Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1902 — ARRESTED FOR BIGAMY. [ARTICLE]

ARRESTED FOR BIGAMY.

Young Charles Vick of Rensselaer, Said to Have Three Wives, rOharles L, Vick was arrested at Sunman, a little town of 400 population in Ripley county, Indiana, last Tuesday on the charge of bigamy. Young Vick is a painter and paper hanger by trade and lived here with his parents until about a year or so ago, when he went to Chicago to work, his formerly Miss Anna Sommers of near Sharon, with her infant child Remaining here with his parents?' The marriage to Miss Sommers we understand, took place at St. Joseph, Mich., about two years ago. The couple took in one of the Monon’s Sunday excursions to Chicago and there took a boat to St. Joseph and were married. She had an interest in some land southeast of Rensselaer, and when her interest was sold last winter it is alleged Charlie took charge of the proceeds, which amounted to S3OO or S4OO, and decamped. Charlie used to come back here occasionalj- after going to Chicago, but for several months past has not visited Rensselaer. About three months ago the chief of police at Chicago wrote to officers heYe to ascertain his.whereabouts, stating that he was wanted for bigamy iu the Windy City, where he had married again. It now transpires that Charlie lived with wife No. 2 but a short time, when he left her and was lately heard from at Sunman, where he had again embarked in matrimony by marrying Miss Ella Heiseman, a poor but respected young lady of that place. They were married July 3, and their brief honeymoon was rudely interrupted by the officers Tuesday. Charlie was arrested on an affidavit sworn out here and was •given a preliminary hearing before Justice Spencer of Milan, and placed under §3OO bond, in default of which he was sent to jail at V ersailles. This jail, by the I way, its the one from which severprisoners were taken a few years ago and lynched. A dispatch was received later from Chief of Police O’Neil of Chicago, to hold young Vick, as he was also wanted there. A Chicago paper contained a column article Thursday, giving a pretty thorough report of the matter. It says that young Vick met Miss Emily Winifred Miller, an attractive young lady of 20, at the home of mutual friends at Harvard, 111., last fall. Miss Miller lived with her sister, Mrs. James Hanrahan, at 229 Wood street. Chicago. He courted her. and after she returned to the home of her sister in Chicago it was not long until he appeared upon the scene and renewed his attentions, The article continues: Mr. and Mrs. Hanrahan had both been impressed by the young man’s apparant stability and honesty. They believed he would make a good husband and readily gave their consent. The couple were married by Justice Underwood last New Year’s eve. They spent three weeks of their honeymoon at the home of the Hanrahans. Then one evening Mr Vick invited Mr. Hanrahan to take a walk with him. ••You and your wife have been mighty nice to us,’’ said Vick, “and I «At you to give this check of mine for $lO to your wife as a present from me. Now don’t object—you must take it. It is the least I can do.” Demurring, Hanrahan took the check. It was drawn on the bank of Rensselaer, and was the cause of Vick’s undoing. Mrs. Hanrahan cashed it and in a few days it was returned protested. Hanrahan thereupon decided to go to Rensselaer and find out something mere of his newly acquired relative. Arriving there it was not long before he was introduce I to Mrs. Vick No. I. Then came the expose of Vick, who disappeared. In March his indictment before the grand jury in Cook county was secured, but it was not until Tuesday that the young man was captured in Sumner, Ind. Detectives, Burns and Breternitz of the Central station will go to Sornner to-day to bring the muchmarried man back to Chicago. At the Hanrahan home last night it was stated Mrs. Vick was out of the city. Mr. Hanrahan refuses to discuss the case further than to remark that “that fellow was the smoothest article I ever saw in my life ’’ Just how much of the above clipping is correct we are unable to hay, but we understand that the Chicago officers did not go to Versailles after Vick, and that he is still confined there and will in all probability be tried on the charge in this, state instead of being turned over to the Illinois officers. There is apparently little doubt of his guilt, and it would seem .that the boy—he is

only 23—must be a little “daffy” for he must "certainly haVe known that the crime would be found out. The penalty for bigamy in Indiana is not less than two nor more than five years in the penitentiary. •