Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-08-02
SPOUSE SAYS I
NEED SOME MONEY
0VENH0USE PAYS
WEDDING OF JAS. OVENHOUSE
AND BELLE GLEASON DID NOT
MATERIALIZE; BROKE WORD

A few weeks ago a marriage Ii
cense was issued by County Clerk
George w. Moulton to James Oven
house of this city and Belle Gleason
of Grand Rapids. The marriage was
to have taken place here a few days
later and it was supposed that Mr..
and Mrs. Ovenhouse would be cozily
settled by this time in his home on
East Division street and enjoying the
happiness of married life but alas for
the disappointments that break an
Unexpectedly and mar and jar the
well-laid plans of mortal man.
Mr.. Ovenhouse is worthy citizen,
an old soldier, who fought valiantly
for his country fifty years ago when
he was a young man of "a years. A
year ago he lost his wife, two others
having preceded her. Last winter in
February he went to the Soldiers
Home. Here he met an old-time
friend who sympathized with him in
his lonliness and introduced him to
Belle Gleason, who he said would
make him a good true and loving
helpmate. Belle was little shy and
coy at first but finally concluded that
they were cut out for each other and
invited him to her home on West
Bridge street, where she and her
mother, Mrs. Jacob WEIGH, resided.
Mr.. Ovenhouse was received with
open arms when he called and from
then on Friendship ripened into love.
letters were exchanged and endear-
ing messages to my dear Jim" how
happy we will be when we are mar
ried and 81 cried myself to sleep last
night thinking of YOU Her let
tiers usually concluded with an appeal
for a little money; one of them was
for five to get pair of shoes with
as her soles were nearly worn through.
In another she wanted $3.50 to pay
for her wedding dress and also said
she was in deep distress because of a
ten dollar mortgage on her piano
would lose it. She said, Dear Jim,
so | can play on it for YOU"
Another missive came to Mr.. Oven
house when Belle stated that the
climax of her trouble was at its
height as her husband had come from
the West and said he would make it
hot for her. The divorce had not been
to settle with the lawyer. Out of
the goodness of his heart Mr.. Oven
house sent her the money, two ten
dollar bills. A week or two later, on
July 18th, Belle came to Bedding to
look over her new home and when
she left delighted that she would soon
be the mistress of the household she
took the last wife's gold watch and
fine neck chain, bracelet and rings and
"dear Jim's" suit case full of her
clothes which she said "you know jim
L can get these cut down so they will
just fit me-" At this visit she prom
Used to be back the next day or two
and they would be married. She
needed "A. few dollars, however, to use
in getting her trunk transferred and
to pay for her railroad fare, etc. Mr..
Ovenhouse only had about fourteen
or fifteen dollars among which was a
nice crisp ten dollar bill He gave
her $3.50 but she managed in the deal
in some way TO extract the ten also
on the pretense that she had not
seen a bill like that before and want
ed to look at itfor little while. At this
interview Mrs. Gleason evidently got
hungry for she asked her intended
spouse to go down to the market and
get some beefsteak and she would
cook them fine supper. On his re-
turn with the meat she made some
excuse and to his establishment she
ate it raw.
Not keeping her word to appear the
next day at the marriage altar and
not hearing from her since and being
in despair that she had forever brok-
en- her promise, Mr.. Ovenhouse con-
cluded to return the license to the
county clerk which he did and be-
gan proceedings against her for false
.pretenses and trifiing with his af-
fections. -