She Ran Away With Husband's Coachman

NORRIS, MICKEY, PALMER

Posted By: Marilyn Norris Holmes (email)
Date: 12/23/2009 at 18:34:29

The Des Moines Daily Capital; Des Moines, Iowa; May 29, 1903

SHE RAN AWAY WITH HUSBAND'S COACHMAN
POLICE STUMBLE ONTO A STORY IN REAL LIFE
P.T. NORRIS, FORMERLY OF GRINNELL, LYING AT DEATH'S DOOR IN MERCY HOSPITAL--HIS CAREER A NOTABLE ONE

Through correspondence from some of the most prominent citizens of Grinnell, Iowa, the names of whom are at present withheld by the police department, a story has been revealed concerning P.T. Norris, now lying at the point of death at Mercy hospital, and Mrs. Palmer, alias Miss Helen Mickey, former wife of one of Iowa's most prominent physicians, and now a Des Moines kitchen and restaurant servant. The story of the lives of these two people proves to be one of the most remarkable which has come under the observation of the police in many years. From a position in society at Grinnell Mrs. Palmer has been reduced because of her love for a hostler and coachman to a life of servitude. She has lost the $2,000 which was left her by her husband when he discovered her faithlessness; she has been twice under the surveillance of the police for cruelty to her children, and it is alleged that Norris was a party to the cruelty, she has in the grand finale lost the love of the man for whom she gave up all. Since their last trouble with the police Norris has refused to live with Mrs. Palmer. At his boarding house, 418 Fourth Street, it was learned this morning that the woman had called often and pleaded with Norris for his affection, but that he had always introduced her as his sister-in-law and insisted that there could never again be any more intimate relationship between them. Just prior to being taken to the hospital, however, and to Mr. and Mrs. Moore, who keep the boarding house at 418 Fourth Street, Norris had been told that he might die.

"Whom shall we notify," asked the Doctor.
"Miss Mickey, No. 611 Sixth Avenue," was the reply.
The doctor sent a messenger to the place, but the woman could not be found. There is no 611 Sixth Avenue. Repeatedly efforts were made to get some other address out of Norris, but he could not speak.

A little over a year ago P.T. Norris was coachman and livery hostler at Grinnell. He had a room in a barn and occupied anything but an exalted position upon the social ladder of the central Iowa educational center. He presented an unattractive appearance, being blind in one eye and scarcely able to see out of the other, and added to this deformity was afflicted with a bad case of asthma which made breathing difficult. But despite his personal appearance he attracted the attention of the wife of Dr. Palmer, one of the best known physicians of Grinnell and father of the young Dr. Palmer, than whom there is no more highly respected practitioner in the central part of the state. Because of frequent visits to the rooms in the barn occupied by Norris, on the part of Mrs. Palmer, Dr. Palmer, Sr. demanded an explanation of his wife. She could not give one that was satisfactory and a separation followed. Dr. Palmer left, broken-hearted, for Texas. Things became unpleasant in Grinnell for Norris. He was ostracised from society and determined to quit the place. Mrs. Palmer was being supported upon moneys left her by the older doctor, said to aggregate altogether about $2,000. A part of the alimony agreed upon was a house and lot in Grinnell. No sooner had Norris come to Des Moines than the house and lot was offered for sale and Mrs. Palmer after disposing of the property for cash followed Norris to this city. The moneys acquired from the sale of the property were handed over to Norris and he purchased a stock of fruits and provisions which he installed in a room opposite the Savery Hotel on Fourth Street. All of the money used in the purchase of the stock and the establishment of the business was from Mrs. Palmer's purse.

As a business venture the new fruit store was for a time quite a success. Four months after coming to Des Moines Mr. Norris was informed one morning that the woman, Mrs. Palmer, had given birth to a baby boy. The child thrived and after a protracted illness the mother was restored to health and again took her place alongside of Norris as clerk and assistant at the fruit stand. The couple resided at 303 Short Street. They insisted when arraigned once in public court that their relations had been legitimate and that Mrs. Palmer was simply a servant for Norris; that he occupied a separate room in the apartments, and she received compensation for her work as clerk and scrub-woman in the little store. The police, however, were convinced that a good case could be fastened on the couple and the husband of Mrs. Palmer was sent for. He was in Kansas City at the time he received the communication from the police department. He refused to come and file a charge against his wife saying that he already knew that she had run away with Norris but that so far as he was concerned she could go to Norris and to the habitation of the old original mephisto as well.

Mr. and Mrs. Norris, while residing at 303 Short Street, were arrested by police on complaint of neighbors that they had permitted the baby born here in Des Moines to remain at home alone in the house all day long during the coldest weather of the winter, improperly clad and with no care whatever. Neighbors heard the screams of the child and running to its room found it almost frozen to death and without food. Then followed the sensational trial which was a feature of the newspapers at the time. The Humane Society through its officer, Mr. Ed Crawford, took the child and it was adopted by the Lutheran Home managers at Fort Dodge. Another boy, aged 12 years, the son of Mrs. Palmer before she became infatuated with the Grinnell coachman, was turned upon the streets of the city by the couple and taken in charge by the Humane Society. The boy is now located in one of the best Iowa homes. The home was found for him through the influence of the Fort Dodge Society which by now has charge of the baby.

