New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-19
A RECITAL OF PERSONAL HISTORY.

A RECITAL OF PERSONAL HISTORY.
MRS. OLIVER MADE TO TELL ALL THs CIRCUM-
STANCES OF HER IIFE-sHE IDENTIFIES HER
HUSBAND IN COURT.
WASHINGTON, March 1S.-The second days
proceedings the OF Oliver against Cameron began
in the Circuit Court at 10 O'Clock this morning OF the
persons most interested, Mrs Oliver accompanied BY
her friend, Miss Charlton. the first TO make their
appearance. They occupied seats back OF the plaintiffs
attorney, and immediately became objects OF very gen"
eral attention IN the courtroom few moments later
the counsel for the defendant came into court. Mr.
Cameron late in arriving, but quietly seated him-
self back Of his lawyers and watched their manner OF
conducting bis case seldom entering into conversation
with them.
At the adjournment OF the yesterday the point
under discussion whether not the plaintiff had
the right introduce evidence to seduction under
promise of marriage, charge being laid in the
declaration. The complainant had been heard, ana
was for tie defence to reply.
General Butter thought the point OF considerable i'm
portance in the view that 1t sent the parties 10 try an
Issue OF which notice had been given. and which
would involve tedious and decidedly unpleasant IN
vestgaton Il would bring pain to the defendant and.
by number OF Witnesses place the plantf In an I'M
enviabe position before the public For this If for no
other easOn would prefer not TO this question
opened.
The question was briefly argued further by the Gen
cral.
ChefJu4tice Cartier decided lie would admit the
testimony and open this sewer little possible, for
none Of them desired to hear such evidence
Mrs Oliver then resumed the stand and testified sub
stantally follows:
Relying upon the promise OF Mr.. Cameron to nary
her. she permitted him TO enjoy improper privileges
with her Mr.. Cameron sent for the witness to come
to his parors at Congressional Hotel Ii rained at
the time. When She entered he locked the door ana
took the key out He told her that should any ono
the door for her. TO get back Of the bed and
if they TO the window, for her TO get behind the
curtain and that would prevent them seeing h"r Some
one came and knocked. but receiving answer went
away then sid that she must not leave the room
alone, as It would look strange Mr.. Cameron
insisted upon her STAYING kept the door locked ana ned
the keys. She renamed In the room all night, Mr..
Cameron said she TO marry him. and insisted upon
her complying with his request nobody would kno" IT,
aud IN the sight OF God 1t would be no crime She qua
comply with his request she knew lhe handWrtlng OF
Mr. Cameron and the letters she had exhibited were
written by him.
The witness was then cross-cxsmned by General
Butler for long time. Her testimony on CrOSs-cAdi-
nation was as follows:
She had gwen several interviews TO rhe press. Re
porters came her and made MP what they said.
The article published IN The Post, OF January 2s, 1873.
slanderOus piece III reference TO her many nus
bands. was libel 1t was at New-Oreans tnat she
gave Mr. Cameron a history OF herself She told Inn
that she depending upon lady IN that city for
hOme that she once III better circumstances, but
had lost everything. When she was a llttc Grl, she
went live with Mrs Oliver at Louisville XIV, and she
sent her to school kept by the Rev Mr. Brown MIS-.
DIVERS son Kept her III private room, III lhe
house and promised To marry her. but had wife living
her To keep IL TO herself ana thd she sHOud come 70
Washington III would introduce her us the daughter
of Commodore stuart, ana WIDOW. MIS- OHEei,s son
named Thomas Marshall Onver. she tod Mr..
