The Van Alstyne Sensation
By: Dusty Williams

In January of 1894, an exciting scandal appeared in newspapers all across Texas…its roots were in Van Alstyne. The following is one of the first accounts of the sensation and was taken from The Dallas Morning News on January 04, 1894:

“Van Alstyne, Grayson Co., Tex., Jan. 3 - The sensation caused by the sudden disappearance of a well-known married man of this area and the disappearance at the same time of a highly respected married lady, has not abated in the least, but increases with every little bit of news that can be gotten about the affair.

All manner of stories are current as to their whereabouts, and a number of persons say they saw them buy tickets to as many as a dozen different places, but the truth is their whereabouts at present is shrouded in mystery.

Conductor Bingham of the train on which the lady left, says a gentleman whose description tallies exactly with the man in the case, met the lady at Plano and accompanied her to Dallas. After their arrival at Dallas the lady adjusted her veil tightly over her face and got off the train alone, but the man got off in a few minutes on the opposite side, and in a short while they were seen taking a carriage, and here all trace of them vanished.

The lady in question has always enjoyed an unblemished reputation, and belongs to one of the first families of the county. She is highly accomplished, a fine musician, a brilliant conversationalist, quite attractive in appearance and possesses a large circle of friends in nearly every town in north Texas. The gentleman, too, is well known, being connected with one of the most prominent and widely-known families in Grayson county. He drew all his money from the bank the day previous to his departure, and the fact that he requested it be paid in gold leads to the inference that he intended going to Mexico, as gold is money everywhere.

It is being circulated on the streets to-day that parties purchased tickets via the Texas and Pacific for Chattanooga, Tenn., Thursday morning and were seen aboard the train together. The News correspondent has it upon good authority that they were seen at the Dallas fair in a closed carriage once in October last, and also upon several different occasions they were noticed together upon the train between this place and Dallas, but it was thought to be by accident only. In view of the circumstances brought to light it is now believed here that this affair had been brewing for some time and its execution had been prevented until now by mere accident.

The deserted husband was in the city to-day, and in conversation with The News reporter, said he had not the slightest intimation of the affair until Monday, when he received a letter from a friend here saying some uneasiness was felt as to his wife's whereabouts, and that the town was full of gossip concerning her absence. He went to Dallas yesterday, but was unable to find any trace of his wife.”

On January 03^rd, 1894, The Galveston Daily News stated that the town (Van Alstyne) is in a flurry of gossip over the disappearance of a married woman who left here on the train, checking her baggage to McKinney, where it was rechecked to Dallas to-day, the woman and baggage continuing to the metropolia on the train taken at Van Alstyne. The next morning a married man kissed his wife and two children good bye and took the train for Dallas to consult a specialist. Neither returned and upon investigation it was ascertained that the man and woman left Dallas together the following morning, going east. Nothing has been heard of them since, and gossip is having a picnic.”

About a week after this article ran, a new article was circulating which gave the names of the two individuals in question. The missing woman was Mrs. Norvell who was a native of McKinney, but whose husband was residing in Honey Grove. After some research, I uncovered that the woman was Josie Cynthia Harris who was reared in Collin County. She was married in 1883 to J. O. Norvell.

The missing man’s name was given as Mr. McKinney and a later account stated his name was James W. McKinney. After research, I have determined that the man was in fact James W. McKinney and his wife was Helen Howard. Their two sons at the time were Otis and Claude. James was in the Hardware industry and was a son of James Ashley McKinney.

The Honey Grove Signal published on January 19, 1894 the following: “Another chapter in the Van Alstyne Sensation was enacted last Saturday by the return of the man, Mr. McKinney. He refused to be interviewed but said he knew nothing of the woman, who has not yet been heard of. Later reports published in the Sherman papers state that McKinney left Van Alstyne again Tuesday for parts unknown.”

On January 26^th, the Honey Grove Signal followed this article with the following: “Ardmore. I.T.. January 20.-Mrs. James W. McKinney of Van Alstyne, arrived in this city a day or two since and joined her husband, the hero of the recent sensation at Van Alstyne. Harmony now exists in the McKinney household and husband, wife and children are living together at the house of a friend.

Mr. McKinney states that they will remain until matters have quieted down when they will return to Van Alstyne to live. Mr. McKinney talks but little, and will say nothing of the sensation in which he was such a prominent figure. - Sherman Register.”

The last mention of the Van Alstyne Sensation that I have been able to find appeared in the Honey Grove Signal on February 16, 1894: “It was learned here yesterday that Mrs. Norvell, the pretty milliner whose unceremonious departure from Van Alstyne created such a sensation, is in Denver, Colorado. A sister of hers at McKinney received a letter from Mrs. Norvell a few days since.

The writer gave no explanation of her departure, but said it would be useless to write her, as she would leave Denver very shortly. – Sherman Register”

By 1900, Josie Norvell is living in McKinney with her mother, Elizabeth Harris. She is listed on the census as “single.” I have been unable to find anymore information on Mr. Norvell, so it is unclear as to whether or not the two were able to reconcile their differences. Mrs. Norvell continued working as a milliner for various companies. Sometime between 1900 and 1910, she remarried, Arthur P. Rhoda. The couple lived until the 1940’s and were laid to rest in Pecan Grove Cemetery at McKinney.

James W. and Helen McKinney returned to Van Alstyne where they lived out their lives. In 1901 they had another son, Eugene Howard McKinney. James W. McKinney continued in the Hardware industry and remained a prominent citizen of Van Alstyne.