The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-13
ELOPED TO ST. LOUIS.
Mrs. Martha Smith Deserts Her Husband
and Children and Seeks the
Society of Another.
A Wife who Supplied Her Paramour with
Money-AnectiOnate Letters
to MIR. Smith.

Mrs. Martha J. Smith has deserted her hus,
| band, Dan =. Smith, and her four children, the
| youngest of whom is four and the eldest i;
! years of age, for the society of u man known
| Variously as Charles Harris and as Mudd. Mrs
| Smith is - years old and of prepossessing
appearance though, as her brOther-in-law, Mr.
| Andrew G.. Smith, said last night, mot so pretty
that any man would get badly smitten with
her." She is the daughter of Charles Maulc a
| prominent member OF the San Antonio Literary
society," and was married to Mr.. Smith about IA
years ago. Her husband is well known i'm this
city, and was until recently the proprietor of
an extensive livery establishment on Main
plaza. He is 81 years of age. His residence is
ON San Pedro avenue, about half way between
Houston street and San Pedro springs.
Cross an architect and builder, to construct a
barn on his premises. When Cross undertook
the work he introduced us his assistant the
man Harris, a short stout fellow OF dark COM
pleXiOn, who wore a mOustache ana an lmpe-
rial, and made arrangements for
BOARDING. AND LODGING
with Harris ut Smiths house. The work was
in progress week or SO and during 1t Harris
managed to ingratiate himself into Mrs. Smith s
favor. Circumstances arose which aroused Mr..
Smiths jealousy and this he showed so
plainly that after the stable was
finished Harris deemed it advisable to
cnallSt Ills pldct III dDOuc. bub TcldtioiiS
with Mrs. Smith did not cease. They communi-
Gated with each other and, il is said, met clan
destinely. Mr.. Smith learned that his wife WAS
in the habit of writing to Harris and charged
her with so doing. A stormy scene ensued,
during which Mrs. Smith admitted that she
loved Harris but denied that she had ever had
criminal intercourse with him. Her husband,
whose confidence in ner virtue was still un-
shaken, believed that she spoke truth. He
treated her kindly and did all he could to re-
gain the affections estranged from him: But
INT efforts were futile. Mrs. Smith continued
to write to Harris and seemingly, discovery
only augmented her infatuatiOn for him.
Proof was brought that Harris was drunkard
and unworthy the notice of woman OF her
station, even had that woman been unmarried
but Mrs. Smiths affection was unchanged. Mr.
Smith soon recognized this tact. Now desper-
ate, he procured revolver and searched for
Harris. The two men met one night near the
stock yards. Harris, too was armed, but
seemed disposed to make concessions. He ad-
mitJed that Mrs. Smith had written him sew
eral notes but he averred that he had not re-
piled to them and he denied that his ntipsdG,
with her had partaken OF criminal che ,,oc,aI
He said he had no intention of Dc. ,raIn q,
the peace and happiness of Mr.. SnHtL's S1me
which order Mr.. Smith belong pd bis fel0w, 10
ion should repose faith in eIi r h Smith sat
isted, parted with Be:TisIs and thought that it
moiu Te h hiS as matter to win back his wifes
successfu. = = norts to do this he was seemingly
was inete ased by the information, brought to
mi,it about three weeks ago, that Harris had
StcTted the town. Not long after Harris left
lars. Smith mtimated that she would like To
visit one of her husbands cousins, Mrs. Il. Il.
Sargent; a female doctor living at lS3 Olive
street, St. Louis. As she had before often
spoken of visiting Mrs Sargent, her husband
suspected nothing wrong and, thinking that a
trip would be beneficial to her, readily accorded
her the desired permission. He bought her
TICKET FOR ST. LOUIS,
checked her baggage through to that
point and gave her $500 in money.
This sum Mrs Smith had asked for us she de
Cl.Ired il would make her feel better To have it
with her." She left on Monday II week ago. Her
husband accompanied her to the depot and she
babe him an alfectiOnate good bye. She took
with her nearly all of her wardrobe, rather IAN
extensive one, and all her jcwlery, which was
valued ut some $500.
Last "Wednesday Mr.. Smith received postal
card written by his wife from Austin, and adj
heard that she had met Harris at
Austin, and was then in his company.
On Friday he sent u telegram To Mrs: Sargent
in which he asked simply, Has Matte ar
rivedE' In response TO this came telegram
of which copy appears below:
To ID. p. Smith, san Antonio:
ST. LOUIS, February, TO- lSS}-Mattie is here
but left for home to-day. Her trunk is still at
the depot and no ticket has been bought.
Mrs. +. l.. SARGENT. NJ. ID.
Last Sunday Mr.. Smith received letter from
his wife, dated at st. Louis in which she adj
dressed him as her
"OwN DARLING HUSBAND"
asked him to take good care of the children
and minated that she would not be absent
long. On the same day he received another
telegram from Mrs. Sargent, wOrded as fol-
lows:
To ID. p. Smith, San AntOniO:
ST. LOUIS, February H. lSS}.-Mattie has left
our house but she Is still in the city with Mudd
alias Harris. Mrs. L. l.. SARGENT
Mr.. Smith is almost distracted and so is Mrs
smiths father, Mr.. Maule. They both believe
that the unfortunate woman is labOring under
mental alteration. Mr.. Maule has determined
to kill Harris If he ever meets him and his
friends have great difficulty in preventing him
from starting at once Ia st. Louis Mr. Smith
is still 10th To believe his wife has lost her Yr-
tue. Ii is said that Harris has Il wife and three
children living in Cincinnati. He came here
about three months ago and said he was from
Cincinnati. The statement is made that during
the latter part of his stay here he was supplied
with funds by Mrs. Smith.
DYING FROM A BLOW.