, 1860-11-23
THE BURCH DIVORCE CASE,
Fourth hay Of the Trial,
TESTIMONY OF FANNIE BURcH,
THE CONFESSIONAL.
examinations and Recrtminations,
From our own Reporter.J
NAPEHFuLE, Thursday, Nor. -
H11RETN1 EFcnTnN

MORNING SESSION,
Nj: Miller received the deposition Of Har-
net c. Brown. My name Is Harriet c. Brown
hare resided in Chicago since October, rs
ain wife Of Vim. II. Brown; known Mr.. Burch
since IS, aud Mrs. Burch since she cnmc to the
city; have resided during last years within
a block and half Of Mrs. Burch we have nj
ways visited socially, and know her intimately;
We seldom had company that we did not invite
each other; we have always been in the Iabit
Of freely exchanging calls I'LL last fall, when
her mother complained that she went into So
ciety too much: SO Mrs. Burch told nc in the
latter part Of 1859, when complained Of her
not visiting me sooner.
His Honor, Judge Norton, decided that he
should admit Mt present no evidence not bear
Ing clearly upon the issue, though, perhaps,
matters now excluded might in the progress
Of the trial become plainly relevant.
Mr. Beckwith then read. under the ruling Of
the court, 4 portion OF the cross-examInation
Of Mrs. VIM. II. Brown.
HRS. Thomas Burch aud her two daughters
were present when Mrs. Burct told me Of re-
ceiying the letter from her mother relative to
her entering too much into society.
MISS FANNY BuRCn's TESTIMONY.
Miss Bnrch, ncice of the p1aintid,
(Mr. Burch,) visited his house In 1857,
and appears to have bsen an inmate of
his family for u long time. she relates many
incidents showing the intimacy Of Stuart with
Mrs. Burch, but nothing Of criminal chasac-
ter. Stuart walked with her {Mrs. By rode
with her, followed her to church md to pEi-
Eate parties, bcseiged her at her house, and
generally acted as her edralier serrant>-the
minutim Of which is unimportant- We give
the latter part Of her testimony in her own
1anguage]:
We went TO Mr. Farnam's to little party
the Friday before New Years; Mrs. B. did not
go; she said her mother did not like to hive
her to 20 into company; when We got back
Mira. Burch wus asleep In her room !; sue told
me the next morning that Mr.. Stuart had
been there; next saw them together on New
about ten minutes; Mr. MeEI5ck called
with him :; she told nc then that she fed
him behind the oronge tree and that when Mr..
Stuart left he kissed her hand. He next called
on the evening Of July 30th. Mr. and Mrs.
Neef were In the parlor. When Stuart came
room, but came In Afterwards and shook hands
with him. She told mc that when Stuart came
in he came In the library where she was and
shook 1ands, and that she told him he must
not stay long, and that she came in and met
him as If she had not seen him; that 5fr. and
Mrs. Seef had lived longer in Chicago than
she had, and she did not like to present him.
After they left, Mrs. B. stood BY the table and
said to Mr.. s. II have heard something about
you" He said, "what is it!'' She said, ~
cannot tell you now"
1thcn left the room and went to the library
to write letter; Mr. 8. soon after came into
the Library followed By Mrs. B., aud asked me
why ran away, and attempted to kiss me-, I
repclled 1t, aud Mrs. B. laughed; she came to
my room afterwards md begged me not 10 tell
Mr.. Burch; promised, and the ne1t day
wrote to my mother to send for nc to come
home; left the room Immediately and went
to my own room, and locked the door; my sis
ter came up; had occasion to come down
stairt and saw the library door closed
remained two hours with my sister; Mrs. B.
sent for NJ to come downataire: went down;
that was about half Epast ten; found them sit
ting each side Of table in the parlo1; ono Of
them asked nc why went away don't re-
member my reply; my uncle camc In and the
that be Ind come down to see II he would take
some tickets to Mrs. Bostwick's concert; he
stayed about one hour longer; the next eve
ming Mr. and Mrs. Burch and myself went to
the concert; Mr. g. was there; he sat on the
aisle next to us, two benches in front, on the
far end Of the bench; Mrs. B. sald. as she was
pulling of her rings after we got home, Mr.
13urch does not like to have gentlemen admire
me, but If they will do it can't help it !" she
said she had often thought that 1t WIS FORUM
ate for Mr. Burch that 3lr. Van Rensselaer, did
not live In the samo town with him she said
that she liked n Burch very well, but wo-
man neves could love the same way but once;
Mr.. Van Rensselaer, was the gentleman to
whom shc Wac engaged before she m>EIied Mr.
