Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-22
WINANS' LOVE LETTERS.
MS BOARDISG-HOUSE KEEPER
FEODCCTS THUNI,

Was Very Much IN Love When lie wa
Young.
Referee Stephen L. Nash began his
hearing Tuesday at CT Wall street, New
York, of the divorce suit brought by Mrs
Alice O'Keehe against Ross X. Wmans
the young Baltimore millionaire. MIR
Winans is the son Of the late Thomas
Winans, who accumulated a fortune OF
$40, OO0. 900 by building railways in Rus
STA, and the son inherited half Heis The
richest man in Baltimore, and has WIG
and several children
Mr.. d. NJ Porter appeared for Mrs
O'Keetfe, and Mr.. Winans was represented
by James c. Carter, Joseph II. Choate and
lie. Ledyard.
In excluding reporters from the hearing
Mr.. Nash read to them the section from
the Revised Statutes which permits and
in some cases eujoins a referee to hold
private hearings in divorce cases. This
was done at the request of Mr. Winans'
counsel.
The purpose of the suit is said to be to
determine whether or not Mrs. O'heete IS
the lawful wife of Mr. WInans. She keeps
a boarding house on Madison avenue.
Both Mrs. O'Keeffe and Mr.. Winans We're
man with brown hair, black eyes, high
forehead, and full beard. He made no sign
OF recognition when he saw Mrs. o. keetie.
She is brunette, 81 years of age. She
wore a drab tailOr-made cloth dress,
aud has full, plump face and
dark hair. She WAS accompanied by
her sister and a Mrs. ThOrne.
Mrs. O'keeffe was called as the first
witness. She told her story, producing
letters in confederation of it as she went
on. She said that in December, 1870, she
was governess in the family OF a Mrs.
Hunt, who lived at the LangEam Hotel in
London. There she was introduced to
MIR. Winaus, and he at once began TO
send her looks and flowers. He was
student at Cambridge. She left Mrs.
Hunt for a situation as goyerness with
Lady Dukes at Lewes.
Mrs. O'Keeffe here produced a letter of
recommendation from a previous en-
ployer, Mrs. Emma Goslett, of GOldblow,
Banstead, Surrey, in which it was said
that she was clever, trst-class must
elan. and perfect in French and German.
Her father, Mr. Saal1eld, it said, had been
a merchant Of high standing at Leeds, and
had failed there in a financial crisis.
Mrs. O'Keefe said that Winans insisted
on accompanying her 10 Leeds, and on the
way told her that he was very fond Of her,
and made her promise to write to him.
He returned from Lewes on the next
train. She did not write to him, but re-
ceiyed the following letters from him:
BACHELoR's HALL, "Wednesday Evening.
MY DARLING LITTLE GAL-1ou will eX-
cuse a short letter, know. a. feel like any
thing but writing, especially to one from
whom / have just parted, and every thought
of whom is therefore pain, because II has TO
reach 50 far as Lewes.
wonder if you felt half so gloomy and sad
on your drive to the Dukes as I did on my
way home. I,guess not. I tried to read those
papers | bought. but could not tOsave my
life. ] think | got through four lines of one
OF them, AMI then set TO brOOdlng. Do answer
tins as soon as you reeve it, as cannot wait
YOU could get away one day and night this
week, as fear / shsll be away next week.
| have been smoking cigar after cigar try
ing 10 think Of nothing but the smoke as II
cuIls up, but the smoke proves TOO thin to pre-
vent my seeing through IL the events Of the last
twenty -four hours, and then merely keep on
smoking with the gloomy thought that If il
does not Kill my thoughts, ii will at least in
time kill me, and then at last nv thoughts
will be Gained. With much love, from yours
sincerely. No signature
BACHELORS HALL, Friday Morning.
Ny DEAR ALICE have vet received no
answer 10 my note. although begged you to
answer ~ as soon as you received II. You
have no idea how have missed YOU, my little
gal. More than YOU have missed me, darn
ed sight. fear there Is no hope of seeing you
this week. When in the world shall see YOU
again, then. for l shall be in Cambridge for
the next month. DO write Immediately to
Yours ever sincerely. 40 signaturel.
Mrs. O'Keefe says she was finally per-
suaded TO 90 10 London for day. He met
her, took her to dinner, and drove out in
the park with her. He told her who he
was, and wanted TO marry her. She said
she could not marry him, as her mother
and family We're not in comfortable cir
eumstances, and needed her help. She
made a seooud friu "a 1 Ondnn auG o.,of,
ne urged her TO marry him, and she finally
consented, STIMULATING that it must be
in her church. lie told her that
a church marriage was entirely I'M
necessary between Americans. All that
was needful was Tor him TO acknowledge
her as his wife and to live with her as
such. He persuaded her TO consent 10
this, and they went TO the Grosvenor
Hotel. There he put a wedding ring on
her finger, and said that he took her as his
wife. They lived together at the hotel,
and she was generally known to the SER
wants and others as his wife, and was
treated rs such. soon afterward they
removed 10 Cambridge, where he was
studying, and continued the same rela-
tton. Later, they returned TO London.
and then went 70 Spa, in Germany. He
LETT her there alone Tor a time, aud sent her
packages from London addressed TO Mrs.
Wilans. When he rejoiued her, he
showed her q dispatch which said that his
father was very sick, and that be must 20
10 America. They made arrangements to
10 together. They went TO London, ana
there he introduced her as his vile 10 his
brother aud 10 a Mr.. LatrOhe. On the
steamer Scotia they passed as man aud
wife. They arrived in New York on May
30, 1871, registered In his handwriting at
the Breyo0rt House as r. X. Wiaans and
vile, and were published among the ar
rivals IN The morning newspapers. Mr..
Porter produced the register of the Bre-
WORT House m evidence.
Alrs. O'keefe's mOthe. and family were
then living M Chicago, and il Was sug-
aest8d, sac said, that she pay them visit
while Winans went on 10 Baltimore "a
arrange matters with his family. She
urged him 60 have a public marriage al
once, but he said the announcement Of the
m&rnsgc would be 100 much for his sick
iather. He said also that while their
English union was sufficient, yet to sat
isiy her DC would again take her as hi.
wife, and would never leave her. She
went 10 Chicago and be TO Baltimore, ar.
irving there on June 3. In the two week
whieh followed she received, she says, The
following letters from him:
JUSEt. The day after arriving.
MY OWN SWEET DuCKY;-l suppose b. this
time my poor liLto pet 10 pretty near home
NI.H