The United States v. Huls

These newspaper searches can be frustrating. I can type in the same thing on different days and sometimes get different results. Now I have found two more articles about this unfortunate event.

I admit it doesn't really have anything to do with uncle Charley, unless it helps illustrate how entwined the families could get in the Appalachian foothills. (But, a Family Curse!)

This should have been the first article I posted, found in the Thursday, Dec. 27, 1900 issue of the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune:

SOCIETY WOMAN 

        TO BE ARRESTED

Mrs. Huls, of Logan, Is Charged With Defaming Relative's Character.

    Family trouble is given as the cause of peculiar conduct that yesterday resulted  in the issuing of a warrant for Mrs. Anna E. Huls, wife of Joseph W. Huls, of Logan, O., on the charge of sending improper letters and drawings through the mails. The warrant for her arrest was issued at the instance of Postoffice [sic] Inspector Furness, of this city, who has been attending to the case for some weeks past. The person preferring the charge is a relative of the accused, Mrs. Captain. W. Huls, of Rockbridge, where she is prominent in society and church work. Captain Huls is a cousin of Joseph Huls, and the ill feeling and enmity is said to have been confined to the wives of the two men.

    Captain Huls about a year ago discovered that some person was circulating letters and drawings all intended to reflect on the character of his wife. They were anonymous, and the first inclination on the part of Captain Huls was to treat them with contempt. But the letters and drawings continued to appear, being found in streets, buildings and other places, and the attacks on the intended victim by inuendo [sic] and insinuation were so plain that it became finally a great and serious annoyance to Captain and Mrs. Huls. The former appealed to Postoffice [sic] Inspector Vickery, of this city, for protection, and Mr. Furness was directed to find the culprit if possible. It is on what he has been able to discover that United States Commissioner Adler yesterday issued the warrant for the arrest of Mrs. Huls, of Logan. Marshall Fagin was directed to make the arrest. The hearing in the case will take place Saturday next before United States Commissioner Johnston. Colonel Bundy and Assistant District Attorney Moulinier will conduct the government's side of the case.

    Both the ladies concerned are of good social standing in their respective communities, and the surprise at yesterday's proceedings is said to be quite general among the residents both of Logan and Rockbridge.

This keeps getting weirder and weirder. The other article tomorrow.

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