67. Walter WICKS
(4)(1)
was born about 1870 in Elba, Genesee, NY.(4)
(5)(1)
Progressive Batavian - Oct 28, 1887 - Orlando Hoyt was accidently run
into by the team of Harlow Parker, driven by Walter Wicks, on Monday afternoon
last. Mr. Hoyt was thrown form his buggy and slightly injured. (Orlando Hoyt
i s a Heintz relative!)
Sept 16, 1893 - Stole Away to marry - Young People of Elba Carry Out an Elopement
Plan- Miss Nina Burton leaves School and Runs Away with Walter Wicks--She is
16, He is 22--Carried to Albion by a Friend. ------ Yesterday afternoon Walter
Wicks, a young man well known about this village, ran away with Nina, the ssixteen
year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood Burton, and it is supposed that before
this time they have been married. The parents of the girl are much exercised
over her disapperaance, and the elopement had caused a good deal of excitement
in the villiage. Mr. Burton is on the track of his misguided daughter and the
young man is likely to be roughly handled by the enraged parent if he falls
into his hands.
Young Wicks is about 22 and for a long time bore rather a hard name. Last spring
he quarrelled with his parents, who live half a mile north of this village and
left their house. He went to board in the Burton family and it is said that
he mended his ways and for some months has been steady and industrious, working
whenever he could get a job and saving his money. He was partial to the society
of Nina, who is pretty brunette, plump and attractive, but not older in manner
than in years. She seemed to enjoy the company of yound Wicks and they were
much together. The girl's parents, while noticing the intimacy, warned her against
forming any attachment for the young man, as her time, they considered could
be better employed giving attention to her studies and they supposed that their
wishes would be obeyed.
Yesterday morning Wicks, who had for some time been working for Thomas Pingrey,
a farmer north of here, took his trunk from the Burton house, having the night
before obtained $12 from his employer on the plea that he was going away to look
for work during the winter, and in the afternoon, accompanied by Fred Wells,
a barber, well known here and in Oakfield, hired a horse from liveryman Dessom.
They then went to the Union School house, where Nina was a student, and inquired
for her. The girl had her shoulder cape on, having just come in from intermission,
and taking her hat went out doors. Principal Loveridge supposed that she had
just stepped outside to speak with someone, but after she had been gone some
time he went to the door to call her in, but she could not be found. He did
not think her disapperance very strange, until after it became known late in
the evening that she had gone away with Wicks, Then her schoolmates remembered
that she had worn her bracelets and rings that she kept for special occasions,
but she had not put on her best clothes. The elopement was first known when
Mr. Burton, who drives the stage between Batavia and Elba, returned home. Nina
did not return to supper and inquiry brought out the story of Wicks having hired
the horse, and by this time Wells had returned alone with the rig. He was asked
about the whereabouts of the young couple, but at first declined to answer any
questions, saying that if he didn't he would tell no lies. He finally admitted
that he had left the young couple at the depot in Albion and driven the horse
back home. It is supposed that Wicks and the girl took a train for the west
which leaves Albion at 6:15 PM.
Mr. Burton telephoned to the Sheriff at Albion to look out for the couple and
this morning bright an early started after them himsellf. Nina is a bright girl,
apt in her studies , and has been acting strangely of late, having been found
in tears by her sister once or twice. It is remembered also that she had said
that she would not be in town to attend the entertainment which was given last
night, and all the circumstances point to aprearranged pan to elope which was
succesfully carried out.
April 18, 1893 - Elopers Return to Elba, - But Not Together --The Bride Came
With Her Father --Wicks Walked --Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wicks, the latter being
Nina Burton who left school Friday afternoon and ran away with her lover, are
in town, but are not enjoying each other's company. They came back Saturday
evening.
Sherwood Burton, the young woman's father, who started in pursuit of the eloping
couple early on Saturday morning, located them later in the day at the home of
Fred Grant of Medina, a relative of Wicks, who formerly lived in the village.
Mr. Burotn had an audience with his daughter immediately, but didn't see Wicks
for the reason that Wicks saw him first. Nina told her father, it is said ,
that she and Wicks were married at about 8 o'clock the night before by the Methodist
minister in Medina and , it is further said, she showed him the marriage certificate.
