Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-04-26
The Other Side of the Story.

'i"iu ", Win WHOUl De Wdo Ju0H Nv
ing. Since then Mr.. Whitney has
published in the same paper his ver-
sion of affairs, which gives things a
different hue, and at the request of
friends in Craftsbury, we publish bis
letter, though not until we had taken
pains to find out from his wife her
opinion of her husbands guilt or in
nocence, and she returns for answer
that she has never thought of such a
thing as desertion on his part; that
he has written her twice every week
since he went to Chicago, and has oc-
casionally sent her money-has sent
her money within the past two weeks
has never written a word that could
be construed into any intention of de-
serting her, nor has any act of his
looked that way. There have also
been reports in circulation that he has
been expelled from the masonic lodge
at Crdftsbury in consequence of i'm
moral conduct in Boston. His expul-
sion woS demanded by the Boston ma
sons for the reason given, and for a
while the members of The Craftsbury
lodge thought they must expel him,
but before they did so another letter
came from Boston retracting the accu-
sation and saying all was settled
there, so he was not expelled, and not
only that, Mr.. Whitney has lately ask
ed for and received from the Crafts
bury lodge a certificate of member
ship and good standing. We have
now given both sides of the story
People can believe as much of either
as they like:
To the Editor Of the Chicago Ereaing Jour-
nal:
Your issue of February % contained an
article headed Cupid from Boston" "The
Sweet Voiced Tenor of Trinity and his AZ
tinity," etc. Believing that if you had
known the facts and the character and the
motives of the party seeking to perpetrate
the Islander, you would have, as | under
stand other papers did, refused to publish
it. | simply wish you to allow the refuta-
ton to follow as closely as possible on the
heels of the lie.
was well acquainted with the present
Mrs. Willard long before her marriage :;
indeed | have seen very little of her since
her marriage. About December, 1868, she
| married this man Willard. He had been
paying his addresses to her for year or
so previously. and during all this time, he
had as she afterwards learned wife living
This wife had been obliged to leave him
on account of his cruel and abusive con-
duct toward her. About six months before
his marriage to the present Mrs. Willard,
this poor, ill-used, broken down first wife,
who had borne him six children, was di-
vorced from him on the ground of cruelty.
! lie was about fifty years of age when he
married the present Mrs Willard.
Immediately after her marriage she be-
gan to experience such life of suffering
and torture as few women, perhaps none
| but the first Mrs. Willard could endure and
| live. All this was suspected, never till af-
forwards really known, by her friends. At
| length one night he locked himself in a
room with her. and after the most horrible
Oaths and threats, he tore articles of her
/ oil 81 -
stove and burned them beforeher ewes, and
stood over her with a pistol aimed at her
head, and every few minutes threatened to
scatter her brains around the room. She
then made up her mind that she must leave
him to preserve her life and she did leave
at the first opportunity. And here | did
all that | ever did in relation to this affair
and here take the opportunity to publicly
declare that thank God that | had the
chance TO do, and did do, what little did
on that occasion. And if this man Willard
should pursue me with his fendsh perse.
cuton TO the death, as he threatens,
should at the very last think more of my
self and have more hope Of myself for the
little kindly services rendered this poo
woman in her distress than for any othel
act of my life.
She cane to me as the friend who hap
pened to be the nearest and most avaiabl,
} to her at the time. ! gave her such assist
ance as was in my power, such as any mar
with spark of humanity in him could no
help giving to a woman in her circumstan
ces, and this was all. did not 90 ava,
with her. | remained in Boston and at
tended to my business as usual. did not
neither then or at any other time in NJ
life, have any improper intimacy or tamil
iarity with Mrs. Willard, as Mr.. Willard
well knows, and has admitted, as will here
after appear. ! did not see her but twic,
during the time she was living with vii
lard.
= Willard having learned that had as
, sisted her, commenced malicious perse
, cution Of me, which he has kept up as wei
as he has been able ever since. He mali
ciously reported that | had abducted hi
: wife and was keeping her concealed from
: him, and that she would be glad to return
to him if would permit it, etc.
He pretended to have statements or aft
davits purporting to be executed by som
, worthless and abandoned characters, whicl
he procured in way best known to him
self. Her lawyers Ia firm of the highes
standing and responsibility in Boston as
sured him and showed him her own letter
! to that effect, and stated to him that sh
, was acting entirely under their advice il
going away and staying away, and as t
where she was staying, and that | kney
+ nothing of her or her movements. Thi
, did not satisfy him. At length he and hi
, counsel proposed that if she would consen
7, TO an interview in presence of the attorney
| of both parties, and if she should there sa
: that no improper conduct had occurred be
p tween her and myself that she was actin
her own free will, and that she would nc
live with him again, he would thereupo
/ cease prosecuting me and her other friend,
}. and would allow her to 60 in peace. a
arrangement of this kind was made, and
: meeting of both parties in presence of thei
I attorneys was had. At this meeting vii
+ lard produced all the affidavits and paper
, land charges of every kind which he had, O
ever pretended to have against her or me
The result of the meeting was that Willar
!, then and there expressed himself entirel
o satisfied that his wife and myself were in
. nocent of the charges he had made.
She charged him to his face with tn
c abuse and cruelty to which he had subject
t ed her, and he did not attempt to deny i
n or pretend to have any cause for it. II
begged her to live with him again, and SD
' assured him that she would never do ST
; At the close of the interview he and h
5 counsel renewed their promises that tn
:, would be the end of the matter
1t was after this interriew that came I
Chicago. i rame here alone, and, as | ha,
Il already stated, neither then, before, NJ
:, since, had any connection with Mrs. Wi
lard or her movements. came to Chici
q GO to pursue my legitimate business-teacl
e ing music and have closely attended to
h Notwithstanding the solemn promise mac
o. by Willard, as | have stated, he has follow
ed me here with his prosecutions. He hi