The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-20
unanimously. In the House the galleries
and lobbles were crowded almost to suffoca-
WINANS' DIVORCE SUIT.
Tho Testimony Taken In the Suit OF Alice
O'Keefe Against the Boston Million
atre-Some Spicy Letters Read.

the utVOlCe suit OF a lice " hee1e against
Mr.. Winans, the Boston millionaire. began
the hearing of the case at his Office, on Wall
street, at noon to-day. The plaintiff, q
handsome woman. elegantly atiired. was &C.
companied by younger sister and Mrs.
Thorne, middle. aged woman, who Ia sad
to be an important witness for Mrs. O'Keete
Ex Judge Porter, counsel for the plaintiff,
was with the ladies' Mr.. Wipaus. the de-
fendant, was present with his lawyers The
parties 10 the action sat op posite each other,
but Winans gave no sign of recognition, but
siToktd his beard nervousIy from time to
time while his alleged wife leisurely and
gracefully tanned herself. The table of the
referee was strewn with photographs of
Winans. taken at various times ia Eng.
land. On the back Of one picture,
where the defendant appears as
swell in loud Astraken coat, the folio wing
Is witien: ITO Miss Sarlfeld, as help for
the remembran ce OF Ross 4. Winans." On
the other side is inscribed: "Te Allie from
Rossy. with the sweetest of kisses. and the
best Of - from Rossy to his lit.
lie devil, Alice.''
The first witness examined was the com.
pleinsnt. She testified that she first met
Mr.. WinaDs at the Laughsm Hotel, In Lon
don. In 1871. She was introduced to him,
and hs sent her gifts of books and flowers.
She left the hotel soon after because Mrs.
Hunt, by whom she was employed
as a governess, failed to pay her
salary. She subsequently obtained
a position in The same cupscitv with Lady
Dukes, of Lewis. England. When she de.
parted for Lewis. Winsns went TO the depot
with her. he told her hs was fond OF her,
and asked her to correspond with him. He
wrote TO her frequently. She came to Lon
don. Had lunch aud drive with him.
WiDsns proposed marriags to her, but The
ssd she could not wed him, as her mother
md s,tl lxy urar pnf hA ha ek,A
her q second time 20 r.arry him shs con-
tentsd, but insisted that the ceremony
should take place In church. Win
ape eaid he was an American, aud
that in bis country n church ceremony was
not altogether necessary, and that man
and woman Who agreed TO live together,
were regarded ns husband aud wife. He
finally induced her 10 acqulcsce, and they
went to the Grosvenor Hotel in Londoa
where he gave her n ring, aud eolemnly
pledged her to take her 40 bis wife. She wore
tho ring on her finger. They lived st the
- the tervants In the house as his wife.
They then went 10 Cambridge where bia
studies were not completed. There he called
her his vile before the Servants and others.
The couple journeyed back 10 London, and
went thence 10 Spa, Germany, where they
remained five or six weeks, Articles shipped
TO the plaintiff While at Spa were addressed
In her nv Mrs. Winans. The defendant spoke
OF her rs hia WIFE, and be introduced her TO
Mr.. latrobe and 10 his (Winans) own
brother as Mrs Wlpans.
The plaintif and defendant came to this
country on the steamer Scotia, which arrived
here May 80, 1871. They were booked on the
raaenger listas Ross X. vii liams and lady,.
They put up at the Brevoort House, and
where the respondent registered In his own
handwriting, "R. X. Winans and wife"
Upon her arrival Mrs. WiEans. so.cailed,
found that her mother was living In Chi
csgo. She wanted public wedding, bat he
demurred, alleging that his father was very
Ill and he did not want TO break the news OF
his marriage TO him. The defendant con.
sented 10 arepetition OF the ceremony gone
through in London just to ease her mind.
She went to Chicago TO see her mother, while
he journeyed to his fathers bedside at Balti-
more. He wrote to her every day while she
wes IN Chicago. They met again in this
city, after an interval OF a couple of weeks,
and went to the st, James House, bat sub.
sequently removed TO No. 10 West Twenty
fourth street. In addition TO her wedding
ring he had given her ring which he said
bad belonged to HIS mother. A number of
letters from the defendant TO the plaintiff
were here put in evidence.
The following letter was written from Bal
tomore, while the plaintifl was in Chicago,
june 4, the day after arriving
Ny Own SWEET DucKy-I suppose by this time
my poor little pet is pretty near home What
long: tiIesSme, lonely. dusty. no! journey she
seen Rossy as he was going home on the ferry
boat you would have pitied him much
tho outside of Se 6o. hd crss wsn like to
regular baby, and would been ashamed of
myself III II had been because he had been so
good. so i excused myself. and tears came as fast
as they would. which was freely cad tell you. /
swear that regularly boo hooed so loud that an
old neger came mp and stared at me. arrived
in Baltimore and found my brother In the station.
MY sister Wanted in the c,rriage while Bill aud
dear DucEy must t'S not expect you very very long
etter II write every day hope you have not
gos = ,, as hot ct in Chicago as 1t is here am hall
knew how fond was OF my little devil till now
that am parted from her? But be at rest-Rossy
will not be away longer than he can possibly help.
/ am so anxious for letter 1 hope TO goodness
shall get one 10 morrow. must get uo now for
breakfast Oh, how lonely 1t is in this big bed all
by myself. Well, my little darling. j must say
GOOD by, with as many kisses will last you till
Tomorrow, and believe me 10 be
Your loving and sad Rosy.
The counsel for plaintiff read the follow
Ing letter for all ii was worth:
Ny LITTLE DARLISG-I have received no letter
again 10 day. They must be disgusiingly irregu-
asked you TO go to the theater. Ny dear little
girl how In the world did you ever allow yourself
so intimately with any OF them, as to give them
the tight to dare to ask such thing.
as he'll at his presumption to ask
married lady on short acquaintance as that,
such an insolent question. Have nothing more To
do with the damned blackgusrd, or he will want
to visit your bedroom next.
Ny Darling, I can't imagine how you ever a.
lowed him 10 suggest such q thing and only say
back that you did not feel well enough to 20 any
where. Why. hell. what ne must have Thought of
you. BE careful, have little to do with any OF
them.
have ho time for more nov, but must continue
my lecture tomorrow.
Many. many kisses from your loving old boy.
RoSsY.
Joseph 8. Choste, of the counsel for Wi
mans, in his cross-examination. ELECTED the
facts that Mrs. O'Keefe, while Miss Soalfsld,
studied music in London under Haller. and
In Paris under Heller. She acquired her