This
paper fell into the hands of Miss Bradley, at Rutland, and as she
claimed to be my wife, and had parted with me only a little while
before, when I went out to peddle medicines and millinery, her
feelings can be imagined. She read the story and then aroused all
Rutland. I had not been back from Saratoga half an hour before I was
arrested in the public house in Montpelier and taken before a
magistrate, on complaint of Miss Bradley, of Rutland, that I was
guilty of bigamy.
The examination was a long one, and as the facts which were then
shown appeared afterwards in my trial they need not be noted now. I
had two first-rate lawyers, but for all that, and with the plainest
showing that Margaret Bradley had no claim whatever to be considered
my wife, I was bound over in the sum of three thousand dollars to
appear for trial, and was sent to jail. There was a tremendous
excitement about the matter, and the whole town seemed interested.
To jail I went, Eliza going with me, and insisting upon staying; but
the jailer would not let her, nor was she permitted to visit me
during my entire stay there, at least she got in to see me but once.
I made every effort to get bail, but was unsuccessful. Eight long
weary months elapsed before my trial came on, and all this while I
was in jail. My trial lasted a week. The Bradley woman knew she was
no more married to me than she was to the man in the moon; but she
swore stoutly that we were actually wedded according to the
certificate.
Pages:
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93