St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-10
TWO WOMEN IN 1T.
A Row Between Mrs. Skinner and
Mrs. Allen in Which Broad
AK Figures.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. |


Especial Telegram to the Globe.
CHICAGO, Sept. "a large, fleshy woman,
short in stature weighing in the neighbor-
hood Of 200 pounds and well dressed, walked
quickly up Curtis street from Randolph
street about 10 O'Clock this morning. There
was very determined look on her face and,
as an eye witness expressed it, ''blood in her
eye" The lady stopped at moderate sized
frame house at the corner of Curtis and
Washineto No. S07 of the latter
street Ascending the short flight of
steps leading to the portico, she gave
the door bell two or three short but sharp
pulls. This brought to the door lady of
younger years and magnificent form, whose
fair face is said to have an excessively win
ming expression in it. She was dressed in
blue calico morning wrapper, her dark hair
neatly coiled at the back of her head and
prettily arranged, and the sleeves OF her
wrapper rolled up, indicating that she was
just in the middle of her morning household
duties.
The first lady was Mrs. Oscar Skinner,
whose husband is a grocer at $40 West Mad
ison street. The lady who came to the door
was Mrs. Alimena P. Allen, whose name has
been connected with that of Mr.. Skinner in
suit for $40, 600 damages, which Mr.. Allen
brought against him for alternating his (Mr.
Allen's) wife's affections.
what are you doing in my housel' ex-
claimed Mrs. Skinner as soon as she saw the
others face.
1T is not your house, was the reply.
''You can't get in here and thereupon the
door was slammed in Mrs. SINNERS face.
''There is more than one way of getting
in shouted the now irate lady. So saying
she descended the steps and crossed the
street to where a number of carpenters were
working about the new rink. Marching up
to one of them she said: LEND me
hatehet,'' and the workmen, not knowing
what had occurred or what was to happen,
placed in her hand j broad-ax. Armed with
this Mrs. Skinner mounted the steps of 307
a second time. The front windows Of the
parlor reach to the level of the porch and
are protected by venetian blinds. Two
strokes of the ak were sufficient to make the
latter fiy.open. Then a crash of glass was
heard and Mrs. Skinner was in the parlor.
What transpired in the house is only
known to the two ladies. Not more than
minute after the assault on the window, how
ever, the few passers by and the workmen at
the rink were treated to the sight of a gen.
uine, old fashioned cowhiding affair. Mrs.
Alien came rushing out OF the house like a
small cyclone, while Mrs. Skinner followed
in her wake like a young tornado. Twice as
the ladies rushed down Curtis street did the
singing rawhide descend on the shoulders
of Mrs. Allen. By this time the foreman of
the carpenters at the rink began to realize
that battle vas in progress. He ran over
to the pursued and pursuer and quickly put
an end to the engagement. Mrs. Allen
sought refuge in the next house north, and
Mrs, Skinner returned in triumph to the
castle she had so successfully assaulted.
Mr.. Oscar Skinner is an exceedingly hand
some man Of over fifty years. His hair,
which is nearly white, has decided tendency
10 curl, and his immense snow white nus
tache and imperial, which rests on q face of
fresh, peachy complexion, give him very
distinguished appearance. To a reporter be
stated that the so called Mrs. Skinner vas
not his wife, and said ''She is Mrs. John
Bailey, wife of a Boston hackman. l met
her about fifteen years ago in Boston, and
have lived with her up to a short time ago as
my wife. 1 don't know" he added, reflect
lively, ''but that fact constitutes a
marriage. At any rate, We lived to-
gether in Boston for year and
then in New York for year, when we came
to Chicago. About five years ago she began
talking about wanting to have some property
in her own name. So / made over to her
my homestead on Cottage Grove avenue.
This she afterward sold without my knowl-
edge, and spent the money extravagently.
Among other things she bought an immense
number of pictures and picture frames, for,
in passing, will say that she is something
of an amateur artist. She got me in debt
but footed the bills and then she
mortgaged the pictures. The money she re-
allied on them she used in taking a trip to
Europe about two years ago. When she
came back found l could not live with her
and told her if she would go to her sister in
Brooklyn would support her there. This /
have done, sending her monthly allow
ance. She come back here to-day on the
money 1 had sent her. As you know the
first thing she did was to break into my
house.
In explanation Of Mrs. Aliens presence
in his house he said that she had been board
ing with a family to whom he rented part of
it, and when they went away she stayed to
keep things straight Mr.. Allen has s20,-
COO libel suit pendinp against Skinner for
alternating his wife's affections.