B.; she said she thought Mr. B. was great
deal better match; she said she thought wo-
man ought to be careful how she ma11ies aud
then do as she pleased.
She said that she didn't love Nj. Burch when
he married her, ns she did now, but respected
lin; asked her why she married him, rs he
waa not rich; she said her uncle Corning said he
was good business man and could not help
getting rich; Mr. Stuart, on another occasion,
talked with Mrs. Bnrch In the slellh On Clark
street, when she aud were out shopping.
know Carlile Boyd; have se1h him ut Ms.
burch's; hare been with Mrs. Burch when VIC
and walked with Mrs. Burch Boyd was at the
house two or three times week for month;
their manner towards each other Was very po-
lite; on the day OF Mrs. Faznam's dinner par
ty Mrs. Burch and went to the bank return
ing we met Mr.. Boyd; We went TO the bakery
together; made az excuse aud went home;
she came Afterwards; when my uncle came
home he suid to us, "Where have you been
this morning." Mrs. B. told him where ~
had been and whom We had seen except
Boyd; Mr. Burch said friend had told
him that he had aeen his wife and
Minnie In company with their usual c.
con; be asked who It was; the friend said,
!" Mr. BoYd;" hs asked which Boyd, and the
friend replied, The soft onc;" she replied,
"Oh. yes, father, I met him." VIC sat down to
the dinner table, md she teased Mr. Burch to
tell her who the friend was; he did not tell her.
Mr.. Burch wsahed me to ask him who told
him; he told me to tell her "that there were
things going on in the house that be knew
apd that she thought be did not know; and
that be had asked rs au-none Of us had told
him = be said hs would not tell me who told
him; / left him and went in to Miss Highs;
sent word to Mrs. Burch Whist Mr, Bnrch had
said; when went home they were all at u
concert when Mrs. Burch came In she beck
oned me, and went up TO hes room; .he
great deal to the sumo effect" this WIS Tues
day night the next day had letter to send
up town and Mrs. Burch Insisted on sending
1t for me; we had many Tisjta that morning;
when my uncle came down to dinner, be
wcnt directly up stairs Minnie came IN tbs
parlor aad said to Mn. Burch that father want
I'd to see her In tho library; Mrs. Burch went;
dinner and so sent her to her mo4hcy In the
library. where they both were; she cams back
and sid that mother was sitting on fathers
lap with her arms around bis neck and TINT
they both were crying:" VI; Burch came to
dinner, Mrs. Burch did not; the next day my
slater asked nc If heard any one crying dur.
the night; she said shethoughtit was Minnie;
We went down stairs, and Mr. Burch conduct
ed prayers; Mrs. Bureh h4d evidently been
crying and cried during prayers; she (cft the
room ~ soon as they were over; Mr. buTch
went down town I went into the paslor aud
Mn busch w there; ..si she >, said ID, "shnt
something;" shs than told mo that when
she sent nv letter on the other moruIng she
had sent letter to Mt. Burch all remcm-
bcr Of the note WIS, ~ I confcss all, have been
foolish and silly" she then told me they had
she had told HI. Burch that he had kissed her,
had his arm around her waist, and that she had
told him many timex she 1ored him better
than any man In the world; she told me that
she had tried to convince Mr.. Burch that she
had only nlrted with Nj. Boyd-that she saw
he liked her, and she was only leading him on:
that she did not like him; she said Mr. Burch
moi have said these things unless she meant
something's she said he asked hcrif she thought
she could haFs remained a pure woman three
months longer 4 this thing had gone on; that
hs had sud such dreadful tbluga to her; that
he had told her to leaye his room that night
thnt he said he didn't belicrc Hattie was his
child that he said be would cane Boyd II he
met him; sue was afraid be would, and wished
me to 70 up and see Mr.. Burch; did so;
went to the bank, fpd ny uncle came home
with nc; he wa& much Excited; sue told mo
that morning that she had written pote' to
Mr.. Boyd, asking him to send baek thu pres
ents and notes; she said Mr. Burch had dc
:ated the note; on Friday morning, attcr We
had met Ar. Stuart At Pugeot's. Ms: Burch Ind
: large envelope a,ed With letters; x..hile re
were dressing that day for the dinner
party at Fa5nam's she came to my room