Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, October 30, 1879
Marriages
HOUK - MILLS: At Latham's Corners, Guilford [Chenango Co. NY], Oct. 23d, by Rev. T.F. Halsted, Mr. Handy L. Houk to Miss Lela B. Mills, both of Guilford.
Thursday, Miss Lela Mills and Mr. Handy Houck made the same venture. The knot was tied by Rev. T.P. Halstead, in a graceful and impressive manner. The bride was neatly and tastefully attired and the happy pair bear with them on their voyage many kindly tokens of interest and many prayers for their happiness and prosperity. The factory bell and steam whistle gave noisiest congratulations as the voyages commenced and smiling faces and waving hats and handkerchief as the launch was made, proved that the youthful pair had many friends.
COLE - THOMPSON: In South New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY] Oct. 15th, by Rev. W. Scott, Mr. David H. Cole of New Berlin to Miss Ida E. Thompson of Holmesville [Chenango Co. NY].
HUNGERFORD - LOUNSBERRY: At the M.E. Parsonage in Coventry [Chenango Co. NY] Oct. 19th, by the Rev. W. Burnside, Mr. Chauncey Hungerford of Coventry, to Miss Eva Lounsberry of Greene [Chenango Co. NY].
LOUNSBERRY - BURROWS: At the M.E. Parsonage in Coventry [Chenango Co. NY] Oct. 19th, by the Rev. W. Burnside, Mr. Eugene Lounsberry of Greene [Chenango Co. NY] to Miss Nettie Burrows of North Fenton [Broome Co. NY].
SCOTT - SHERMAN: Unadilla Valley, Chenango Co. NY: The delightful autumn weather, or some other cause, has emboldened many of our young people to venture out upon the sea of matrimony. Miss Alice Sherman and Mr. Scott embarked on Tuesday. The fair bride carries with her the well wishes of a host of friends.
Deaths
ROWLAND: In Sherburne [Chenango Co. NY] Oct. 18th, Mr. Eli E. Rowland, aged 58 years.
BULLOCK: In Greene [Chenango Co. NY] Oct. 14th, Julia [Bullock] wife of G.E. Bullock, aged 22 years.
HUFCUTT: In Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY] Oct. 18th, Leon Henry [Hufcutt] son of John and minnie Hufcutt, aged 3 months.
VAN PELT: In New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY] Oc.t 15th, Eva A. [Van Pelt] daughter of Tyler and Diantha Van Pelt, aged 23 years and 3 months.
AYLESWORTH: In Roseville, Ill. Oct. 5th, Jennie [Aylesworth] second daughter of Nelson O. and Mary Aylesowrth, Formerly of New Berlin, aged 4 years.
HINCKLEY: In Rockford, Ill. Oct. 14th, Mrs. Augustus F. Hinckley, formerly of New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY]. [Elsie Hawley Hinckley, aged 35 years]
DIMMICK: We regret to learn, as we do on Wednesday morning, of the sudden death at her home in Smyrna [Chenango Co. NY] of Mrs. Frank H. Dimmick. She was a most estimable lady, beloved by all, and her unexpected death casts a gloom over the community where she was known and appreciated. Deceased was a sister of George A Munson, our Smyrna correspondent. [Sara Munson Dimmick, 14 June 1848 - 28 Oct. 1879]
PERRIN: Bainbridge, Chenango Co. NY: Monday morning last, a most distressing accident happened by which a little five-year-old daughter of William Perrin, residing near the railroad bridge about three miles east of this village lost her life. Little Addie [Perrin], was alone in the house and while endeavoring to climb upon the stove hearth to dip a piece of paper into a boiler of water which stood upon the front of the stove her light dress caught fire and in an instant she was wrapped in flames. There being no one near to help the little sufferer, she ran screaming into the street, when she was seen by Frank Smith, who extinguished the flames. Dr. Thompson, of Sidney Plains, was immediately summoned, and everything possible done to ease the pain of the suffering child, but all in vain. All the upper portion of the body was so terribly burned as to leave the surface nerves exposed and the shock was so great that death ensued at 10 o'clock the same night, after twelve hours of terrible suffering. She was a bright, intelligent child, and the afflicted family have the sympathy of all who know them. Republican
News Item
Frances Shrouder, who, with her husband, is now confined in the Madison County [NY] jail, under indictment for poisoning her mother, Mrs. Lancy Barnard, who died a few weeks since in Chittenango [Madison Co. NY], is now suspected of having poisoned Mrs. Lovica Pope, aged eighty years, who died suddenly in July 1876. Mrs. Pope resided with her niece, Mrs. Barnard, mother of Mrs. Shrouder, in Chittenango and died about four o'clock in the afternoon when her remains were at once started for the place of interment in Truxton, Cortland, County [NY], where the deceased had formerly resided. They were taken in a one-horse hearse, driven by her niece's husband, arriving in Truxton about eleven o'clock on the following day, and were immediately buried without ceremony, relatives who lived nearby not having been notified of her death until one week after her burial. Since the death of Mrs. Barnard, the doctor who attend both her and Mrs. Pope was struck with the similarity of the symptoms in the two cases. On the 14th inst., Coroner Hendricks, of Cortland, took up Mrs. Pope's body, and the stomach was taken by Dr. Smith of the Syracuse University, who analyzed the same, and found positive traces of arsenic therein. It is stated that the old lady held a mortgage of $1,000 upon Barnard's property, which, after her death, he claimed she had given him. Also, that she had $800 in United States bonds in her bed, which were never found after she died. Mrs. Shrouder spent money very freely after the funeral. She is also suspected of having poisoned her father, Charles Barnard, who died over a year ago. It is alleged that a Chittenango man seduced Frances at fourteen, and she lived as his mistress for some time. Her mother opposed this, but her father upheld the girl. She is now twenty-five years of age and not very prepossessing in appearance. The testimony against her, as the murderess of her mother, is very strong.
