Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-12-30
The World of Crime,
MRS sPRAGUR's STORY.
WASHINGTON Dc cI

DC tne IeAulng social sensation of the
noun. The full text OF the csse. as pre
sented by Kate Chase Sprsgae, alleges
and sets forth:
That she is domiciled inhahitspt o.
the State OF Rhode Is sud, and has resided
therein Tor the yesr next before The filing
oil this affidavit; tGat she was married 10
William Sprague on The II da, Of NJ
vember, A ID 1868 At Washington. ia the
Dts'rlcl OF Columbia, snd has ever since
kept and PEI formed, on her part, al the
marriage covenant, but that the said VII.
liam Sprague has vlolsted the same in
tins: That he has committed adultery
WIN divers women, at divers places anu
times, since the said marriage. To wit.
With one Mary Elz, Wall, sliss MARY
ELIZA Anderson, al divers tunes In each
and every year from the year 1864 TO the
year 1870, IN the city OF Proviuelce, in
said State, AID elsewhere. and especially
al Nantssket Beach, in the State OF Mas
sachuset,s, IN the year 1873; with one
Elizabeth Is. McCue, formerly Ehzatetn
Rhing, at South Kingston, aforesaid, la
each year from the y,sr 1877 10 1880.
with one Harriet Brown, in the yesr 1869
at Washington, in The Ds,rict OF C3lum.
bis; with one Maggie English, In South
h,ngstcp, anu elsewhere, IN the wears
1866 snd 1867; with one Fannie Adams,
in March, 1876, a. Providence, AFORESAID
at the house of one Ann Nj. BalIou
commonly called MIRA B.llou. SAD
house being house OF pros
tilulion In Providence aforesaid, and with
divers other lewd women, whose names
are not known to- your petitioner, Al Wash.
ington and Providence Aforesaid, and at
Alexandria, IN the Sste of Virginia, and
al Philadelphia, IN the State of Pcnnsyl.
wanna, and at New York city, in the State
OF New York, between the years 1868 and
1878 That said SpraSue has peen guilty
OF extreme cruelty toward your petitioner
in this: That he has personally assaulted
her with great violence, and especially al
the house known as "Canonchet," In
South Kingston, In the year 1877, in that
he entered her room al night Ia state OF
lntoXlcaton, seized AMI dragged her 20
the window, which WAS in anupper story,
and attempted to throw her theretrom
th., in the year 1879 he iorcibly LAID
hands on her and threatened 10 kill her
that he has been guilty Of continued
drunkenness; that since the early part OF
the year 1879 he has neglected ald refused
being OF sufficient ability to do SOTO
provide necessarles Tor the subslst, nee OF
your petitioner aud her children, To wit:
La the year 1878, owing 20 depression In
business, The mauutsc uring aud business
companies and firms with which said
Sprague WAS connected, aud in which he
Was largely interested, suspended pay.
ment and conveyed ali their property To
trustee for the benefit OF creditors, claim
lug, however, to have a surplus o. some
$6,O00,O00; that after said conveyance said
Sprague al once entered the employ Of
said trustee and received from HIM con.
slrabe compensation for the services 50
rendered up 10 the year 1879, a part OF
which WAS applied and paid by said lrus
lee for the sopport and maintenance OF
your petitioner and her children; that
since the early part OF the year 1879, said
Sprague, though OF sufii sient ability, has
refused to earn any money whatever,
though said trustee MAS ready ana willing
10 employ aim end continue SAID occupa.
tion, and said Sprague has since lived
in idleLess, and, though OF sufficient
ability to do so, has negl, cted and refused
10 contribute 10 any way tor the support
OF your petitioner ana her three dsugn-
tiers, whereby your petitioner, since The
early part OF 1879, has been deprived ui
the moderate provisions she had hereto
fore received through said trustees for
the subsistence OF hersef and childfen
Tnat said Sprague has been guilty OF
other gross misbebavor and wickedness,
tepuguant 10 and Ia violation Of the mar
mage covenant IN this; That he has re
peatedly applied the vllest and most op.
pr0bilous epltheis to your petitioner, both
al md n Ha a 9TH tbut
ne has threatened - KIN her; that nc has
brC ken up and destroyed the furniture in
the house, at one time COLLECTING bedding
anu furniture in the night aud making
bonfire Of the same that he has often said
10 ms children that be was not their
father ard they were not his children;
that he has repeatedly falsely accused
your petitioner Of gross improprlcties
with other men, sometimes one man,
sometimes another; that he has inter-
cepted aud returned letters addressed to
your petitioner by her COUNSEL that IN
August, 1879, while your petitioner and
said Sprague were at said Canon Chef, he
refused to allow her friends, including
her legal adviser, To see her; that be, al
said time, refused 10 permit our petition.
or 10 leave said house to 70 any where
with her said children, aud sought TO itn.
prison her and them therein; hist from
the gear 1865 t. the year 1875 said
Sprague frequently attempted to have
criminal intercourse with the female do.
mestlcs sn1 guests in the family, causing
them to leave the house; that prior Ia
February, 1877, said Sprseue by indecent
advances 10 female servants and other vio-
lauous OF decency, which had increased
in frequency and enoTmity, had made said
residenCe at Klngst sn unsuitable
abode Tor your petitioner and her chill
dren, aud your said petitioner did, 10 Feb