Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-20
FIRST WIFEIS
CAUSE, MODERN
: SOLOMON SAYS
Spouse He Married in Tri-Cities in
1900 DisiIlusiOned Him, Says
Husband of Eight.

Charles Fl. Wilson. whose matri-
monial troubles in the tri-cities 19
years ago were followed by his
marriage to seven more, without
the formality of divorcing any OF
them, is not cured yet.
He is now in Sing Sing. to where
he was sentenced by Judge Wad-
hams in general sessions court in
New York.
My first wife. Bessie Stanton
Wilson. whom l married in Daven-
port, Iowa, in 1900, was the one
who initially disillusioned me-
Wilson said. Il was % when I
married her, and no man held
higher ideals Of womanhood than
/. For the first four years / was
happy, and two daughters were
born to us. Later my wife began
TO drink, and our home was de
stroyed She broke my heart and
! went away"
- OF the eight women. one in
Washington. he cOurted, won, and
deserted, Miss Caroline Morris of
Mt Vernon. n. Y, is his favor
ite.' II is she he would wed again
when he Starts life anew, he said
yesterday
But if she will not consent. he
will try elsewhere. He just can't
get out of the marrying habit At
least he can't conceive of happi-
ness unwedded But he hopes to
make his ninth venture mis- last.
LONELY Man." lie Says.
Shall you marry again when
free?' the superbigamist was ask
ed yesterday. He replied:
Il am lonely man. As / under
stand it, nv Imprisonment here
automatically divorces INC from all
Affiliations of the past. When
am free l will marry-but "only
one
If she will accept me again,
will offer myself first of all to my
sAYenth wife OF all wives, she
was the best woman. Should she
refuse me, | would probably re-
marry-but very carefully.
In 1908 I met Mary Bailey, 20.
in Lynchburg. Va. She was red
haired and pretty. l married her
because she was unhappy in her
home and wished to get away It
was understood that we would not
remain together, and in two weeks
we parted l have never seen Mary
since.
1T was IN Huntsville, Ala.
year later. that I found Mrs. Ethel
Moore. IS. a widow with a little
boy. | felt sorry for her struggle
to make a livelihood, and married
her. She came to Washington, d.
c.. with me. Then my business
forced me to leave. and she stayed.
lin August of 1918 1 met Mrs.
Louise Davis in Detroit, Mich. She,
too. was So. OF all the girls she
was the most educated. l married
her again in the same year. when
she heard that a former wife had
received :. divorce from me. 1t
was marrying the same woman
twice that brought me the jinx.
Even after three subsequent mar
riages l was forced to return to
Louise. She finally made the trCu-
BILE which caused my arrest.
~ Christian and a Cook"
The next year I found my first
real companion and helpmeet, the
only good influence that came into
my life She was Caroline Morris,
~, of Mt. Vernon, y. Y. Caroline
was the plainest Of all. but by far
he best. She was a Christian and
A good cook. If 1 hadn't been a
travelling man I never would have
eft her.
1T was only a few months later,
hough. when l proved myself uu-
worthy OF Caroline. In Philadel--
ohia ! met Welhelmina JaggarJ, a
,f-year-old stenographer. We were
and I was good to her. /
But l was beginning to worry !
lbout my many marriages then |
Ind l think it was the fear that l !
would be discovered that made me !
cave WilhelnjEa.
Until November. 1916. I kept /
ny resolution not to marry again.
Then came ay Ziff. I was in New
Fork again and very lonesome.
Fearing to return to Caroline be
.ause I thought She might have
discovered a former marriage of
nine, l married Fay. 1t was an
Ither mistake, of course She was
Dung and frivolous and only want
d my money. From Fay l return
d to Louise and our arrest fol-
owed Louise procured bail and
kipped leaving me to serve sem
ence for a charge of which I was
znocent."
Judge Wadhams questioned Vii
on yesterday about each o. his