After the trouble over the baby and the escape from the hands of the police, Norris refused, it is claimed, to harbor the Palmer woman in his rooms. He secured rooms with Mr. and Mrs. Moore at 418 Fourth Street, and Mrs. Palmer assuming the name of Miss Mickey made the rounds of the local restaurants and hotels in search of work. Attention was attracted to her by charitable people who reported the matter to the Humane officer.

Officer Crawford began looking up the case to ascertain whether or not Mrs. Palmer did not have some rights to the money which had been invested in the store. A careful investigation of the business at the store proved that since the airing which Norris and Palmer had had in the police courts business had fallen off at an alarming rate. Last Thursday the store was taken by a wholesale house to satisfy a mortgage, and this morning when a reporter for The Capital went to the place he found it under new management.

Mrs. Palmer now has nothing left of the $2,000 which was left her by Dr. Palmer. She has lost both of her children because of the cruel and inhuman treatment accorded them and she expects to lose before many hours have passed the man whom she has loved through these troubles. She is still believing in Norris, and when the matter of prosecuting Norris for making away with her money was broached to her she absolutely refused to have anyting to do with it.

Mr. and Mrs. Moore were seen t 418 Fourth Street this morning. Mr. Moore said, "We knew little of Norris or the woman he called his sister-in-law. She seemed to be devoted to him and often called to see him. We tried to find her last evening, but could not. The couple did not live as man and wife while they were at this house. We asked Norris last evening if he had any relatives that should be notified and he said that he had a brother at Grinnell. The brother was telegraphed for and sent back word that he would arrive here today. Norris is afflicted with a complication of diseases which it is feared will cause his taking off. He has not been in good health since coming to this city. As a business man he had the reputation of being straight forward and honest."

Officer Crawford in speaking of the case this morning said: "I made a thorough investigation of the case before the Society took the children from the couple. The 12-year-old boy was put out into the streets and we had to try and find his work to earn his living. He was not old enough to shift for himself and I secured his adoption by the Lutheran Home at Fort Dodge. The Home people have found a good home for him. I have letters from the boy and he is well satified."

The information concerning the past of Mr. Norris and Mrs. Palmer was secured by the local Humane officer writing letters to a number of prominent people in Grinnell. The letters were written for the purpose of getting information upon which to base a case showing that the people were unfit to care for the children.

Norris was taken to the hospital yesterday evening at 6 o'clock in the ambulance. He is being treated by Dr. Patchin. Both Norris and Mrs. Palmer are about 45 years of age. The friends of Norris have been unable to find Mrs. Palmer, but she left word at the Fourth Street rooming house that she would come Sunday to see Norris.
-------------------------------------------------

This article appears two days later, May 22, 1903:

ELOPING COACHMAN DIES AT HOSPITAL
P.T. NORRIS PASSED AWAY LAST NIGHT
MAN FOR LOVE OF WHOM THE WIFE OF GRINNELL DOCTOR ELOPED TO DES MOINES, PASSES
AWAY, WITH WOMAN MISSING

P.T. Norris, the Grinnell coachman for the love of whom the wife of a prominent physician of that place is alledged to have eloped, leaving her husband and her happy home, died at 8 o'clock last night at Mercy hospital.

He died without having a last look at the woman who once moved in good society and is now reduced to the work of a scullery maid. Helen Mickey-Palmer-Norris has disappeared, failing to return to the hospital where Norris lay dying.

The body of the dead man was claimed by his brother who came to Des Moines from Grinnell Wednesday. It was taken this morning over the Rock Island railroad to Brooklyn, Iowa, where it will be interred.

The woman with whom he is said to have eloped had left word at the hospital that she would be there this coming Sunday to see Norris. If she goes to the hospital she will be greeted by an empty room.

NOTE: This article may very well be the story of the son of Samuel T. Norris, namely "B.C." Norris. It also may be more than coincidental that the brother of P.T. Norris came from Grinnell to claim the body. There were only two Norris families in Grinnell in 1903, that of Samuel T. Norris and the family of David Norris of Maryland, who did not have a son by that name or close to it. Finally, it is more than coincidental that the body of P.T. Norris was taken to Brooklyn, Iowa, for burial. The graves of the family of Samuel T. Norris are located in Brooklyn, Iowa. May we safely conclude, therefore, that P.T. Norris, the man who stole a doctor's wife, was none other than "B.C." Norris, son of Samuel T. Norris, and a true black sheep of the family? (Taken from thoughts of Fern Hart Norris.)