Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-08-18
MRS. NICKERSON.
A Plucky Little Woman Bravely Battling
for the Rights OF Herself and Daughter.

| pellllOu IOr divorce anu Uue SulG lOr
setting aside the fraudulent transfer
of her husbands property, Mrs. A.
II. Nickerson left the city for Phila-
delphia. She will remain in Phila
delphia only until the arrival of some
friends from Europe, with whom she
expects to spend the summer at a
watering place not yet selected. Dur
ing her stay of one week in Wash
ington she has remained most of the
time in rather strict seclusion at the
house of Gen. Ruggles, whose family
have been her best friends during
her recent troubles Mrs. Nicker-
sons state of mind has been more
or less matter of inference since
her recent arrival from Europe, as,
under the advice of friends, she has
steadily refused to be interviewed,
and in fact reporters were disinclined
to intrude on her during what must
have been period of great grief to
her. She was accompanied here by
her brother in law from New Mexico,
who remained with her during her
visit, and gave special directions for
the legal proceedings against her
husband. A reporter who saw Gen.
Ruggles, yesterday, was told by that
officer that "Mrs. Nickerson felt
greatly indebted to the gentlemen
of the press for not annoying her,
and for their fairness and their ex-
pressions of sympathy. The lady
had, of course, been greatly weighed
down by her anguish of mind, and
was disposed to give way at times,
but she was plucky little woman
and would not stop until her good
name and the rights of herself and
daughter had been fully redeemed
and protected" AS an evidence of
her high spirit the General said:
''The day after she was apprised of
the divorce she left Paris for the
United States, and within four weeks
had fled her suit to set aside the de-
cree"
AS to the transfer of the Majors
home to Miss Lena Carter, Gen. Rug
giles intimated that it bore so much
fraud on its face that there should be
no difficulty in having it annulled.
He added significantly that he had
noticed in an interview with Miss
Carter, that that lady deemed it pru
dent to say nothing about the trans
fer. The character of the transfer
and its manifest purpose could be
judged by the fact that when Maj.
Nickel son went into the court
on the Goth of May and came face
to face with his wife, accompanied by
her friends, including himself (GeD.
r. }, he Immediately left for Wasing
ton and executed the deed of trust,
which was dated May 31st, the 30th
being national holiday, and, there
fore, dies non.
In answer tc question as to wheth'
or there was any likelihood of com
promise of any sort between husband
and wife, Gen Ruggles said he had
heard of none. As to their ever be-
ing reconciled, the lady would never
hear to it, as her husband had lived
with Miss Carter, and, besides, had
committed perjury In answer to the
suggestion that the Majors purpose
was probably to let his wife get a
divorce and then marry Miss Carter,
he said it was possible; the law
would permit this. He did not know
the language of the statute here,
but in most places it would be dis
cretionary with the court to grant or
refuse such a divorce as would pre-
vent him from marrying again.
A lady who was with Mrs. Nicker-
son on one or two occasions dur
ing the past week, and who has
been one of her intimate friends for
several years, said to reporter yes
terday that she was greatly shocked
to observe the change in her face.
why" said the lady, 'she looks
ten years older than she did the week
she started to Europe, and she told
me her mental sufferings had been
almost more than she could bear.
In spite of all she can do I believe
she still loves that rascally husband
of hers, though, of course, she says
she would never live with him again.
She cried so when I was with her
that / cried myself. She told me
that on her departure for Europe
she had presentiment OF some
thing wrong. Her husbands plea
that he wanted her to go away for
economy, 80 that he might complete
the payments on the Rhode Island
avenue house that was to be home
for them and their little daughter,
but in her heart she felt that all
was not right, and that something
awful was going to happen, though
she never dreamed what it was. She
brushed it aside as foolish fear, and
Thought no more about it, and her
husbands first letters were SO affec-
tionate that they entirely disarmed
her of all suspicion of his treachery"
Mrs. Nickerson evinced special feel
ing of contempt for Miss Lena Car
ter. and her eyes flashed fire while
referring to the person she deemed to
be the destroyer of her home. II
would never have known that wom-
an" said she. ''if Maj. Nickerson had
not brought her to our house. All
the stories about her being an init
mate and confidential friend Of mine
are untrue. The Major always
brought her where l was, and had
an instructive feeling that she was a
snake in the grass" The lady fur
, ther added that Mrs. Nickerson was
determined that her husband should