AN EASY-GOING BIGAMIST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9142, 25 August 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN EASY-GOING BIGAMIST.

A remarkable case of bigamy came to light in Brooklyn on June 15, through the arrest of Webster H. Travis, a bookkeeper in the St. Nicholas Bank, whose nominal homo was at No. 555, Hancockstreet, Brooklyn, but who has had another home at No. 180, Miller Avenue, in the same city. Mr. Travis is about 34 years old, the sergeant major of the 47th Regiment, and well known in business and social circles. He was married about ten years ago to Mary F. Cahill, and they have several children. But his home ties held him loosely, and a year or more ago he met Miss Mamie Kortright, the eighteen-year-old daughter of Detective Robert Kortright, of the Seventeeth Police Precinct, Brooklyn. The young woman is described as handsome and attractive, and she is well known as an amateur actress and elocutionist. It was at an entertainment in which she took part that Travis met her, and fell a victim to her charms. Their acquaintance rapidly grew into friendship, and they went everywhere together. Travis took her to the entertainments at the 47 th Regiment Armoury. On June 5 Travis persuaded her to elope with him, and they went to Jersey City, and were married by the Rev. Mr. M'Kehvay. The girl's parents were inclined to demur at her marriage in clandestine fashion, but decided to make the best of it, and an impromptu reception was given on the evening of their return home. Since that time Travis has been spending each alternate night with his new wife, and going to his old home the rest of the time. To each wife he made the same plausible excuse that he was detained by business at the bank. How long he expected to keep up the deception is unknown, but a day of reckoning came on the 15th June. On that day Detective Kortright learned that his son-in-law was a doubly married man. He went to his daughter, and was told that she already knew of it, but thought it best nob to make the fact public, as it would only make a bad matter worse. But the father was not content with this, and he induced her to go to Police-Justice Kenna to swear to a warrant for the arrest of Travis. Meanwhile, Mrs. Travis had learned of her husband's escapade from her sister, although she did not believe that he had committed bigamy, and she began "suit for absolute divorce. The summonses and complaint were served upon Travis in the morning. He engaged as his counsel John H. Cahill, of No. '21, Cortland-street, his brother-in-law. In the afternoon Detective M'Nearny went to the bank, armed with the warrant for the arrest of Travis. He coolly put on his coat and asked permission to be absent for the rest of the day, and walked out with the detective. He was locked up in the Seventeenth Precinct Police Station. When seen in the evening, he apt>eared to take the matter coolly. He said that differences between him and his wife had been fomented by her aunt, Mrs. Jones, with whom she was brought up. The only excuse for his marrying Miss Kortright that he could give was that he was deeply infatuated with her. He expressed confidence that the complaint of bigamy would be withdrawn when he appeared in court, and that, after the divorce proceedings begun bj his wife had resulted in their permanent separation, he and his second wife would be legally married. Miss Kortright visited her pseudo husband at the police station. She appeared to have much affection for him. — New York Tribune.