Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-06-23
PURELYPLA

PURELY PLATONlC.
Such according to Gen. nc Donold's Sto'y
Vas His Lore fo, "sylph"-His 4nstce''
to HIS Wife's Complaint.
Gen. John A. Mcdonald, of whisky-ring
notoriety, has filed his answer to the COM
plant of Mrs. Mcdonald in her suit for
divorce. He admits that he was confined in
the Missouri State prison, as alleged, and
that he came after his release to what he
then supposed was the home and residence
of himself and wife in Green Lake county,
Wisconsin: that sometime in June, 1878
Mary. F. La Mothe came to reside with
them, and has resided there every since. He
admits that Mary F. La Mothe was arrested
for assaulting his wife, and that he paid the
fine and costs. He says he owns the eighty
acres of land described in the complaint, and
that it is worth about $4,000; that the
title is in his wife, and that there is a
mortgage of 81 900. He says Mrs. Nc
Donald made her last will and testament,
and that she executed and delivered to him
the power of attorney and the revocation.
Except this he denies each and every allega-
ton in Mrs. McDonald's complaint.
He states that he decided the house at
Green Lake to his wife, because he was
much absent from home and engaged in oc-
equations perilous to his life, and that Mrs.
Mcdonald never paid any purchase money
nor for any Of the improvements; that the
elegant residence and furniture cost about
5000. While he was confined in prison
his wife sold off all the stock of the place,
supported all her relatives on it, and ran it
in debt to the amount of ST. POO. He has
no other real or personal property or money,
and he b now in debt to the amount Of $1O,
600; his defense in the whisky suits cost him
about $4,000, besides the present indebted
ness He says that Mary F. La Mothe was
formerly the wife of Capt. William La
Mothe, friend of his from infancy, who,
dying in st. Louis, could leave his wife and
child only claim of a few thousand dollars,
then in McDonald's hands for collection,
and asked Mcdonald to be the guardian of
the wife and child after his death-which he
promised to- be. After La Mothes death
the claim was collected and paid to the
widow. ''That afterward, in the year 1873,
when the prosecution of this defendant was
commenced by the United States govern
ment there were in the possession of this
defendant important private papers and let
| tiers from persons who then held high
official stations under the government of the
United States, which were eagerly sought
after by detectives in the employ of the
United States with view to Selling the
same and destroying them for the purpose
of protecting the regulations and preventing
the exposure of certain persons who then
enjoyed certain important Offices under the
government. It was with great difficulty
that Mcdonald prevented the detectives
from getting possession of them. He en-
ployed Mrs. La Mothe to secrete the papers,
which she did for two years.
While in Jail and penitentiary he was
seriously ill, and Mrs. La. Mothe visited
him sometimes with his wife, to see that he
had proper medical attention, and his wife
was very grateful to Mrs. La Mothe. That
during her presence in st. Louis his wife
boarded with Mrs. La Mothe, who is not a
lewd and lascivious woman as alleged. In
addition to these acts of kindness, Mrs. La
Mothe had loaned him over $1,000, which
was nearly all her means. That these facts
were we'll known to his wife; and when his
wife andMrs. La Mothe visited him at the
penitentiary it was talked over among them
that if he should obtain his release, mas
much as Mrs. La Mothe had loaned him
unable to pay, as she was without any per
manent home, she should come to Green
, Lake county and live with the McDonalds
, until he was able to pay her and she could
buy home of her own. That during the
time of his Imprisonment Mrs. La Mothe
was untiring in her efforts to procure his
pardon and release, and he ''verily believes
, that it was owing in some measure to hel
efforts in his behalf that this defendant was
finally pardoned by the President of thu
| United States.''
After his release he did go to Washington
and did send for Mrs. La Mothe for thu
purpose of prosecuting claim. That IL
t April, 1877, with the consent Of his wife
t Mrs La Mothe came to their home to reside
c That knowing the incapacity of his wife as
housekeeper, and desiring to relieve her o
managing things of which she was ignorant
and knowing Mrs. La Mothe had been raisee
l on farm and was good housekeeper, sh
3 came there to live. That before the 9th o
! May, 1878, Mrs. Mcdonald and Mrs. Ii
Mothe did have some little spats, not yer,
) unusual among ladies. He did not beliey
, there was any serious difficulty among then
j until May 6, when his wife left the house, a
, he believes upon representations made b.
her relatives. That his wife has never unit
a now charged him with improper conduct Q
Q intimacy with Mrs. La Mothe. He declare
8 ne mas not been guilty. OF Lne acts charged
Q That on the night of May himself AM
I wife retired to their bedroom about L
o'clock; that he locked up the house and th
: bedroom door as usual: that he went to bed
i while his wife partially disrobed and wa
i still sitting up when he went to sleep; tina
y he did not wake until morning, when b
a found she had gone; that he is informed AM
believes that prior to that she had taken
s large quantity of silverware, her clothing
t and large amount of diamonds from tn
house to some place unknown to him; tina
. she walked out through the window Q
Q the bedroom without hindrance. Tha
a she could as we'll have opened the door ha
she desired.
c He further says that Mary F. La Moth
Q has endeavored to manage the domestic al
o fairs of the establishment which had bee
n formerly managed by Mrs. Roach, Will
s his wife wholly neglected them Mrs. L
Mothe is willing and has frequently state
i that in case Mcdonald would pay her sh
: would willingly go away. Had he know
|! before the 9Th of May that Mrs. La Moth
II was Questionable to his wife he would hay
n provided some other home for her. And b
}, says if his wife will return and live with hin
=, Mrs. La Mothe shall remove and renal
) away and shall in no way annoy or interfe1