Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-20
RICH, RARE AND RAGY.
The Divorce Proceeding of Ross R.
Winans and Alice 0'Ksefa.
~RossY" AND HIS LITTLE OWL" "
Dirty Linen Aired in the New York
Courts on the First Day
of the Trial.
PRoFANE AND DISGUSTING LETTERS.

nut HITL- HlHD -
New YoEK, May I9-Stephen P. Nash,
the referee appointed to take testimony in
the divorce case of Alice 0'Keefe against
Ross. r. Winans, the Baltimore millionaire.
began hearing of the case at noon today.
The plaintiff, handsome woman elegantly
sttired, was accompanied by younger Sis
ter and a Mrs. Thorn, middle aged
woman, who is said to be an important wit
ness for Mrs. 0'Keefe. ExJudge D. M.
Porter, counsel for plaintiff, was with the
ladies.
Mr.. Winans was present with his lawyers,
Joseph S. Choate, James c. Carter and l..
&. Ledyard. The parties to the action sat
opposite each other, but Winans gave no
sign of recognition, but stroked his beard
nervously, while his alleged wife busily aud
gracefully famed herself.
The table of the referee was strewn with
Photographs of Winans
taken at various times in London. On the
back of one, where the defendant appears
as a swell in loud astraksn.trimmed coat
the following is written: ITO Miss DoolGeld
as help for the remembrance Of Ross r.
Winans."
On another the following is scribbled:
ITO Ally from Rosy with the sweetest OF
kisses and the best of - ---- from
Rosy to his little divil Alice"
IT, The
plainant. She testified that she first met
Winans at the Langham Hotel in 1871. She
was introduced to him, and he sent her gifts
of books and flowers. She left the hotel
g5on after, because Mrs. Hunt, by whom
she was employed as governess, tailed to
pay her salary. She subsequently obtained
a position in the same capacity with Lady
Dukes, of Lewes, England. When she de-
parted for Lewes, Winans went to the depot
with her. He told her he was fond of her
and asked her to correspond with him. He
wrote frequently. She came to London,
had lunch and drive with him.
winans Proposed Marriage,
but she said she could not wed him as her
mother and family we're not there. When
asked second time to marry him she
consented, but insisted that the ceremony
take place in church. Winans said he was
an American and that in his country a
church ceremony was not altogether neces.
sary and that man and woman who agreed
to live together were regarded as husband
and wife. he finally induced her to
acouiesce and they went to the Grosvenor
Hotel in London, where he gave her a ring
and solemnly pledged himself to take her
as his wife. He put the ring on her finger.
They lived there
AS Man and Wife
and she was known to servants in the house
as lis wife. They went to Cambridge
where his studies were not completed
There he called her his wife before servants
and others.
The couple returned to London and
thence to Spa, Germany, where they re-
mained five or six weeks Articles shipped
! to plaintiff, while al Spa where addressed to
her as Mrs. Wirans. Defendant spoke Of her
as his wife and he introduced her to a Mr.
Latrobe and to his (Winans) own brother
as Mrs. Winaps. Plaintiff and defendant
came to this country on the steamer Scotia
which arrived here May 80, 1871, They
were booked on the passenger list as "Ro5s
II. Winan and lady" They put up at the
Brevoort House, where the respondent
registered in his own band writing, h r
Winans and WIFE," Upon her arrival Mrs
Winans, so called, found that her mother
was living in Chicago. She
Wanted n Public Wedding
but be demurred, alleging that his father
was very i'll and he did not want to break
the news OF his marriage to him. The de-
fendant consented to the agreement gone
through in England. She went to Chicago
to see her mother while he journeyed
to his fathers bedside at Bati.
more. He wrote. her every day
while she was in Chicago. They met again
l. New York after couple CT weeks and
went to the st. James Hotel but subse-
lently removed to No. l9 West Twenty.
fourth street where she was also known as
Mrs. Winans. In addition to her wedding
ring he had given her a ring which he said
belonged to his mother.
A number of
from the defendant to the plaintiff were
here put in evidence.
The following letter was written from
Baltimore, while the plaintiff was in Chi
cago June Sth, the day after arriving:
NJ Ora Street Ducky:
suppose by this time my poor little pet
is pretty near home. What a long, tire
some, lonely, dusty, hot journey she must
have had. Ny poor little darling. If
you had seen Rosy as he was going
home on the ferry boat you would have
pi led him much more than yourself. He
went to the outside Of the boat and cried
Ike a regular baby, and l would have been
ashamed Of myself if it had not been that
the caIse was so good. i swear that l reg
ulsrly bood-hooed so much in fact, that an
old niger came up and stared at me tosse
what the devil was the matter.
l arrived in Baltimore and found my
brother in the station. My sister waited in
the carriage while Bill and l walked to the
carriage. If you like, my little duck most
not expect very long letters if write every
day. hope you have not got II as hot in
Chicago as it is here. an half dead with
the heat
Do You know that never knew how fond
l was Of my little divil till now. But be at
rest, Rosy win not be away longer than he
can possibly help ] an so anxious for Q
letter. hope to goodness | shall get one
tomorrow. l must get up now for break.
fast. Oh, how lonely il Is IN this big bed all
By myself i
Wen, my little darling, l must say good.
bye with as many kisses as will last you I'LL
to-morrew, and believe me TO be
"YoEr loving and sad