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Show A REAL ENOCH ARDEN COUTH DAKOTA MAN GREW WEALTHY IN ALASKA. Came Home After 14 Years, Found Wife Married to Another Man, but His Children Welcomed Him. Mitchell, S. D. Tho Klondike country coun-try has furnished Its share ot romantic stories of sopnratcd families and tho return of wealthy Individuals who havo been grub staked and returned homo with wealth untold, but thero Is moro to tho story of Judson E. Lathrop than tho moro returning with gold galore, for ho finds that his wife la divorced and that his mother and slater sla-ter havo passed uway. For 14 years Lathrop had not been heard from by his relatives, and It was gonerally bo-llovcd bo-llovcd ho was dead. i Fourteen years ago Mr. Lathrop was travollng on tho road for a milling company, but very llttlo of his monoy went for tho comforts of his family; In fact, ho did very llttlo to support them, and they woro loft moro or less to their own devices. This was duo to tho fact that his lovo for drink took what bolongcd rightfully to his wlfo and children. Starting out on ono of hlB trips, he loft home 14 years ago and remained away until tho present, not oven writing homo or giving any clew to his whereabouts. Two weeks ago ho returned to his home at Applcton and Informed his son Alfred, who Is employed In a railroad rail-road office at Mllwaukeo, ot his deslro to renow hla standing with his family. His son notified htm ot his accoptanco after writing to hla clstors, MIbbos Hazel and Bernlco Lathrop, of this city. Tho meeting occurred at Summit, Sum-mit, S. D., whoro Mr. Lathrop has a brother teaching school, Tho Mlsaes Lathrop returned to their homo horo to-day and gave tho Incidents of their father's absence. Mr. Lathrop started for tho Klondike with 50 In caBh, and on roachlng Scattlo ho was without funds, but was takon through by a party of friends who woro making tho trip together. On reaching the gold fields tho party went 3,000 miles Into tho Interior and started tholr oporatlons. At the end of flvo years Mr. Lathrop had amassed $20,000, and with that ho started back homo. On reaching Ketchikan ho wna takon ill with tho scurvy, and for ono yenr ho lay In tho hospital, and when ho camo out ho said ho did not have a dollar left ot hla small fortuno. Thero was nothing for him to do but to make the start all over again, and ho met with bettor results. Ho secured se-cured a number of mines that wero profitable and ho Bold out a portion of thorn for $500,000, retaining about 30, which ho still owns, besides owning own-ing a bnnk at Ketchikan. Two yews ngo, prompted by the lovo that he still boro his family, ho decided to return to his old homo. Ho reached Scattlo and thoro learned that his wlfo had secured a dlvorco and had rcmarrlod. Without moro Information, Informa-tion, Mr. Lathrop turned hla steps to tho Klondlko once more. After two years his wealth increased to a larger sum and again tho longing came over him to see his relatives, and, two weeks ago, ho reached hla former homo at Applcton, After tho mooting with hla children ho took them to Apploton, which vldlt, howovor, was saddenod by tho death of his mother and his sister. Ho brought homo golden glftu for them, nnd was a saddened man to find that thoy wero not thoro to rccolvo them. Ho has mado many gifts to his homo town, besides expending a largo sura In decorating tho graves of hla mother and sister. Mr. Lathrop Is now a thoroughly reformed man. At Seattle and In "Alaska bo has given large sums ot monoy to aid in church work. In talking with his daughters about his former drinking ho urged thorn novcr to marry a man who' had the slightest deslro for drink, as ho In-slstcd In-slstcd It would grow upon him. Mr. Lathrop will settle an annuity, on his children to provldo for thorn aa long aa thoy llvo, the details of which will be Bottled this weok. Threo years after Mr. Lathrop went away hla wlfo secured a dlvorco on the ground of desertion, and at that tlmo moved out to Ashton, S. D and mado hor homo with rolatlvcs. Nino years ago Bho was married to L. W. Seaman, ot this city, a wealthy ranch and stock owner, who owna a hand-Bomo hand-Bomo residence near the business dls-trick dls-trick The two daughters will con-tinue con-tinue to make their residence with him. Both aro accomplished young ladles, Miss Hazel being an exception-ally exception-ally fine musician, both In volco and. Instrumental. Mr. Lathrop expressed himself to his daughtors as being satisfied with his lot and does not blamo any mem-' bor of his family for all that has takon place. As soon as ho finishes hla bust- iB nesa in tho country, which ia for the purpose of buying an immense quan-tlty quan-tlty ot machinery for hla mining plants, ho will return to tho Klondlko country, thero to pick up the thread ''H of H |
