The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-15

lace go I'D to Wallace's office about s o'clock
on the 18th of November, 1882, and remain
there without lights until five minutes past
II o'clock. When the parties came down
they followed them, and Mand-
Ter afirms that he identified Cap
tain Wallace and the woman as Mrs. Cougar.
This is met by the plaintiff on several
lines of contradiction Her mother and
sisters testify that she spent the evening
until about 10 o'clock with them at her
mothers residence, one block distant. They
saw her across the back way to the rear
entrance of'he own house, where her hus-
and met her, and he testifes as to her
presence from that time for the rest OF tine
night.
The 10Th was Captain Wallace's birthday
and wedding anniversary, and he spent the
day and evening at home, except Il short
time in the evening when he went to the
telegraph office and his own office and lit
the gas, His mother, wife and another lady,
all testify to the fact of his arrival at home
about 10 O'Clock, and his presence there for
the remainder of the night. Mandler swore
that Wallace as seen on the street wore a
white hat. All these ladies swear that or
that night he wore q black hat. Two men
saw Wallace alone on the street on his way
home before 10 o'clock.
This is the case as it stands, and the search
ing cross-examination has not changed the
points for the plaintiff in a single essential
particular. What the defense will do in re-
buttal remains to be seen. OF the witnesses
who testified against the reputation of Mrs.
Cougar only five were of the circle that
know her, and these admitted only to hear
ing talk as to imprudence. The more than a
hundred witnesses testifying to the good
reputation OF the plaintiff come from every
circle OF society, ranging from the laborer
and mechanic up to such men as President
White of the university.
No claim has been made that Mrs. Cougar
receives and entertains any other than the
most reputable people at her house. None
of the people who know her intimately have
ever spoken of infatuation on her part or on,
the part of Captain Wallace. The men about
town concede that what Maudler calls his
strongest point-the alleged meeting, Nov.
19-is very thin. Wallace's office is one of q
number of rooms on the second floor of a
conspicuous building. 1t is reached by a
narrow stairway common to all the rooms
on the floor. The idea that Wallace
and Mrs. Cougar should venture out togeth-
err on a night when the town was furious
against her, and go along a public street to
the business part of town on Sunday and
spend four hours in the Office without a
light has always seemed abeu I'd to the
knowing and blase fellows, and hence the
fight that was made on other accounts while
so little attention was given to the specific
charge.
0AdllAAlCl lido NJ DiplCi y an fOlSOAo WIN
have always been friendly to Mrs. Cougar
hold his notes to q considerable amount. The
saloon men and Democratic politicians of
lower grade were finally whipped into fur
niShing none to carry on the trial, and it
is rumored that some members of the Mike
Mcdonald ring in Chicago could tell some
queer stories about collecting evidence and
funds if they cared to. Certain it is that
Mandler has dropped to the rear in the case.
Nobody cares for him; but the men who
concocted the alleged conspiracy are more
than ever determined to crush Mrs. Cougar.
On the other hand. public sentiment, that
was against her On the 10th of November
last, before the charge was made, has slowly
moved forward to that point where it is
clearly in her favor. Many of the saloon
nen are indignant and p~etulant over what
they pronounce the deception practiced on
them in making them believe that there was
u. clear case against their common enemy.
The reaction has caught them as well as the
men who frequent their establishments, and
in in every quarter one meets with men who
are not unwilling to speak in private words
that are a protest against the attitude they
affect in public. The rough jokes that were
for a time all at the expense of Mrs. Cougar
are now directed at the men who have en-
gineered the case for the defense.
1t is conceded that the money to pay the
four or five attorneys for the defense does
not come from Mandler or his personal
IflonuS. DuJ IL Is KNOWN tnat some Ol IL uOeS
com from liquor men who have been bled
to the point OF open rebellion. Langdon,
Republican, was put on the list of counsel
for defense for effect, and his friends make
no secret of the fact that he made sure OF
5000 before he made a venture.
On the other hand, both Captain Wallace
and Mr.. Cougar are pretty well fixed in
worldly affairs. Wallace has the better
practice, but Cougar, as Chicago Board of
Trade men probably know, has dipped a
little into speculation in a way to make it
pay.
The story has been told hurriedly and
without attempt at ornamentation. The
reader will draw his own conclusions, but
one thing should be said for Mrs. Cougar.
She brought this suit against the advice of
many of her co-workers in the temperance
and woman suffrage cause. Many of the
leaders in these movement have been free
TO express their regrets that she did not treat
her prosecutors with silent contempt. But
the result, whether Mrs. Cougar gains her
suit or not, is likely to show that she was
right and they mistaken. Her whole life
has been laid bare. Whatever has been re-
ported bad has been scanned as rarely was
any woman's life record. She has faced the
worst, and even as the case stands her record
is better and her individuality, and motives
and character more clearly understood than
when, on that morning four months ago, she
decided to tight as would a man for whal
was to her worth more than reputation is tc
any man. She began under a cloud, with
public sentiment against her, and now, with
the cloud lifting, she finds public sentiment
ready to do her full justice.
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