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Mourned by Two Widows
On Monday morning of last week, the body of a man was found lying in a shed at a sash and blind factory in Mechanicville, Saratoga County [NY]. Deceased was about forty years of age, dressed in good working clothes and having in his possession a satchel containing changes of clothing, a silver watch and chain and a few other small articles. By his side was found a small paper box marked "Morphine, Poison." The box was empty. On the other side was a large tin box without any cover that had evidently been used as a drinking cup. There was nothing to establish the identity of the man beyond the name "Wells" on the bosom strap of his shirt and the name "M.D. Wells" in a memorandum book found in the valise. The man had evidently been timekeeper in some large works, for in the book were a large number of entries of the names of men and the length of time they had worked. Nothing could be learned as to his place of residence, except that a clue may be gained from a single address found in the book. There was no name, simply "No. 9 Montclair Street, Oswego." Deceased was evidently a mechanic, as in his satchel was found a machinist's hammer and a rule; besides, his hands bore the marks of toil. The coroner made a postmortem examination of the remains and found the system in excellent order, except a derangement of the stomach caused by the action of some powerful poison. The physicians are positive, however, that the poison was not morphine.
George Scrafford of Schenectady [Schenectady Co. NY] saw an account of the finding of the body published in the Troy papers and on Thursday he went to Mechanicville where the remains were exhumed and he identified the deceased as M.D. Wells, who, for a long time, had worked with him in the blacksmith's shop of J.M. Jones & Co.'s car works in Schenectady. He represented Wells as industrious and frugal, unmarried, and resided when at home with a married sister at or near Binghamton [Broome Co. NY]. He also stated that Wells left Schenectady about two weeks before, with quite a large amount of money, of which it was believed he had been robbed.
It appears that the dispatch to Oswego brought to light a Mrs. Watters, a plain, unpretending seamstress, who claims to be the wife of deceased, whose real name was W.W. Watters. Thirteen years ago, Mrs. Watters' husband, a shiftless, good for nothing fellow left her and went away. In a short time, he sent for his wife, and on his promise to support her and conduct himself as he should, she went to live with him again. It was but a few weeks before he fell back into his old habits. The wife soon discovered that it was less difficult to provide for herself alone than to support herself and a lazy, abusive husband. Finally, patience ceased to be a virtue, and Mrs. Watters went back to Oswego and gained a comfortable living by her needle. Years passed away, and hearing nothing of her husband she gave him up as dead. To her surprise, the latter part of last month, a man walked into her humble domicile and announced himself as her husband. She recognized him as such but refused to live with him. She plainly told him that he had no place in her affections. The man at the time went under the name of M.D. Wells. After hanging about Oswego for a few days, he disappeared and was not afterward seen.
Monday he was found dead as stated. Wednesday, postmaster Ames of Oswego received a letter asking if Wells ever resided in Oswego. the postmaster knew Wells, as he was called when last in Oswego and informed his wife. The widow forgot and forgave and attended to the burial of her hapless husband. Mr. Watters went to Mechanicville on Friday, when the body was again exhumed and Mrs. Watters, remembering a peculiarity of her husband, asked to have his boots and stockings removed, as he was in the habit of carrying his money in his stocking. This was done, but there was no money there. The body, together with the effects of the suicide were forwarded to Oswego for interment.
Now comes the most singular part of this strange story. For some reason Mr. Jones, of Schenectady, was led to believe that deceased had friends in Norwich [Chenango Co. NY], and on Thursday Postmaster Spaulding received a letter from him, asking him to make inquiries. This he did at once, and upon interviewing Mrs. Almira Wells (formerly Markham), a dressmaker residing in this village [Norwich], became satisfied that deceased was her husband, to whom she has been married several years. He had not lived with her much of late, and for some time past had been at work in Jones & Co.'s shop in Schenectady. He visited her between two and three weeks ago, stopping a few days and left on Monday, the 18th inst. The next day she received a postal card from him, announcing his arrival at Mechanicville. That was the last she heard of him until the news of his death came. She is confident he is her erring husband and has written to wife No. 1 for some trifling article found upon his person, by which she may more fully satisfy herself that her convictions are well founded. He had not much money in his possession when here. Wells was not a model husband, in many respects.
