Thursday, May 10, 2012

High Life in Chicago --- An Episode


Gossips about town were in clover yesterday.  The denouement of a plot wherein connubial infidelity, shrewd cunning, aristocratic domestic differences, and a base avarice, each had a part, leaked out just as the actors themselves began to tremble before the unavoidable penalty of the law.  The parties interested were not alone, nor three nor four, but even more, and among them the wife of ex-Alderman Jacob Harris, and ex-Justice of the Peace, David Vaughn.  Our much respected friends, the old ladies, caught up the whisperings of the revolting affair, gathered them together, and ere night had come, the whole city were conversing over its distorted details. – The truth however, has not been more than half told.  This we shall endeavor to set fairly before the public and in our account shall screen nobody nor relate more than has actually happened.  To tell the whole truth would be a hopeless task.  Much of it is shut out from the world and even the siftings of judicial process will not bring it out.

To go back a few weeks.  On the 12th of February just past, Mrs. Lydia C. Burrows, a young window lady living at No. 483 State Street corner of Eldridge court, was called upon by an acquaintance, Mrs. Chloe Hills, residing at the same house.  The latter asked Mrs. Burrows if she would like to “put four or five hundred dollars in her pocket within the next eight or ten days.”  This question would be needless to ask of almost any person, but Mrs. Burrows inquired before answering, what were the terms.  Mrs. Hills, having enjoined secrecy said that the wife of a prominent citizen on Wabash avenue was desirous of procuring a divorce from her husband, and wished to hire some woman to induce him to commit adultery.  She represented that this lady was tired of her husband, and that she was ill treated by him, and that their family relations, though externally fair, were not of the most pleasant nature.  Mrs. Burrows assented.  Shortly afterwards, David Vaughn, an ex-justice of the peace, was introduced to Mrs. Burrows by Mrs. Hills. – The former had repeated interviews with Mrs. Burrows, and made all the arrangements from the proposed liaison.  Then Mrs. Harris, the wife alluded to, had an interview with Mrs. Burrows and finally Eugene Vogle, son in law of Mrs. Harris, who gave to Mrs. Burrows fifty dollars as the first installment of the compensation which she was to receive for her part in the affair.  In the meantime Mrs. Burrows sent a note to Mr. Harris requesting him to call at her house.  The latter though a stranger to the woman, called upon her.  She stated the circumstances truthfully, keeping nothing back and informed him of every particular of the devilish plot by which his wife, his son in law Vaughn, and Hills were endeavoring to break him down.  Thus had she deceived them.  Harris received the intelligence with astonishment, the thought that his wife was thus trying to ruin him – that the husband of his daughter was no less base – would be enough to overpower almost any man.  He was not long in coming to a determination.  He bade the woman who had given him her knowledge of what had transpired, and what was proposed, to go on apparently hand in hand with the guilty plotters, and bring the affair to the very verge of its proposed conclusion, that they might the more readily receive their just punishment at the hands of the law.  Mrs. Burrows informed the others that their plan was succeeding, and it was arranged that on Thursday night she would have carnal knowledge of Harris.  Mrs. Harris was elated at the probably success of her scheme, the guilty son in law clapped his hands at the prospect of obtaining a share of the “old man’s” property and Vaughn and Hills were no less jubilant.  Well, Thursday was the time set for the consummation of their desires, – everything was arranged, and Mrs. Hills was to open the door of Mrs. Burrows bedroom while the act was in progress.  Thursday evening came, Harris arrived, and with him walked noiselessly up the stairs a friend of his – a citizen of eminent respectability.  A person in the street might have seen at the very moment, two policemen concealed in the shadow of the building, awaiting a signal.  These Harris had brought with him for a purpose which will soon be explained.  Harris walked arm in arm with his friend into the room of Mrs. Burrows.  Harris placed his friend in concealment under the drapery of the window curtain, threw off his coat and covered himself with the quilt of the bed. – Mrs. Burrows gave the signal and Mrs. Hills with Vaughn walked into the room, while the policemen were grouping their way up the stairs.  In another moment Hills and Vaughn were under arrest – their bubble burst – themselves disgraced forever.  These are the circumstances in brief.  The arrest was made on Thursday night last. – {Chicago Times.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 3

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