Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-03-13
Widow Oliver Against Ex-Secretarv
Cameron.

husband 0ied In the cause OF the south curing
confederate navy. The suit was entered Feb
ruary 11th 1877, and shortly afterwards deren
| dant answered that he never promised %
| marry her as alleged.
THE WIDOWS STORY.
I It is stated by herself and friends that after
| the close OF the war she visited Washington
| and became acquainted with Mr.. Cameron who
| took deep interest In her, as he had known
her family prior to the rebellion; that she LETT
Washington and went TO New orleans, ana
short time afterwards Mr.. Cameron visited that
city, when he again met her; thatWnlle in New
orleans he showed her marked attention and
urged her to come to Washington and he would
procure her profitable employment; that after
Mr.. Cameron left New Orleans and returned to
his home at Harrisburg, Pa, he addressed her a
letter urging her to come to this city and that
afterwards he sent her the letter recommending
her to Secretary BriStow, which reads as fol-
lows:
1.-The bearer, Mrs. oliver, is the daughter OF
an officer OF the United States navy In ante-war
times and the wife Of another officer OF the navy
who was killed or died on the other side during
the rebellion. She has come to Washington In
search Of employment, with letters to me from
friends of mine In New orleans. knew her
father, and she is highly recommended as good
woman. She Is poor, and thinks letter from
me to Colonel Br1stow will procure her employ
ment. II you think so it will make her happy
and I have often found happiness in making
others happy
She claims that accompanying the above was
HARRISBURG, Sept. o. 1875.
Ny Dear Mrs. Oirer:-I viii carry you to
better home than Washington, You should not
stay there. think shall have safe place for
you with relations to protect you. You will be
my wife. SC
Mrs. Oliver secured situation In the Treas
ury department, where she remained some time.
During her term OF Office Mr. Cameron, she fur
Their alleges wrote her another letter, under
date of December Z, 1915, promising to marry
letter caused her TO prepare for the wedding;
but time rolled on and Mr.. Cameron did not put
In an appearance, and subsequently, as She
charges, he backed out Of his agreement, and
by trtckery obtained from her the letter of De-
cember !, 1875. She further reciteS in her COM
plant that after this she lost her position in
the Treasury, and for some weeks was out of
employment that she called Mfr. Cameron's at
tention to her straitened condition and his al
legged promises TO her, but the love he once had
for her had grown cold; that finding that Mr.
she succeeded in procuring situation In the
Patent Office at small salary. and while hold
ing the position she concluded to enter suit
against MIR. Cameron, but this was temporarily
StOpped Dy Mi. Cameron putting up. during the
summer OF 1876. $1,000 as a compromise, for
which MIS-. Oliver gave her receipt, but she
now claims that her temporary expenses In
nea na mat Mr.
board. &c. She claims, further, that her then
attorney. Mr.. A. q. Riddle, did not pay her the
entire $1,000 She signed paper for that
simple receipt and that the money was to be ia
no way connected with her claim for damages
against Mr. Cameron for his breach OF promise
ton In the Patent office, and On August last she
visited captain Phelps, president OF the Board
OF commissioners OF the District OF Columbia.
and made appeals to him for protection, and
nnaily sent him the following: "Since / saw
you last Saturday am induced to Law nv COM
paint before you and ask your protection.
through the influence of Mr.. Rodgers aud men,
e n OF Congress ! obtained a position in the
tC0h Ar Z
iaay VINO brought suit against Hon. Simon
cameron suspect some one has interested and
ma, mas peen the cause OF my dismissal. AS much
remuneration from Mr.. Cameron, wish, there
lore, TO put myself under your protection should
anything more occur to injure me. Mr.. Cameron
, brought me here, and now am far from friends,
cameron. wish TO make this my home, and
can make my living here II not disturbed Let
TINS "a De strictly private. again appeal to you
is gentleman to protect me-
THE EX-SECRETARY's STATEMENT
Col. VIM. A. Cook, senior counsel OF Mr.. Cam
eron, says that Mr.. Cameron, In promising Mrs
Driver employment, did nothing more than any
circumstances. Mr.. Cameron admits that he
wrote to Secretary Bristow asking employment
for Mrs. Oliver, as she was In needing circum-
stances and had applied to him for assistance
IhlS, OF course, created an acquaintance be.
tween them, and, as In all cases of the kind.
something Of familiarity sprung up. She
visited MIN the same as other women visit Con-
gressmen through whom employment has been
obtained. but there was nothing hidden in her
visits. However, they became annoying to him
as she became SO persistent, and he strongly
that he ever proposed marriage to her is simply
ridiculous. In regard to the matter OF a com
promise, he rendered her 1000 in order to avoid
further talk, which had become very ANNOYING
TO him and his family.
MRS. OLIVER EARLY IN COURT TO-DAY.
This morning Mrs. Oliver appeared at the
court house quite early, and took seat In the
witness room, and patiently awaited the case
10 De called. She was dressed in mourning
she Is rather stout lady, with pleasant fea-
lures, and had in her hands two large white en-
velopes. which some members Of the bar sur
simon's. guilt with her was lady, who
seemed buSfly engaged in making memoranda
While conversing with Mrs. o.
GEN. CAMERON IN COURT.
About 10 O'Clock the defendant, Mr.. Cameron.
appeared at the other end OF the hall, and in
qulred for Marshal Douglass, In whose office he
spent some hours, passing the time In reading
the daily papers.
THE WITNESSES.
During the morning some OF the following
witnesses, summoned On plaintiffs account
were present: George G. GOrham, secretary L.
8. senate; Christopher Critzman, clerk OF the
Creary, postmaster OF the Senate; j. S. Shead:
DR.. Byron sunderland, chaplain OF the Senate:
Dr; ID. W. Bliss; James Kelleher. livery stable
49, eAiio Ch-ooNCIAOT MCC0r1niCk, late AS
slstant secretary Of the Treasury A subpoena
duees tecum has been issued for Secretary Sher
man; 10 compel him to produce at the trial the
letter or MT. cameron to Secretary BristOw. in
Wnlcn MI. cameron urged the appointment on
MIS- OliSer TO position In the Treasury depart
ment.
Mr.. Cameron did not remain long at the City
Itali, Dut Mrs. oliver remained In the witness
room I'LL The afternoon. Most OF the witnesses
RII III snort time after noon, as IL was then
understood that they would not be called to-
Jay, even should the case come up About u
O'CLOCK Mt. Peter asked the court to set day
Tor trial there being several cases ahead OF it,
CIT the court declined, saying tt would be taken
up in regular ordei.
:. Tag HoRTICrLTCRAL SOCIETY met last night:
Vice President Fowler presiding. Mr.. Thomas
Evans was elected q member. The committee
On securing rooms for the association to meet
In reported In favor of German Hall. on litn
street. Some favoring the Labor Exchange
Hall, the matter was referred to the executive
committee to decide between the two. The
essaytst OF the evening, Prof. Collier OF the
Agricultural department, was introduced He
took :. Plant Food, and How They Get It." for
his subject, and had chart on the wall back of
him TO Illustrate. Agriculture had been prac-
ticed as an art since the days OF Adam and Eve.
he said, but never as a science until 1895 Plant
food is or two kindS-atmoSpheric and what If
takes from the ground. Different plants CON
tain different elements. Upon different soils
the planting OF different kinds and the turning
them IN will, when properly selected, entirely