DRAMATIC SCENE-Deserted Wife Appears - 1901

MARTIN

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 1/9/2017 at 10:14:52

Dubuque Daily Herald, August 3, 1901

DRAMATIC SCENE
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A Deserted Wife Appears at the
Grave and Demands Body of
Her Husband
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Muscatine, Aug. 3 – A dramatic scene occurred at Nichols Wednesday when the of burial at S. Martin, a farm hand, was in progress. Just as the last prayers over the remains were being said the congregation was startled by a dust laden, sweat covered team which came dashing up on a dead run. A woman and child alighted from the conveyance and forbade further proceeding with a funeral. She claimed the dead man was her husband and the father of her son. The Illinois relatives of Martin who were in attendance questioned her story, having never heard of his marriage. When the woman’s story was heard and the proof submitted it was reluctantly admitted that she was what she claimed, and her right was recognized to superintend the burial, which she said should be in Muscatine, her home town. Plans were changed, the grave filled, the funeral cortege took up its journey, and at noon the body was left with the sexton of the Muscatine cemetery to be interred, after a grave was prepared. The woman tells the story that the name of her husband was Martin, but the name was Edmund P. instead of S., as he gave his name. Six years ago they were married and for a short time lived in Muscatine, they having moved here shortly after their marriage. The husband came intemperate and finally they parted two years ago and he went to the country to escape drink. Occasionally he came to this place and called upon her of his efforts to reform. But to no one in the neighborhood was he known other than a single man. His brother said the dead man never informed his parents or other members of the family of his marriage, and yesterday was the first knowledge he had of the existence of a sister-in-law.