Mr. Burton started for home with his daughter in the afternoon and arrived here
between 6:30 and 7 o'clock. Wicks got here about the same time, although it
is reported that he walked "cross lots" the greater portion of the
way. The bride is said today to be ill at her father's home. Legal proceedings
are now anticipated. It is said that Mr. Burton will endevor to have the marriage
annulled and that Wicks will try to secure possession of his wife.
April 19, 1898- Walter Wicks of Elba, who is employed in the Johston Harvester
Works, was arrested and arraigned before Justice Dunham yesterday afternoon on
charge of grand larceny. The complaintant was Clifford Blossom, who alleged
that he lent Wicks a bicycle and that Wicks refused to return it. Wicks proved
by a number of witnesses that the wheel belonged to Louis Cook, son of E.E. Cook
of Harvester Ave., and that Blossom sold the wheel to Wicks for $2 . Wicks was
immediately discharged. Wicks then went before Justice Woodward and swore out
a warrant for the arrest of Blossom on the charge of obtaining $2 forom him under
false pertenses. Blossom was arraigned and pleaded guilty, but sentence was
suspended during good behavior, upon his paying all of the costs of the action.
Jan 2, 1899 - Quite an exciting fracas occurred at the house of Benjamin Johnson
near Lancton's Corners on Saturday night. Walter and Isaac Wicks, brothers -
in- law of Johnson, one of whom lives with him, proposed to have a little party
at the house. Johnson objected and ordered them out of the house. A fight ensued
in which Johnson used a stove poker on his relatives by marriage. Walter Wicks
recieved a blow on his right hand which broke three fingers and put his knuckles
out of joint. Dr. Gray dressed the injury. Johnson left soon afterward for
his father's home in Barre and no arrests have been made.
Dec 13, 1900 - may Roach the woman arrested at the Iroquois in Batavia on Thanksgiving
eve on charge of robbing Walter Wicks of Elba of $20 but who was discharged,
was th star witness in the Slintz muder trial in Rochester yesterday. She testified
that Slintz was with her for three or four days before Pasquale Patrone was murdered
at Maplewood but was away the night of the murder. The following day he returned
and had considerable money. Patrone was robbed after being killed. On his cross
examination of the woman the District Attorney Forsyth, Slintz's atttorney, asked
her if she robbed a man named Wicks in Batavia. She replied that she didnot.
The attorney then called for Wicks. He stood up. The woman acknowledged having
seen him in Batavia but denied having robbed him.
Dec. 19, 1900- May Roach, who figured in Police Court while aninmate of the Iroquois
Hotel in Batavia and who is the star witness in the Slintz murder case in Rochester,
recived a good deal of attention on that trial in Rochester yesterday. The
defense is trying to parove that Fred McBride, a hostler, is more likely to be
the murderer than Slintz and that the Roach woman stole Slintz's shoes, so that
they could be found in the house of Brown, the murdered man. Walter Wicks of
Elba, who caused the Roach woman's arrest in Batavia on charge of robbbing him
of $20 at the Iroquois, testified to the circumstances of that affair for the
defense yesterday afternoon and Michael Murphy of Elba, who was also at the Iroquois,
followed him. John Thomas, an aged mulatto, who said he was May Roach's father,
told of a significant remark which his daughter made to him about the shoes in
the case.
Aug 2, 1902 - An egg found by Walter Wicks, who works for Zeb Crosby, measured
five inches in circumference and contained a second perfectly formed hard-shelled
egg!!!
In 1905 Walter was a mill hand.
He was married to Nina BURTON about Sep 1893 in Medina, NY.(4) He was divorced from Nina BURTON on 1 Nov 1895.(4) Nina sued for divorce, Walter was arrested in December 1895 for not paying the divorce costs. Many people were in sympathy with him and the money ($22) was raised by friends that night and paid to the officer.
He was married
to Jennie LEE (daughter of George M. LEE and
Clara A.). Jennie LEE
(1) was born about 1888 in Barre, NY.(4)
(1) In 1905 she and Walter were
living with her parents on Church St. in Elba, NY. Walter WICKS and Jennie LEE
had the following children:
144 i.
Albert H. WICKS(4) was born on 21 Aug
1905 in Elba, Genesee, NY.
145 ii.
Kenneth WICKS(4) was born on 2 Oct
1906 in Elba, Genesee, NY.