“The citizens of Nile township have felt outraged and indignant over a recent scandal, that finally developed into a run-away scrape.”
“About thirteen years ago a young man named Benjamin F. Hutsenpiller, married an excellent young lady of that township, a daughter1 of Mr. John Evans. There was no trouble in their domestic life for years thereafter. The father-in-law gave the young man financial aid, advancing him means to engage in business, but he failed to push his operations to success, and his ventures turned out badly. Mr. Evans finally died about six years ago, and his widow, wishing to give Hudsonpillar, her son-in-law, another trial, purchased, some two years ago, a cozy home for home on a small farm about two miles above Buena Vista.”
“For about a year Hudsonpillar attended to his farm, and seemed to be getting along happily and prosperously, but his heart was wandering after strange gods; he was forgetting the duty he owed to his devoted and uncomplaining wife, and one of the nymphs of Twin Creek was leading him astray. He began to neglect his business and to while away the shining hours at the domicile of his inamorata, on the quiet and romantic banks of Upper Twin. The wayward husband was known to carry the best of his larder, the luxuries his industrious wife had prepared-canned fruits and vegetables-away from his home to supply the wants of his capturer. He grew bolder in his conduct; his business began to suffer, his credit to fail, and he was forced to dispose of his team and every piece of tangible property that belonged to him.
“This was a great disappointment to his friends, who had cherished the hope that he would seek to retrieve himself. With this idea, he had been nominated for constable by the Republicans of Nile township last spring, and elected, and still held that office when the final denouement took place.”
“Matters came to a head about two weeks ago. He removed all the household goods that he claimed as his own from his house to a junk boat lying at the mouth of Pond Run. Deserting his wife and three interesting children2, he took his Delilah on board, and, in company with another couple, floated down the river just after the recent break-up. And this Hudsonpillar, who might have been a respectable citizen, floated away from a deserted wife, a desolate home, and from a ruined reputation. He gave up home, and family, and friends, and a good name, to live in the society of an abandoned female, a married woman, who herself deserted husband and children when she took her flight.”
“The citizens of Nile, who all know of these facts, denounce the conduct of Hudsonpillar in unmeasured terms, and feel that he deserves to have some punishment meted out to him; while they all deeply sympathize with the wronged but faithful wife.”3
“Benjamin F. Hutsenpiller, late of Scioto county, Ohio, whose place of residence is unknown, is hereby notified that Hester A. Hustsenpiller, did on the 22nd day of February, 1879, file her petition in the office of the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, of said county, charging said Benjamin F. Hutsenpiller with adultery with one Ellen McKinney, and with living with her in a state of adultery, and asking that she, the said Hester A. Hutsenpiller, may be divorced from him, and that the custody of their children may be decreed to her. Said petition will be for hearing at the next (May) term of the said Court. Dated this 7th day of March, 1879.”4
- Hester Ann Evans
- John William Hutsenpiller, Charles E. Hutsenpiller, Lulu A Hutsenpiller
- Nile township scandal: a constable elopes with another man’s wife, abandoning his wife and children. (8, February 1879). Portsmouth Times, p. 1.
- (1879, March 22). Portsmouth Times, p. 4.
