Freaky Friday - Two Claim Dead Woman as Wife

Kewaskum Statesman,
Sat. 04JAN1908, pg1

Oh how we women love to be fought over, preferably before we die. Truly an odd story. It was another I came across during my research and photocopied because it looked interesting. After reading it through I wish I had gone to the next issue to see what the police discovered!

"Two Claim Dead Woman as Wife

Janesville witness declares on stand his real name is Lanuette.

Another says he's husband

Prisoner at Fond du Lac Tells Remarkable Story That Tallies with That Related at Inquest.

The police are sorely puzzled.

Janesville, Wis., Jan. 2. - (Special.) - Frederick Clayton, husband of the Chicago clairvoyant whose body was found in this city recently, declared today that his real name was Lanauette and that he and his dead wife, Madeline Odell, were married in St. Joseph, Mich., on September 17 last and not in February as he had previously stated to the police and also testified on the stand.

The police here today received the startling information from Fond du Lac that a man had given himself up to the sheriff there declaring he was F. G. Lanauette and that he married the Odell woman in St. Joseph, Mich., in September. He says that they parted, and that he went into the copper country. The Fond du Lac report tallies almost identically with that told by Lanauette on the stand here and the officers are sorely puzzled and are unable to explain the remarkable coincidence. The Lanauette here will be questioned late this afternoon and it is expected that before night the mystery will be cleared up. The authorities do not seem to doubt the story told by the witness but in no way can they account for the report from Fond du Lac."