Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-01-02
MATAWAN MAN
HAS TWO WIVES
Grover E. GivenS Under Ar
rest on Charges Made by
First Wife
DUAL LIFE is EXPOSED
Lived In MontCIair While
Trusting Wife Cared for
son in MataWan
DUAL LIFE is EXPOSED

a " <AN, Jan. z--Ine arrest
of Grover Edward Givens, twenty.
on charge of desertion and aban-
donment ana one of a more serious
nature. at his home in 65 North Full
lerton avenue, Montclair, Monday.
brought to light one of the most
human interest stories that has ever
stirred the hearts of this little bor-
ough and has turned much public
sympathy toward his wife and child
here, on whose statement the arrest
was made The wife, who has been
the cause of Givens' arrest, is Mrs.
Mabel Elizabeth Givens. of this Dor.
ough, who is now residing here with
her infant son, at the home of her
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. John Henry
Fallon, in Maiden lane.
The story in connection with this
case, which has affected people in
Matawan, Keyport. Freehold, Mont
clair and other North Jersey towns,
reads like a novel. and bids fair to
become of interstate interest.
The romance between Mrs. Givens
and her husband began when they
were children and dates up to the
present time, when Givens, it is
charged, committed bigamy by mar
rying Miss Grace Pool. of Montclair,
and left his legal Ntfe and son here
with her parents while he, on the
pretense of working, spent his time
with Mrs Givens No. 2.
Mrs. Givens No. / would perhaps
still be in the dark as to her hus-
bands second marriage. had it not
been for telephone call to the
Thomas A. Edison Inc, laboratories
In West Orange, where he was en-
ployed as saxophone player in the
Edison recording rooms. Mr.. Givens
who was resident of Freehold, in
which town his parents still reside
and own one of the largest drug
stores in that borough. is said to be
one or the most expert saxophone
players in the United States today.
1t seems that one afternoon the
legal Mrs. Givens was planning to
visit Mr.. Givens' parents in Free
hold and called the Edison plant on
the phone, to see if her husband
would not join her. She was in
formed that Mr.. Givens had not been
to work since his wife had called
telling the plant officials that he was
Ill Mrs. Givens at once decided
something was wrong as she had not
delivered any such message. Her
investigation brought out the follow
ing facts:
That while they were living In
Paterson, and Mr.. Givens was work
ing days in the Edison plant and
playing nights in the Great Notch
Inn, he was carrying on an affair
with the Pool woman which resulted
in their marriage in the Little Church
Around the Corner in New York City
on September 20, of this year. Soon
after the marriage Mr.. Givens sug-
gested that his wife and son come to
Matawan to reside where she would
be near her parents and SO she came
to this borough and rented a house.
Explaining to his legal wife that he
was working late and hard, and it
was impossible for him to be home
as much as he would like to, he
spent his time with Mrs. Givens No.
2, in an apartment occupied by her
self and her mother in Montclair.
The investigation carried on by
Mrs. Givens No. resulted In To-
eating the second Mrs. Givens and
the holding of family conference
in the Fallon home in this borough,
at which was present both Mrs.
-Givens No. and Mrs. Givens No. 2,
Mr.. Givens, Mr.. and Mrs. Fallon,
Mrs. Pool, Joseph Carson. mother
and friend of the second Mrs. Civ
ems and Mr.. Givens' parents from
Freehold At the conference Mrs.
Givens No. 2 begged Mrs. Givens No.
l to give up her husband so that
he might come with her as she
loved him and declared that she
would live with him married or
single.
During the conference, Mrs. Civ
ems No. 2, threw her arms about
Mr.. Givens' mother and told her how
she loved her son, but Mrs. Givens
spurned her and told her he already
had a wife. According to Mrs. Civ
ems No. 1, Givens promised to reform
and leave the Pool woman. but that
every night went back to Montclair
and again went to keeping house
with her. AS q result of his actions
he lost his position with the Edison
Company and the Great Notch Inn
Mrs. Givens said, and she has been
informed that he has been disowned
by his father and mother.
One night, before the husband
completely abandoned his wife, he
took her for an automobile ride.
They had some words over the affair
which Mrs Givens was trying I'd
break up and when they reached
Woodbridge, Mr. Givens EXCUSED
himself for a few minutes and l9ft
his wife sitting In the car alone. tie
(Continued on Page "a
<