The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1885-06-20
TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
The Sensational Breach of Promise Suit Ol
Dupont VS.. Meadow.

! TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
The Sensational Breach of Promise Suit {
Dupont VS.. Meadow.
BILLINGS, June 15.-One of the mos
remarkable trials in the annals of tn
territory, has been in progress here du1
ing several days past. From the prom
inence of the defendant, the pecul
lar nature of the suit and the evidenc
involved, the trial ranks with man
that filled the columns of western news
papers at intervals during years pas
and reached notoriety all over the Un
ion. It appears on the court docket a
Dupont VS.. Meadow. The plaintiff
Imogene Dupont, sues Perry W. Nc
Adow for $4,000 damages for breach O
promise of marriage.
"Bud' Meadow, the defendant, is ont
of the most widely known men in Mon
tana. He was one of the earliest set
tiers. He was one of the party thai
discovered gold in Pioneer gulch il
1851. Ever since that day he has beer
prominent member of Montanas con
stantly increasing population, and thou
sands outside the boundaries Of the
territory know and respect Bud Nc
Adow. He was one of the pioneers OF
the Yellowstone, and it is doubtful il
there is one other resident of that re
gion who commands the respect and re-
gard of a larger number of his fellow
men than does Mr.. Meadow. He has
been a member of the territorial legisla-
ture several times. He is now resi-
dent Of Billings, one of it's leading mer-
chants and the owner of property all
over eastern Montana. He is now a
man Of 45 or 50 years of age, but, in
spite Of the infirmity hereafter describ-
ed, is sigularly handsome, with his
closely-cropped, snow-white beard and
hair, bright blue eyes, clear complexion
and regular, intellectual features.
In 1866, P. w. Meadow was seized
with paralysis Of the right side, the ef-
feet of years of labor and exposure.
For long while from that time his at
tention was largely devoted to Kidding
himself of this unfortunate affliction and
every device of regular medical practice
and quackery was essayed to afford re-
lief; but with small success. Mr.. Nc
Adow now painfully and wearily walks
only by aid Of crutch and cane.
In the course of his frequent journeys
in search of aid Mr.. Meadow found
himself in 1873 in st. Joseph, Missouri.
There he had brother-in-law, DIR. Ma
lin, whom he consulted. DR.. Malin
recommended that his patient either
marry or associate himself with some
woman who would care for him in his
well-nigh helpless physical condition.
AS one who might fill the latter place,
Imogeno dupont wao introduced to Mr..
Meadow. They met and an agreement
was formed by which she was to become
Mr.. Meadows house-keeper and mis-
tress at 1925 per month.
Miss Dupont is Mexican by birth
and is probably tinctured with Spanish
blood. Her parents died when she was
young and left her to the care Of FAM
lily from whom she took the name OF
Mollie Kane by which name she was
known when she met Meadow. At
that time she was q years old and an
employe of the Howe Sewing Machine
company. Previous to that time she
had lived two years as the mis-
tress of John Icely, river captain.
Though she is now woman of nearly
or quite 40 years she retains traces of
what must have been very attractive
person in her younger days small. neat
figure, delicate hands and feet,
pretty features and the 1.-THE, graceful
movement that is pictured as character
istic of the Spanish blood.
In the summer of 1873 she came to
Bozeman under the agreement made in
St. Joseph, assumed the name of Irene
Linnford and became P. w. Meadows
mistress and house-keeper. In that re-
lation they lived about one year when
she became dissatisfied with the social
ostracism and contempt to which she
was subjected, in a small COM
munity where the nature of her rela-
tions were universally known, and went
to California. Thither Meadow fol-
lowed her in 1875 and for year more
they co-habited together in various
cities and towns of California, some
times keeping house, sometimes board
ing, she always caring for him faithful
ly. He made two other visits to her of
a few months each as his business inter-
ests in Montana would permit him-the
last in 1881. AL the time they lived to-
gether in California, and presumably
when they were not together, she went
under the name Of Mrs. r. w. McAdon
and he assumed the name of r. w. Nc
Adon when with her; in fact they held
themselves out to be husband and wife
and sustained that public and private
relation.
In 1876 a series of letters from de-
fendant to plaintiff began which have
furnished the chief food for interest in
the trial as well as its foundation.
These letters as read in court numbered
1876; the first of the lot was dated in
April, 1876, and the last in May, 1884.
Beside these 1876, it is understood that