CHARGED WITH BIGAMY AND IN MOORHEAD JAIL

Wife of a Day Left for Norway And Has Been Out of Country For Seven Years

Moorhead, March 16.—Simon Severson, a Fargo harness maker, is still locked up in Moorhead, unable to furnish $1,000 bail, patiently waiting for a trial on the charge of bigamy, brought by his first wife, Jennie Severson, last Saturday.

Eight years ago at the office of Judge James H. Sharp, Sr., in the local court house, Simon married Jennie. Olga, a sister of Jennie, was a witness of the marriage. In those days there were no street cars, so the trio walked from the court house to a Fargo hotel, arriving there late in the evening.

When he awakened in the morning she was gone. Jennie has deserted Simon. He spent several days searching over the cities of Fargo and Moorhead, but always returned at night alone. Jennie left no letters of explanation, nor did she write to her husband during the absence.

For four long years Simon waited patiently for the return of his wife, thinking all the time that something awful must have happened to her. But she did not return. Unfamiliar with the laws, Simon, about three years ago, married again. He worked hard and gave his second wife two children and a comfortable home.

All was well and the little family was happy until about six months ago Jennie showed up. She had just been over to Norway for a while. She wanted Simon to pay her $3 a week for the support of their 7-year-old child, which she had left with friends in Norway. This Simon has done until his recent arrest in Moorhead.

A short time ago Jennie, not satisfied with the punishment being inflicted upon Simon, brought a charge of adultery against her husband. Failing to get a conviction on this, she signed a complaint in this city and had Simon arrested for bigamy.

Attorney Garfield H Rustad has accepted Severson's case and will try to show the court that the defendant should be released from the bigamy charge. It may be that Simon will be bound to the district court under $1,000 bail. If he is unable to find bondsmen he will be obliged to remain in the Clay county jail until the last of May before he can secure a fair trial by a farmers' jury.

Bismarck Daily Tribune, 3/17/1916