The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-06-04
A Fearful Tale of Family
Troubles Doings of a Moth
er-in.LaW.

The telegraph brought news day
or two since Of the shooting of Lieu
tenant Moore, United States army,
by his mother-in-law, Mrs. Mason, at
Savannah, Ga. The following state
ment of Mrs. Moore, her daughter,
unravels the mystery partially:
Savannah, Ga, May p, 1868.
EDITOR REpuBLIcAN-Sir: y =
My mother always held me complete
ly under her control, and never dis
obeyed her in anything save when |
married Lieutenant Moore. At ten
years of age she forced me to 60 on
the stage, and she pictured to me the
honors that might win. This life,
which was one extremely repugnant
to my feelings, I led for eight years,
and frequently, when | have not had
the heart to act well, she would pinch
and abuse me behind the scenes, and
Brighten me into acting part.
When Lieutenant Moore wished to
marry me, we begged and implored
her to grant her consent, and, al
though, was very i'll, and my life
was in danger, she was not willing
for us to be married, but said that /
must remain on the stage, and that
we would go to Europe. We were
married, however, without her per-
mission, and my husband treated her
with exceeding kindness, but her con-
duct toward him was terrible, as is
well known to the ladies of the gar
rison at Macon, where we resided
then. About week after our mar
riage she feigned sickness, and want
ed to 90 home to Columbus, Ind. She
begged my husband to allow me to
accompany her, promising faithfully
that | should return within week.
She recovered Immediately after we
started from Macon, and when we
reached home she said that / should
never 60 back, and that I should stay
on the stage.
My uncle and cousins aided her in
trying to coax, and in threatening
me, in order to induce me to yield to
their,desires. My clothes were pack
ed in trunk and sent back to my
husband, and letters (Which are now
in my possession) were forged and
sent to him, purporting to come from
me, and telling him that l would new
or come back to him again. They
took my wedding ring from off my
finger, after choking me until fain>
ted, and allowed me to lie upon the
floor until | came to my senses and
when she would go from home she
would lock me up in room, and
threatened that i'll screamed Ishould
be sent to a lunatic asylum. My hus-
band came to Columbus and brought
me away with him, and since Mrs.
Mason followed us. Since we have
been in Savannah our life has been
an endless round of persecution.
Everything she has done, which
her ingenuity could devise, to injure
my husband. She vowed that she
would separate or kill us. She has
come to my room and threatened my
lite, until for safety ! had to forbid
her coming there any more, and then
she went around and told people that
my husband would not permit her to
see me. + Y
No woman has ever led a happier
life than mine since my marriage, so
far as my husband is concerned. No
person could have been moro kind
nor affectionate than he has BEEN
My every wish has been gratifed,
and SO far from beating or abusing
me, he has never laid his hand upon
me save in kindness. = Z Vi
We have always shrunk from any
publicity in the matter, and have
borne these scandalous aspersions as
patiently as possible, and in silence,
hoping that they would one day
cease. The terrible event which has
has brought matters to
crisis, and can see no way to firmly
and forever set at rest these rumors
and reports than by giving to the
public true and faithful version of
the affair. Mrs. Mason has always
been crazy for me to 60 on the stage,
and to that alone I can contribute her
conduct.
am, very respectfully, yours,