3/3/94
Excitement on Jackson Street.
Nearly the entire population of that part of the city near the Corn Planter factory was assembled on Jackson St. this forenoon. The excitement was caused by a run-away wife affair, and the parties interested were Mr. and Mrs. Beach of West Olive and Alexander Lalonde of this city.
Some weeks ago young Beach’s wife left her home in Olive and came to this city. She found her way to Lalonde’s home on Jackson St., near Seventh and was in his house all day yesterday and until this forenoon. Beach learned of his wife’s whereabouts and was here yesterday to get her. He claimed that Lalonde had the woman in his house and that she dared not dare to leave the place, because he had threatened to kill her if she did. Beach also was unable to get into the house. Not deterred in his object the young fellow camped on the trail of the couple and neighbors say that he stayed on the kitchen roof of the Lalonde house last night. What his object was is not known, unless he was afraid that his wife was going to elope.
Neighbors learned of the affair and this morning a great crowd gathered in front of the Lalonde house. The doors were locked but Beach was still on guard, walking back and forth in the yard. Once in a while Lalonde could be seen through the window.
Beach sent word to the officers and about half past ten, the marshal and sheriff arrived at the place. There was an immense crowd in the vicinity of the house.
The officers crawled through a rear window and just as they were doing so, Lalonde happened to pass through the room. He was quickly hustled through the window and Marshal Klaver quickly escorted him to jail. During the excitement the Beach woman jumped through a window on the opposite side of the house. A search was made for her, but it was nearly ten minutes before she was discovered hiding behind a wood pile in the yard. She accompanied the sheriff to jail, her husband walking with her arm in arm.
A sister of the Beach woman is married to a son of Lalonde, and this woman was also here today with Mr. Beach. Great crowds followed the prisoners to the caboose.
Lalonde who was taken to jail first, made a show of resistance and had to be hand cuffed.
The principal parties in the fracas do not bear the best of records. Lalonde has been in all manner of scrapes and has been arrested for rape and incest and other dirty crimes. He has the reputation of being a bad man. Just recently it is stated he served a ninety day sentence in Muskegon jail. He is a saw mill filer by occupation and has lived here and at Muskegon for a number of years
Mrs. Beach is a dissolute character of the sporting class.
Lalonde and Mrs. Beach were brought before Justice Pagelson this afternoon. The charge against them stated in the warrant, is for “licentiously associating and cohabitating with another.” The court room was packed with people when the prisoners arrived, but they were doomed to disappointment, as the examination was deferred until next Monday at 10 o’clock. Bail was fixed at $300 and the prisoners taken back to jail.
3/5/1894
Case Dismissed.
Mrs. Flora Beach and Alex Lalonde who were arrested last Saturday forenoon for licentious cohabitation with one another had their case dismissed by Justice Pagelson this afternoon. The prisoners were brought up for examination this forenoon at 10 o’clock. The crowd that followed them to court filled the room to its capacity.
W. F. Lillie appeared as attorney for Lalonde and Geo. A. Farr for Mrs. Beach. Prosecutor Visscher appeared for the people. Sheriff Keppel said Marshal Klaver testified this forenoon of the arrest of the prisoners. After the testimony of R. Anderson and Henry Dornbos the prosecuting attorney moved to have the case dismissed which Judge Pagelson did at 3 o’clock this afternoon.
Mrs. Beach immediately left the court and walked rapidly down the street with her husband. From appearances the couple did not look as though they had passed through a domestic jar.