first wife. "Well, well, this is our boy,
is it? ?" he asked as he patted his two
year-old son on the head.
"He's a fine looking little fellow,
and Pm sorroy to say this is the first
time | have seen him since he was an
infant. He is becoming quite a boy,
isn't he?"
Before wife No. l could answer the
question, Pratt turned to wife No. 2,
and inquired how she was feeling.
Gust fine" she answered, sharply,
and the two wives and the baby turned
away.
Pratt seemed unconcerned. He chat
ted freely with his lawyer, and appear
ed to be in excellent spirits.
The little courtroom was jammed
two hours before the case was called.
Business in Advance was almost sus-
pended. The crowd, composed of men,
women and children, was estimated at
800, but women predominated. They
chatted continuously, as they pointed
out the two wives to each other and
then looked the husband over care
fully.
The two wives reached Cape Girar
deau shortly before o'clock this aft
ernoon, and spent few hours in the
office of wife No. 2, who is a steno-
grapher. While they discussed their
plans together, Frieda McClatchey
Pratt wrote her own divorce petition,
which will be filed within the next few
days.
Mrs. Alvena Edleman Pratt, who
departed for St. Louis last night, said
she would have her attorney draw a
divorce for her in st. Louis this week.
Judge Harry E. Alexander is repre-
senting the two wives at the hearing
on the chrage of bigamy.
J. Sullivan, stepfather of Mrs. Bry-
an Pratt No. l, stated that on Mon
day night when he was leaving his
home at TAOS Wise avenue, st. Louis, a
party was standing outside, apparent
ly waiting for him to leave the house.
The stranger followed and boarded
the car with him, and after riding a
short distance, touched him on the
shoulder and asked him if he was Mr..
Sullivan. When he received an af-
firmative reply, the stranger told him
that he understood he was interested
in the Pratt case, and asked him if
81 900 would be any inducement to him
to drop the matter.
When informed that it would not,
the stranger Immediately disappeared
Mr.. Sullivan says that he had good
look at the man who had accosted him
and that he believed he would recog-
nize him if he ever saw him again.
DR.. F. NJ. Williams, ]. H. Jenkins
and other prominent citizens of Ad-
vance who had previously formed
business relations with Pratt, openly
denounced him yesterday in condemn
ing his alleged deceptive practices.
Mr.. McClatchey, father of Mrs
Pratt No. 2, has received the follow
ing letter, concerning Pratt and his
methods:
"Bryan G. Pratt and the concern he
represents are swindlers pure and SIM
pie. The st. Louis Post-Dispatct
wrote up the company for column
and half, a year ago. Their prin'