Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-05-09

MS Will, IN winch he had left his
daughter Georgiana penniless. |
told him | cared nothing abont Mr..
Morison's money, whereupon he
turned upon me and declared that
was a villain and gambler, and
that | had already number of
wives. In conclusion he handed
me q summons, and stated that he
was authorized to inform me that
my wife did not wish to see me,
and that she would never live with
me. have now put the matter in
the hands of my attorney, and we
have demanded that a copy of the
complaint be served on us before
May IL.
"The stories already published
in regard to this affair are grossly
incorrect. In the first place my
wife is not and never has been in
sane. She has been in society for
several years, and no one has ever
detected any indication of insanity.
Why, this is the most absurd story
| ever heard Of, and am confident
that the family who feel disgraced
by our marriage put forth this
story to excuse her action in becom-
ing my wife. The story that | have
entered into a conspiracy to black
mail my father-in-law is equally
false and absurd. | know nothing
of his financial condition except in
a general way. loved his daugh-
ter, not his money. | never spoke
to her on the subject of money, nor
had | any intrigues with the ser.
wants, / never gave Mrs. Lilly a
cent, or the promise of any sum.
"Now, in regard to my character.
| am almost a stranger here in this
city, but am willing to be fully
investigated. The man whom the
police thought was me, and who is
called California joe is another
person. l have shown the detec-
tiyes their mistake, and they are
now satisfied of it."
Mr.. Gibbons, the lawyer, here
stated that he had seen the man
whom the detectives had watched,
supposing him to be Mr.. Lopez,
and that this man certainly greatly
resembled his client.
Mr.. Lopez, who was much af-
fected in narrating what he termed
his prosecutions, continued as fol-
lows; "The admissions said to
have been made by me to the detec-
tive who represented himself as a
lawyer, are entirely false. I have
desired that the matter might be
amicably settled, but l will accept
no compromise, unless it be in the
shape Of my wife. If the matter is
brought into the courts, as l intend
it shall be, the servants will be put
upon the stand, and the conspiracy
theory will be overthrown. | have
learned recently that upon my
wife's confessing our marriage she
was locked into a room for eleven
days, with insufficient clothing, aud
otherwise abused, She is now,
am sure, in an insane asylum, and
the theory of her imbecility will be
kept up. As l have already said,
| wish a full investigation. Let
them put my wife on the stand,
and she will tell them that she mar
ried me because we loved each other;
that she is not insane; that there
is no truth in the story Of con-
spiracy, and she will also make
revelations that will astonish and
disgrace her proud, aristocratic
family. All | ask is my wife. |
anu a poor, hard-working man, and
this young woman has chosen me
in preference to the fashionable
young men of New York, and if
she insists upon going with me to
my Western home, as | am assured
she did when they took her away to
a crazy peoples prison, why should
we not be let go in peace ?'
Mr.. Lopez stated, in conclusion,
that his friends in the city and
/. elsewhere were united in their de-
fense of him, and that he would be
afforded means with which to fgh t
Mr.. Morrison in the courts until he
he recovered his wife.