A Presumed-Dead Husband, a Divorce Suit, and a Bullet at River Park
Henry Nance vanished for four months. When a divorce suit brought him back, a confrontation with his father-in-law ended in gunfire—and a suspender buckle took the bullet.
Rather a sensational shooting affray is reported at River Park. The parties to the affair are a wife, deserted four months ago by her husband; the husband, who suddenly appeared after being given up for dead; and an angry father-in-law, who was the recipient of the son-in-law's bullet. About three years ago Henry Nance, a steamboat man, married Miss Kanouff, and they had lived happily at River Park and Hood Canal up to four months ago. Then they were residing at River Park and one morning Mr. Nance arose at 4 o'clock and announced that he was going to Hood Canal to get some money which his brother, Monroe Nance, owed him. Mrs. Nance heard that he had left the canal after he had been away for some weeks, and sent to Hood Canal to learn his whereabouts, and Monroe said he would search for him. Mrs. Nance did not know whether her husband was dead or alive, and fearing that there was an intrigue under way to swindle her out of her community interests in her husband's property, she instituted a suit for divorce. When Nance left his wife she only had $1.
The suit for a divorce, it seems, brought Mr. Nance from his seclusion, and on Thursday he appeared in River Park and had a stormy interview with his wife, whom he accused of keeping the company of women of questionable reputation. This she denied. When Nance left his wife he was met by his father-in-law, Philip Kanouff, who was intoxicated. Nance ran, and was followed by Kanouff. Finally Nance stopped, drew a pistol and pointed it at Kanouff, who stopped. Nance took deliberate aim and fired. The bullet struck a suspender buckle on the right side and deflected upward, and is supposed to be lodged in the shoulder. The wound is slight.
Constable Manning arrested Nance, and he was taken before Justice Howland, of South Park, and his bail fixed at $1,000. Up to 12 o'clock last night Nance had not secured bail, although he was industriously hunting for it. Nance states that he has been on his father's farm in Mason county ever since he left his wife. He says he came back to see his two baby girls, one of whom was born since he left his wife.
“He says he came back to see his two baby girls, one of whom was born since he left his wife.”
This is a domestic drama of separation, suspicion, and violence, reported with the period's appetite for family scandal. The underlying issues—custody, property, and a woman left with almost nothing—remain painfully recognizable in modern courtrooms.
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