Part two of a two-part series
Popular Caledonia tonsorial artist (barber) James Hall was arrested for bigamy by a detective from La Crosse. The November 28, 1888 Caledonia Journal headline read, “TOO MUCHLY MARRIED.”
On June 29, somewhere near La Crosse, Hall had married Sarah Carrigan from the town of Winnebago, Houston County. The newspaper knew not the whereabouts of the bride since then.
Meanwhile, Hall entered courtship with Effie Carlyle (sp), “one of the “leading belles” of Brownsville, marrying her in La Crosse in November.
In addition to two marriages within five months, extended coverage addressed the possibility of a previous, therefore third marriage. “If Hall was legally the husband of the Ortonville lady on the 29th of June, he committed bigamy by marrying Miss Carrigan on that date. If he was not a married man then, the bigamy was in his marriage last month to Miss Carlisle.”
With trial set in May 1889, the bigamous barber intended to plead not guilty due to two marriages having occurred during 1888, a leap year when females were encouraged to initiate romance even as far as proposing marriage. Hall would therefore claim he could not say, “no,” and got married the same number of times he received proposals. The Journal offered, “We expect the court will accept this plea as sufficient authority to grant Mr. H. his liberty, at least until the occurrence of another leap-year.” This columnist has not yet discovered the eventual legal ruling.
Last week’s column noted the Journal describing 33 “coy” bachelors in Caledonia (population about 900), worthy of leap-year pursuit by local ladies. Not included was indignant Dell Hartley, who pressured the press to have his name included among available bachelors, refuting the rumor of his recent marriage perpetrated by the newspaper’s Freeburg correspondent. Hartley informed he was not married nor soon expected to be. “He has a notion to bring a suit for damages against our worthy correspondent, on account of the fictitious rumor he has not received a single invitation to the prevailing leap year parties nor a solitary proposal from anyone of the fair sex.”
An early 1888 Journal issue announced, “solely on the authority of the young lady,” a marriage that had not actually occurred. If the young man wished to bring a lawsuit, the paper respectfully referred him to the young lady.
Marriage in 1888 could be a stage production mystery. According to a September newspaper article, it was known there would be nuptials at the county fair but unknown who. About 1:30 Wednesday afternoon, “a closely covered carriage entered the grounds and was driven to the judges stand. The occupants were hastily transferred to the apartment underneath the stand and the closed door concealed them from the public view.”
Some 4,000 to 5,000 spectators awaited while enjoying music by the Lanesboro Cornet Band.
Soon, two clergymen, four bridesmaids and six groomsmen appeared as did the betrothed, Mr. K. K. Dahle and Miss Kate Styer, “two of the most estimable and highly regarded young people of the village. The secret was out.”
Not all nuptials went as planned. John P. Bessen, (for some reason) better known as Hans Peter, was described by the Caledonia Journal as “a gentleman who has successfully evaded the matrimonial lasso for upwards of forty summers, has just furnished Caledonians with a solid sensation.” He had been keeping company with Mrs. Peter Palen, a well-respected widow about his own age to the extent that marriage was the “only means by which to make honorable amends.”
Hans, who “rather reluctantly, had consented to take upon himself the burden of the matrimonial yoke” had participated in making preparations for the ceremony in May 1887. All was believed to be in “perfect readiness.”
The relatives and friends of the bride and groom arrived at the church early. With the pews occupied by those “anxiously awaiting the bridal pair,” time passed to such an extent that an inquiry was sent to the City Hotel, where Mr. Bessen had been boarding for the past three years.
It was ascertained that Mr. B., or Hans Peter, had left his room key with Mr. Serres, the landlord, along with a note requesting him to give the clothing left in his room to John Huebsch, an old and needy resident of Caledonia.
This unexpected revelation was immediately relayed to all involved, including the “sorely disappointed bride” that Hans, “during the still hours of the night, had taken a French leave without the formality of bidding his friends adieu.”
The greatly disappointed wedding guests dispersed with much sympathy for the “grossly wronged widow.” The newspaper concluded, “It is deemed doubtful that Hans will ever return to Caledonia, which has been his home for a period of about twenty years, unless at the instance of an officer of the law.”
The Journal could not resist the temptation to humorously connect two recent departures. The newspaper had recently reported the appearance of a bear in Caledonia. It was not a “bug-bear” or a “bear” from Wall Street. (A dictionary defined a “bugbear” to be a folklore goblin who dines on naughty children or “any source, real or imaginary, of needless fright or fear.”) It was a live, four-footed bruin that elicited fear from both children and women in Caledonia, where it was reported to have prowled around hen houses, hog pens and other possible dining sites for a few nights in May of 1887.
Following the prediction about the doubtful return of the bridegroom, the newspaper continued, “The bear which caused so much excitement among our villagers a week ago, has mysteriously disappeared and so has Hans Peter. It is hard to tell whether Hans has gone after the bear or that the bear has gone after Hans. By some, it is thought that Hans is on his way to Germany to visit his dear ones, while others are of the opinion that England is his objective point where he will undertake a trifling experiment upon the affections of the old Queen.”
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