Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-12-29

Correspondence Ledger

OLfAPIA, Dec. "a, 1885.
Several years ago r p. shoecraf,
having separated from his wife in
Rochester, n. Y, came TO this place
bringing hk two chiItren-a son and
daughter. He settled down and en-.
gaged in the real estate business.
de developed int What 10 termed 4
good fellow, became quite popular,
was appointed deputy sheriff under
the last administration, entered sub
sequently a. candidate on the demo
cratic ticket for county assessor and
was only defeated by Q small ma
jority. In the meantime he married
most estimable and accomplished
LADY, sister OF the wife of A. B.
Cowles, chief clerk in the surveyor
generals Office. His children be.
came greatly attached TO his wife,
and they chose her as their guardian
In preference TO their father. She
became quite sickly, however, and
eighteen months ago under her
physicians advice went east for her
health. the visited several of heT
relatives in different parts Of the
country, and after q time went to
see her husbands relatives at Ro.
chester, and there, 10 her great sur
prise, found Robert, her husbands
son, whom she had left well salts
fed with his home in Olympia.
The circumstances, that for shame's
sake, had driven him eastward and
which have broken her heart and her
home, she heard from his lips.
Hardly had she left Olympia than
Shoecraft became enamored OF q
well known woman Of the town who
went by the name of Mrs. Birdie
Maxwell. The two were seen to
meet frequently on the streets, and
from day to day grew to pay less re-
gard to the public's sidelong glance,
until fisally Shoecraft took the wo
man TO live with him in his swn
house-the home of his absent wife.
They came and went together in
complete defiance Of public senti.
ment, until as stated, his children in
their modification went away.
This WAS what was told to Mrs.
Shoscraft. She Immediately wrote
letter to her husband asking if /,
could be possible. and upbraiding
him, If it were true, for his faithless-
ness.
Shoecraft coolly turned the letter
over to the Maxwell woman TO an
swer for him. She did 90 in such
t~r-xe m. rxnniI snf ha.r nv;nsi,1 In
respectable newspaper-indeed in
any paper without laying itself liable
for circulating indecent literature.
Mrs. Shoecrsft sent the letter at once
TO her brother-in-lsw, Mr.. Cowles,
who Immediately entered complaint
against Shoecraft for adultery and
again for living in open adultery.
Before the magistrate both Shoecraft
and the Maxwell woman denied the
charge under oath, but they were
held for court. A libel in divorce
was also filed by the wife, but this,
under advice OF her friends, has no,
been pushed, pending the disposition
of the criminal proceeding, for the
reason that, should the defendant be
convicted and sent 10 prison, that
alone would act as divorce, and
further, tho divorce being granted
previous TO conviction, it would
leave him at liberty to marry the
woman, which would satisfy the
law and relieve him from any pc
nalty.
To-day he was convicted. The
trial has been in progress several dayi
and has been followed with keen In
terest by the public. Mr.. Struve, oi
Porter 4 Struve, of Seattle, with a big
stack of law books. has by special en-
gagement prosecuted, on behalf oi
the Territory. Ballard McFadden,
has handled the defence. The courI
room has been crowded to its ca
pscity throughout, the front benches
nearest the jury being packed by the
friends Of Shoecraft. The man and
woman they were both indicted bu'
were to be tried separately went
upon the stand and again denied the
charge absolutely. The woman
testified that she was married anc
that her husband sent her $40 pei
month for her support, and though
she occupied the same house with
Shoecraft, they had no more intimat'
relationship.
Throughout the trial the two sal
together and billed and cooed quite
like pair OF lovers. Mrs. Shoe
craft was not in the court room al
any time. The letter written by thu
Maxwell to the wife. which was con
sidered as conclusive evidence In 1t
self for the prosecution, was moi
offered as evidence, the case beinl
made out without It. IL was ready
| for use in case Of supposed necessity
but not being required was CAREFUL,
guarded from publicity by Mr
Cowles. In Il the writer admits thu
relationship existing between hersel
and Shoecraft, and defies the wife t<
do what she might in the premises
and takes occasion to say all IN.
ugly things possible to be crowded
upon seven pages Of letter paper.
The jury went out ct fifteen min
| u,es OF 3 O'Clock on Wednesda.
evening. and this morning, as stated
returned Q verdict Of guilty as In
dictcd."
shoecraft, although evidently sur
priscd. took the verdict quietly. III
wss taken from the court room anS
shortly afterwafd. Mrs Birdie Max
well was brought in and sealed th'
| matter bv entering plea of guilt
upcn the first chsrge-of simpl'
adultery. The court placed he
upon her own rscognizance unde
$500 bonds and suspended sentenc'
upon the condition that she woul'
leave Olympia before the yea, wa
| out. never TO return.
A motion Was made for Q nev
trial, which will be argued mex
Tuesday. :,
Shoccraft Is Q man OF about q
wears of age, small in stature AM
wears . fun beard which, with hi
hair, Is quite gray. He 10 sconsiderss
smart As 4 business man. and bis sigI
AZ = real estate agent and practitione
iu the land ONCE, Is one Of the hrs
10 strike the eye on Main street
He IA not now @ regularly appoiate<
| h~-;N hra Il n cloaa friend O