Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-10

A romance Of the World War which
started under Spanish skies and ended
in the Marion County Jail viii be told
to Judge James a. Collins of the Crimi-
nal Court tomorrow when Jesse E. Ster-
rett, a former soldier. appears for trial
on a bigamy charge.
Standing Loyalty by his side is a little
black haired Spanish woman. who, with
her two sisters and her mother, came to
America at the close Of the World War
America was the promised land for
PrOsperina, her mother and her two sis
tiers.
Sterrett, according TO the story which
he ted to Prosecutor William p. Evans
married Prosperina in New York City.
Accompanied by his wife, the two sis
tiers Of his wife and her mother, Sterrett
arrived in Indianapolis.
DEATH INTRUDEs
UPON HAPPINESS.
Happiness seemed to reign in the
household until death claimed the mother
Of Pr0sperina. According to Sterrett be
took his wife, who was by that time the
mother of two children, TO Terre Haute,
where he sought employment
Failing to obtain work, Sterrett states
that he came to indianapolis and found
employment, but fell in with 'evil com
panions."
Sterrett, in a letter to Prosecutor Ev-
ans, stated that following automobile joy
rides and parties where white mule
and wine were served he married Nettie
L. Kirkendan Of S27 Park avenue on
May T. 1921.
Then the first Mrs. Sterrwett arrived
from Terre Haute with her two children
and told Sterrett and the prosecutor that
she would soon be the mother of Ster-
rett's third child.
GRAND JURY RETURNS
BIGAMY INDICTMENT.
The Marion County grand jury re-
turned an indictment charging Sterrett
with bigamy He was taken to Jail and
is there today. He win be taken to the
Criminal Court tomorrow for trial.
The Indictment charges that Sterrett
married his second wife while legally
married to Prosperina Fernandez.
Although penniless and disheartened,
Prosperina Fernandez Sterrett has ap-
Feared daily at the prosecutors office for
the purpose of iInploring him to secure
mercy" for the man she loves and the
father Of her two children.
The little woman does not complain al
though she realizes that her dreams have
faded away. Indianapolis charity organ
izations have aided Mrs. Sterrett, who is
without funds.
ONE OF MOST PTTIFUL
CASES ON RECORD.
''She now owes a weeks board for her
self and children" said Prosecutor Evans
today. This is one Of the most heart
rendering cases I have ever handled"
Sterrett has written Prosecutor Evans
a straightforward letter, which follows:
Marion County Jan, June s. 1921.
Prosecutor William P Evans:
Sir-I write you this. begging you 10
please listen to an appeal Of one who ha $
fallen. I am at present confined in jail
on the charge of bigamy, but would like
to explain to you the circumstances in
regards to my case.
/ have been unfortunate enough to be
divorced twice and have tried at all times
to be honorable and upright. but bad luck
seems TO be my lot But in this case l
acknowledge my guilt but it was the
last of my thoughts that 1 would do
what / did, so l Will try 10 explain if
you viii please grant me your kind in
diligence.
When war was declared 1 went across
to Gibraltar, Spain, and served twenty
three months there. While there l be-
came acquainted withs my wife, Pros
perina Fernando Sterrett, and when her
mother, two sisters and my wife arrived
in New York City, 1 met them and we
were married there. The mother died at
my home and left my wife and sisters to
my care. Now, sir, 1 tried to the best
Of my ability to fulhll my obligations
to my wife and babies and her sisters.
craftfno n1Onu finest I'm
world, having a wife whom l am proud
to say is a true wife. but ashamed Of
leaped
Then when We came to Indianapolis
last January and misfortune seemed TO
be cast in ny lot. took my wife and
babies to Terra Haute to my brothers