The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-12-11
MARRIED IN HASTE.
Lydia Kasson'S Experience a a
Ranchman's Bride.

me TO live under the same roof with my
husband again" So says Mrs. Ly dia
kasson in an affidavit she made in the
SUIT Just begun in the Superior Court TO
obtain an absolute divorce from her hus-
band. And she appears to be very muCi
in earnest and TO have excellent reasons
to fear him. The story set forth in the
complaint and the accompanying affi-
davits in the suit, disclose many strange
features.
Mrs. kasson is but - years of age.
She Is an attractive young woman of
slender build, scarcely more than FIVE
feet tall. Her eyes are blue, and mass
of wsvy, golden hair, crowns her shapely
head. Her mother died while she was a
mere child. Lydia was educated in the
public schools of this city, and about six
years ago she became a Saleswoman in
an Eighth avenue dry goods establish
ment, retaining this position up To the
time of her marriage. She resided with
her father, a respectable bookkeeper.
named Phillips, III King street board
ing house.
So matters stood in December, 1884.
when she made the acquaintance of
Henry kasson. Naturally romantic, her
fancy was Immediately captivated by
her new friend, who appeared 10 her To
possess every virtue of the conventional
novel hero. Tall, stout and powerful of
build, with heavy features, dark hair
and Il luxuriant black muStache. kasson
was well calculated to impress the aver
age city girl. lie was Western ranch
man, only visiting New York for a brief
business trip, and he gave every body to
understand that he was a man OF con-
siderable means. His own stories about
his adventures III the West showed him
to be man OF valor, II mis- veracity
could he trusted.
The big ranchman was very attentive
to the falr-haired girl. lie invited her
to- go the theatre with him and made
himself unusually agreeable. After the
performance he asked her To become his
wife. Lydia, although secretly delighted,
begged for time TO consider before giving
anv decided answer, saying that she
wanted to become better acquainted first
and to consult her father. But Kasson
wanted an immediate answer. He said
he, was head over heels in love, and as he
was obliged To return TO the West he
must know his fate. Lydia still hesita-
ted. She did not want TO refuse such an
available sutton, yet she felt that his
action in proposing the day after he met
her was rather hasly, What should she
do:
The ranchman took her to a private
dining room over big restaurant TO
have some supper, and continued to inn
press her with the desirability of answer
ing hum at once. He told her stories of
the splendid things that would he hers il
she consented, but meanwhile insisted
upon having her drink wine with him. 4
few minutes later she lost her senses, and
she claims she must have been dIugged.
She saws she knew nothing of what hap
pcncd until she awokr the next morning
and found Kasson 10y her side. She was
frightened and | . IN to CI-. kasson
then took her in his arms and told her
she was his legal wife under the laws of
this State. rs he had registered her as
such on the hotel books.
That night Kasson made Ter leave the
city with HIM without giving her an cp-
Iortunity of bidding her father good by
or telling him what had happened. She
found that the ranch was about 60 miles
from the station of the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe Railroad, in Valencia count y,
y. u. For a time she was veIv happy
in her new home. Everything was com
fortablA, and she made up her mind that
she had been very wise in accepting kas-
son. But she soon changed her opinion.
She noticed That the ranchman was very
familiar with a pretty MEXICAN servant
girl in his employ named Gda. She
charged him with forgetting his duty
as husband. kasson tened upon her
called her vile name, and told her TO
mind her own business, To impress this
admonition upon her mind he slapped her
face.
You coward = she cried, would you
strike woman:
would most assurCdly,' was the
calm response, and the man struck her
with his clenched fist and then left her
bathed in tears.
From that time on Mrs. KassOn's life
was made a burden TO her. Whenever
she said any thing TO " hiCh her husband
objected in any manner, she was unmer-
cifully beaten. Kasson had been drink
ing on January 23d, with one of his cow
boys called TEX" when the young
wife entered the room. Tex tried 10
kiss her. Mrs. kasson struggled to es-
cape from him, aud called upon her hus-
band to protect her. The Tanchmau ex-
claimed with an oath
- If you can't treat a friend of mine
decently, I'll kill you.
She was compelled To submit to the
odiuus caress of the drunken rough.
In September last Kasson told h's wife
! that wealthy old Mex can was think
ing of buying his ranch for SEQ, 0C0. and
warned her that when he came tn see the
place she would have TO keep out of the
way. His reason for this was that the
Mexican had daughter who would in
herit all his money. Kasson did not
know this girl, but he thought that ne
might possibly have a chance of marry
ing her if his wife's existence was kept a
secret. To such plan MIS-. kasson
could not consent.
The dav that the Mexican was to come
ka.son dragged his wife into the stable,
an adobe building some little distance
from the house, and tied her there 10y
the hands to one Of the stalls. She
struggled in vain to free herself. and was
finally knocked insensible and left 10y her
husband lying on the ground with blood
flowing from her face. When she came
toshe screamed until she was hoaIse, but
if anyone heard her no attention was
maid m bar cf .as For tUpntv- four hours