The new North-west., 1885-06-26
"RosE OF SHARoNu BUSINESS.
Bud Meadow Gets Caught in the Tolls and
is Downed for a Few Thousands.

A most remarkable trial has just been con-
cluded at the recent term of Court at Bill
lings. The case appears on the docket as
Dupont VS.. Meadow. Imogene Dupont sued
Perry w. Meadow for $4,000 damages for
breach of promise of marriage. The follow
ing description of Mr.. Meadow is taken
from the account Of the suit in the Livings-
ton Enterprise: "Bud Meadow, the defend
ant, is one of the most widely known men
in Montana. He was one of the earliest set
tiers. He was one of the party that discov-
cred gold in Pioneer gulch in 1861. Ever
since that day he has been prominent MEM
Der of Montanas constantly increasing pop
ulation, and thousands outside the bounda-
ries of the Territory know and respect Bud
Meadow. He was one of the pioneers of
the Yellowstone, and it is doubtful If there
Is one other resident of that region who
commands the respect and regard of larger
number of his fellow men than does Mr.. Nc
Adew. He has been a member of the Terri
torial Legislature several times. He is now
resident Of Billings, one of its leading
merchants, and the owner of property all
over Eastern Montana. He is now man of
45 or so years Of age, but in spite of the in
trinity hereafter described, is singularly
handsome, with his closely cropped, snow
white beard and hair, bright blue eyes, clear
complexion, regular, intellectual features"
In 1866 Mr.. Meadow was paralyzed In the
right side, and since then has endeavored by
every possible means to effect the cure of the
same, but without avail. In 1873 Mr.. Nc.
Adow was in Missouri consulting DIR. Ma
lin there, who was his brother-in-law. DR..
Malin advised him to either get married or
procure some woman to nurse him in his al
most helpless state. Imogene Dupont, a
Spanish Mexican by birth, was presented to
him as a suitable person for a nurse. She
was engaged by Meadow as his heusekeeper
at S25 per month. In the summer of 1873
she accompanied Meadow to Bozeman un-
der the name of Irene Llnnford, and was in
stalled as his mistress and housekeeper.
They lived there about a year, and then she
went to California. Meadow followed her
there in 1875, and they lived together ia Cal
ifornia for over year. She cared for him
faithfully all the while, both travelling under
the names of Mr.. and Mrs. p. w. Meadow.
He made two other visits to her there from
Montana, the last being in 1881.
bCbItiS hdu pdSoCu oCb"CCh bhC" al
while, and 1856 of Meadows to the plaintiff
were brought up in Court and read. They
all contain some terms of endearment and
love, interspersed with the news body Of the
letters. Almost every letter contained a re-
mittance of money, and Meadow claims to
have sent her between six and seven thou
sand dollars in that way.
In January, 1884, Meadow was married to
Mrs. Clara Tomlinson, of Billings, and went
East upon his wedding tour. He correspon-
ded with his former mistress all the time he
was absent, addressed her as his wife, and
sent various sums of money to her. She had
heard of his marriage, but did not let him
know that she was aware of the fact. She
then commenced her game by writing to him
and begging him to write a letter to her as
his wife and signing himself as her husband,
as she wished to show the letter to lady
friend who doubted her respectability. She
returned to Montana last year and sought
legal advice upon the subject. She then
went to Billings and demanded reparation in
money from Meadow, which he obstinately
refused. Then she instituted her suit for
breach of promise. The case was tried by
jury before Judge Coburn. o. +. Goddard,
of Billings, and A. F. Burleigh, of Miles
City, appeared as counsel for the plaintiff,
and John Maginness and e. J. Conger for
the defendant. After deliberation of sew
eral hours the jury came in with their ver-
dict last Tuesday. It was that the defendant
pay $1,000 damages to the plaintiff and the
costs of the suit. Thus ended one of the
most remarkable breach of promise suits in
the Territory.