Cameron that they had lived together man and wife,
ana that had Two children ~ him she lived with
him from 1884 up TO the time the divorce was obtained
from his wle, and the Judge told ber that divorced
her also She told Mr.. Cameron at the time she lived
with Oliver he had wife living. After the divorce
Oliver lett, and she never saw HIM again
born IN Ireland, and was descendant of the
Alden family Her father once General, but had
become reduced 10y circumstances. Her father gave
va ri fIcTward +" IouisyIIe Ky She Intended
school ~ a vent at Cedar Grove XIV. she
told Mr. Cameron that lady in New-Oreans who had
with her. MIR. Game sand he might make New-or-
leans his home Il some future day ana wanted her TO
come with him. she Thought that she would Ike him,
because he kind aud gentle Her first meeting Mith
Mr. Cameron was IL 1874 she saw nm about thG Mar,
snail estate, ana IL DtlhS claiI against the Ohittu
States thought that he wOu take some interest III
H. Her visit North al mat thle was 10 see hef ddnS-
ter, who was III cOnVtn III Pladephla she SPOKE To
MI Cameron about and asked his assistance 10 get her
away. Inc marriage ceremony between ner ana Mr.
Oliver was performed 10y NJ OIiNei sDoohheepI III 'e
presence OF Mrs Oliver. She asked Mr.. Cameron If 1t
was legal and he sad that she had not seen Mr. Oyer
since the war me ceremony ainonIeq 10 nOlhhg' que
returned 10 New-Orieans and wrote lin Immediately,
but nothing was SAID about love ana marriage.
A number OF letters passed between them and then
Mr. Cameron came to NewOrieans with "A senatorial
uarty. she knew he was Senator rom Pennsylvania,
but did not think that 10 pc senator from Iehsy'
yaula WAS great deal Shr knew tnat he Dad been Sec
Rotary of War during the rebellion but did not think
that much She knew mat nc went as Minister 20
Russla. but beng III war times she knew vry little
II.
he ST. Charles HO:c He sent messenger for her. and
she went directly to him. She went mo the paror.
There number OF gentlemen Lherc, but they lett
seeming out at his request 1t was Then that she
made the disclosure as 10 whom ana what she was ana
he made the PROMISE to pass her on as Commodore stu
arts daughter. He agreed to into that deception the
second time he her. and after she lad told HIM
of her past life. and make her his VIE mat was IN
as anything she had sworn TO- inc marriage CON
tract not even sealed VIII Kiss.
she had never worked IN u N-"-lork Masonic regaha
sture nor had ever met Thomas NJ Oliver IN that city,
at that factory at an assisnaon house IN mat city,
was in New-York in 1874; bad in Montreal. Out
MOI IN Quebec. she had lived under the name Of
Many AloCaff rs and did not give IL to Oliver her
name. She d ID not tel nm that she landed with her
father at q eoec, and then went to Montreal She first
met q iycT at Petersburg, Va IN 1892 His mother,
himself nephew and witness went 10 Louisville to-
getner II he were not her husband then she never
cemetery by her. she saw that had reference 10
he inscription Son OF Thomas ~. and Mary T. Oliver.
Age 10 months" Mr.. Olver pui II up, and II was IN
knowl,dge aud consent. For several years she
looked upon MIR. DIVERS vile. The marriage
net lawful because he had a wife living when he
rea the witness young at the time ana did not
know anything about the former marriage. sac would
not IKE attempt 10 tell her age; she could not do IL
TO i certainty. 5ut supposed that she not much
under tuiTty-n.He.
General Butler here said "Nor 1. either will agree
with You nere perfectly. VIII you swear that you
are not fifty ~
Tie witness would that but said that her
husband was older than herself, but she did know
how much.
A photograph was here shown her.
Witucs--That is not MIN.
General ButlrT-Cdll Mr. Oliver. Perhaps you may
recoyuIzc him. Sensation in jOurtl
Colonel CoOk-iie has been sent for, and Will be here
General Rnter-H9ye You written TO him withinSiH
GenoI.l Butl,r-Not 10 know he was living you
would write 20 him II you knew ne was dead, would
yOul WItness-l wrote to hlm to know about my
General ButerIIaye you OF written to him repeatedly
of latel Witness-I have written TO him at several
places, but I'D not know thai hC liVlBg.