The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-01-24
DIR. WOOD AND JAMES MAT
THEWSa IN THE TOLLS OF
Il SERPENTESS.
A WICKED WOMAN MAKES TR0UBLR

A WICKED WOMAN MAKES TROUBLE
Some of our readers will remember
that James Matthews, of the N. Y.
Childrens' Aid Society, who is now
well and favorably known through this
part of the west, was accompanied on
his last visit by a woman who was as
sisting in bringing an invoice of chill
dren through to this point and Lu-
verne. This woman, it seems, was AL
adventures, and has brought two PROM
inent men into trouble. She managed
by some means to marry DR.. Wood, Of
Sioux City, and soon attempted to kill
him by both stabbing and poisoning
The DIR. applied for divorce which
was granted few days ago. ....-.,.----
In the Sioux City Journal of Satur-
day last. we find over a column report
of the testimony taken in the case. We
have room for only part of it.
DR.. Wood testified:
l suspected something was wrong;
suspicious, and l pressed my imvesti-
cations and found she was pregnant
and had been some three or four
months. accused her OF it, and she
finally confessed it; she said she knew
she had not done right, but she sup
posed was liberal in my views in that
regard, was generous, and had been
very kind to her, and she thought pos
sibly [ would use my professional skill
to get her out of the trouble ana over
look it, and she would conduct herself
properly in the future; became indig-
nant and was not inclined to accept
that view of the matter, and told her
that was very base way
to deceive man, and I told
her she deserved to be kicked out
into the street; was much grieved,
and desired her to make rs hasty pre-.
paratons as possible and leave me; she
didn't want to do 1t, but said if 1 would
get her out of her trouble and allow her
to stay until the event WAS over she
would leave quietly and make no scan-
dal; declined; she then asked for
'money to have it done, which refused
she then said she would stay and make
a big scandal and break up my business;
she told me the man who was with her
was not her husband. but the Rev. JAS.
Matthews, OF New York, employed by
the Childrens' Aid society for locating
homeless children, and that he was the
cause OF her trouble; she claimed that
she was sick in Chicago and he came
into her room and took advantage Of
her conditions; that story appeared very
improbable in my mind, and on my ex-
pressing my surprise she admitted it
was not Il fact, but that she had will
ingly Travelled with him as his wife and
that he had paid her sums of money.
CrOss-examined: On her second visit
she told me her name was James; l
gave her medicine and took her to the
Pacific house. called on her after
wards once, and sometimes twice day;
l felt kindly towards her, hut did not
fall in love with ber; l think it was the
other way; charged her S. and gave re.
ceipt for it (receipt produced showing
S5O); / left Sioux City on a morning
train for the east on business and she
followed on later train, as she was
going to Chicago; she overlook me and
we stopped at same hotel for three or
four days; there was no talk of matri-
mony until we got to Waverly, when
we became engaged; we went on east
and were married; never inquired
whether she had divorce, but sup
posed she had; think she performed an
abortion herself; said she had done it
five or six times; once l found her
bleeding badly and stopped her hem
Orrhage; never asked her for money to
buy Judge Zuver's house to make An
eye and ear infirmary; told her l would
prosecute her for attempting to poison
me and may do it yet.
The woman testified rs follows:
Went to plaintiffs Office with Mat
thews for the purpose of having an
abortion performed; Matthews engaged
him for that purpose and then took me
there; he was told what was wanted
and contracted to do the work for $25;
he performed an operation and gave
me some medicine that lie called ergot;
on the 28th of July saw plaintiff again
at his Office; was not satisfied with the
result OF the first operation and made
up my mind to return from Chicago,
where had gone, to the same party;
told him what I came back for and
asked for what amount he would take
me through and fully accomplish the
object; he said $50 and I told him l
wanted him to understand that wish
ed it fully accomplished; paid him the
money and took the receipt that is in
court; after l stayed at the Pacific
house nineteen days he told me he had
to go east, and as was not quite sat
lstied I would 60 along, as was going
east; he said all right, and he would
satisfy me that everything was all
right; followed on the next train and
ped for the night at Webster City:
next we went to Cedar Falls, where he
performed another operation, and again
assured me that it was all right; told
him would not 60 home unless was
satisfied OF it; in Sioux City told him
my history without stating my name
he then talked to me of marriage, but
took it as a joke; as we Travelled east
he talked about marriage, and at Wa
verify it was finally consunmated; never
, told the doctor had money; told him
my former husband had lost all Oul
property; wore some diamonds while
here that were presents; never asked
plaintiff for medicine for neuralgia OF
the stomach; came to Sioux City with
the doctor after my marriage; he told
. me he wanted to buy Judge Zuver's
house for an infirmary, and asked mt
I for money; said had no money, and
he said he didn't expect to bring ut
my-brats without securing any re-
, compense; have three children; never
l assaulted him ar any time; he accused
me of poisoning him, which never
did; he bought arsenic for me to pre-
serve some birds wings; never put any
of it in the coffee; he said he would put
me behind the prison bars of Woodbur,
county; think his mother caught cole
, the night of the fire in the drug store
/ as she got up and carried water dressed
, only in her night clothes; was all ovel
! the effects of the abortion before went
. home to be married.
. Cross-examined: Was travelling will
Matthews on his wife's pass, but no
/. as his wife; went to Luverne to dis
! pose Of some children; have been mar
o ried and think my former husband il
Q living; don't know that he is in luna
tic aSVlllm: came here. for the exnrqs