Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-06

(.OndOnement Set Up as the Defense |
Remarkable Appearance of the Defend |
ant in Court--Testimony of the Neigh
bors--Did "Jim" Forgive "Nett ?"---That's
the COnundrun.
Yesterday morning, the divorce case of J. w.
somerville VS. Henrietta Ssmerville, called
in the district court, Judge Simons on the
bench Col. Ham Davidson appeared for the
plaintiff, and Mr. j. j. Eagan for the defense.
From the fact, perhaps, that no jury had
been summoned in the case, very little publicity
attended the proceedings. and at time dur
ing the day did the spectators number more.
at the most, than dozen. Before the court
opened, Mrs. Somerville took a place within the
enclosure on the opposite side of the room from
the attorneys, the witness stand and HE GLOBE
representative, the sole member OF the press
present. The defendant was, apparently, the
least interested party in the whole affair. She
might have been an utter stranger IN the case,
and very Indifferent one at that. During the
reading of that terrible confession, with which
the case opened she sat with her rather tall
form leaning backward. the back OF her head
resting on the top Of the railing Immediately
behind her, her hands clasped and carelessly
holding blue veil in her lap.
One dainty foot just peeped modestly from be-
meath the plain black dress, the heel evidently
resting upon the instep Of the other. And thus
she sat with all that dread recital of self-abase-
ment ringing in her ears and, from its begin
ming to it's close, she never moved except once
and then only to change the position of her
feet. She might have been in a trance. but
for that one movement.
Rut this Dlacidity whether real or feigned
was destined to receive rude awakening.
Col. Davidson, having read the confession, was
prevented, for some minutes, by the
arguments of counsel, from reading that
whose name figures so disreputably in
the affair. Still the defendant sat unmoved.
At one time it appeared that the letter would
be ruled out, and its legal bearing on the case
would be thrown out. Counsel for the plaintiff
argued and explained that it corroborated the
confession and was an important link in the
chain of evidence. Still the defendant sat
moved. Finally the court ordered the letter to
be admitted and read, and Col Davidson began
the recitation. Hitherto, the prevailing uni
versal silence, excepting the voices of the court
and counsel had never been broken when sud-
denly, as if anguish-stricken, and ust as the
first few words Of the letter were read.
Mrs Somervile sprang from her far-off
seat, swept with nervous, yet queenly,
tread, down the aisle and into the judges room
at the further end of the apartment, and bang
ed the door behind her with such force as to
make the windows of the court room rattle.
The pent up steam had found safety-valve,
but the hiss of it's exit momentarily paralyzed
every one in the room with wide-mouthed
astonishment.
The defendant having agreed to plead con-
donement, the proceedings began.
COL. HAM DAVIDSON TESTIFIED.
He had been called upon by Somervile to
somerville of her familiarity with
Maj. Donaldson. This confession was admit
ted and ordered to be read, and is as follows,
emitting such portions as would be improper
to print:
Statement Made by Henrietta Somervillc,
April 25th, 1877.
| came to know James Fl. Donaldson by
sight. prior to August. 1871, when my husband
and l were living on Ninth street. We lived in
a double house corner of Ninth street and Col
lege avenue. Amos Thurston lived in the side
of the house next the corner, and we lived in
the other half of the house. In August, 1871
we had some difficulty--that is, my husband
and myself-and ON or about the 7th day of
August. 1871, l left my husband, with
the intention of going East to
my friends. left St. Paul
on the evening train, via the main line of the
Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railroad that is to
go down by Prairie Du CHEN. Major James f.
Donaldson came down to the train and came
into the where I had taken my seat and
spoke to me, saying this is Mrs. Somerville is
it 7" and then went on to say he had heard
something about my trouble and to converse
with me. He told me that I had better stop
at Northfield and that he would be down
on the morning train. got off the cars at
Northfeld and went to a hotel and staid over
night and then when the train came down from
Saint Paul the next morning 1 got into it.
As the train stopped Major James Fl. Donald
son stepped off onto the platform and spoke to
me- After some talk got onto the train and
he got aboard also and took seat next me.
He persuaded me to get off the train at Owa-
tonna and to go with him to Kasson. I con-
sented, and we reached Kasson about 2 or "a
p. m. We went to some house. / guess it was
a hotel, and took room. / do not know what
names, or whether any We're registered. We
spent most of the afternoon together. In the
evening he (Donaldson) got buggy and took
me in it with him, and we were driven to
Dodge Centre. There we staid all night to-
gether, and occupied the same room and the same
bed. do not know whether Mr.. Donaldson
registered any names or not. He did not tell
me anything about what names he had given
and do not know. The next day we went by
train to Owatonna and then 1 took the train
and went on East by myself. Having friends
with them from the time L arrived there in
August until in November (about the first
week., when my husband came to Chicago and
joined me, and we then went on East together
While was in Chicago Major Don aldson came
there twice and visited me. MY husband and
] returned to ST. Paul in January, 1872
I think about the first second week. I think
the same month that got back to st. Paul 1
met Donaldson on the street, and l think he
asked where MIR. Somerville was, and told him
1a,, hoOGr hr,ro Ho bod
office. ] did not 60 there that day but some
time after that I did go, y
His office then was on Third street, on the north
side, between Minnesota and Cedar I con-
tinued through that summer to go to his office
frequently. I think through the fall and
to see him on the streets In the spring of
1873 began to go riding with him.
From then (1s73) down to March
l4th, 1877. our meetings have continued
We have correspondent more or less. sent my
letters to him through the mail and he some
times answered me through the mails, and
after the neighbors began to gossip about us he
would bring his letters i'll the night time and
put them in an old tin can and cover it with
leaves IN the upper end or back end of our lot
l mean up next to Mt. Airy street, and would
get them the next day. Mr.: Donaldson in
driving home, comes part of the way up Can
ada street, and our house is Just at the head of
the street and has a porch; can be seen clear
down Canada street, and it was signal for
him to know that had got his letters by nv
going out on the porch at II M. When he saw
me on the porch at that hour it was to signify
that I had received his letter. used to 20 out
by appointment to meet him at various points
in the city and to ride with him. For six
months past we have had to be very cautious to
avoid the suspicious of the neighbors and we
have not met often. He has only been to nv
house four or five times and generally at night.
When he came to the house it was always when