Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1912 — Wife Deserts Husband and Four Children. [ARTICLE]

Wife Deserts Husband and Four Children.

Mrs. Wilbur Criswell, who once or twice before has left her busband and four small children, southeast of town, again left them Monday evening, since time nothing has been heard of her. Mr. and Mrs. Criswell were in town Monday ana returned home in the afternoon, everything being pleasant between them. After putting the children to bed about 7 o’clock that evening the wife took off her shoes upstairs and quietly tip-toed down and left the house. She was missed shortly after but it was too dark to make much of a search that night. Next morning, however, buggy tracks were seen nearby and Mr. Criswell thinks that they left with a married man and that they wert to Chicago. It is alleged that she was seen talking with this pian in a Rensselaer store that day. Investigation also proved, it is said, that this man was away from home for'a few days, but returned Thursday. Mrs. Criswell is still absent and it is possible that a tragedy may result over the alleged elopement. Mrs. Criswell left her husband a few months ago and came to Rensselaer and worked for a time in the Rensselaer House, and while there she and her husband had a little

trouble on Front street, it will be remembered, when he attempted to see her and talk with her one evening. Later they went to living together again and he states they had gotten along alright and had no trouble to come up between them. It woud 1 seem that the woman is determined to go to the bad,, and the better plan for the husband to pursue would be to put her out of his mind altogether and secure a divorce, if his story .is true. Later—Aas a matter of fact, the man whom Criswell thinks left with his wife alleges that h© was at home all the time of the evening she left, and was in Rensselaer both Tuesday and Wednesday, so it would appear that the suspicion directed toward him was unfounded.