St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-15
THE WITHERBEE SCANDAL.
n Pointed Letter From the FraiI
''Nettie's" Attorney.

"Nettie's" Attorney.
Mrs. Witherbee's attorney has adj
dressed the following letter to the Bis
marck Tribune:
In behalf of my client, Miss Marie A.
Wltherbee, who is now lying critically
III, L deem it my duty to denounce as
statements that reflect injuriously
talpon her in the Washington special
published in your issue of yesterday.
am enabled from the documental evil
dence III my possession to assert that
her separation from her husband, A. S.
Wltherbee, was not due to any act on
her part unworthy of true woman or
faithful wife. L base this assertion
upon the unquestiOnable authentic
letters OF Witherbee himself,
written after their separation on Aug.
III, 1886, and as late as Sept.
~, 1887. Inc following copy of a card
published by Mrs. Witherbee in the
National Republican at Washington,
+ and which was not contradicted, will
serve to show the circumstances of that
separation. and refute one OF the many
gross falsehOOds contained in the highly
sensational special above referred to-:
| WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 1SS6-Editor Ma
tional Republican,: My attention has just
Deen invited TO notice published by A. S.
W1therbee In the Republican of the 9th inst
IN which he charges that left his bed and
board without just cause, and disclaimS all
responsibility for any debts may contract in
his name.
would state, in reply, that whatever NAV
De the Interior object of this unwarranted as
perslon upon me- it was not intended to
guard Mr.. Witherbee from any financial liza
bll1ty on my account.
He Is aware that my separate estate, a pOr-
ton OF which l am about to wreSt from his
grasp by legal proceedings, Is ample for my
maintenance.
If his name is source of credit it is well
known that the business connection which
has made it SO is due to me.
we separated In this city by mutual con-
sent on Aug. IL, 1886, upon his informing
me that he could not support me, a, de-
corting me with lady friend to the depot,
where he placed me on board the train to re-
join my relatives in New York. This can be
proved by CLOUD Of witnesses" Very re-
On the day previous to the publication
of that card Witherbee addressed the
following letter to his wife twenty-three
days after their separation:
3045 n Street. Washington D. c..
Sept. 8, 1886.
Nett;e: have received demand from
your counsel MI Mackey. for the return Of
many OF the household goods belonging to
US. some of which were wedding gifts and
some Of which purchased
They are here where they have always
been, in my home, which you have atan-
dOned.
If you wish to use them you can return
where they are, and you will always be
treated kindly by every one, as you have
been in the past.
1t was never my wish that you should leave
as you know. Yours,
ALFRED s. WIrHEEEEE
MRS. A. s. WrnERBEE,
Washington, d. G..
Is 1t credible that man who, as now
charged, had cast off his wife as vile,
polluted thing, would have thus invited
her to return to the home circle where
dwelt his virtuOuS mother and sisters?
Five days after the date of that letter
Witherbee was compelled to surrender
to his wife all the personal property to
which he therein refers, valued at
$1,000. She had, however, to pay 1854
to redeem her silver tea set, which he
had pawned fraudulently with the
Washington Safe Deposit company on
the day after their separation.
This fact is shown by the certificate
OF the secretary OF the company. Equally
false are the aSpersi0nS cast upon Mrs.
Witherbee's honorable birth and lineage
and her present relations. Within the
next five or six days Mrs. Witherbee
will file her bill for divorce in the dis
trict court at Bismarck from the man
who has so grossly maligned her,
by debating publication which
shows all the ear. marks of
scheme for blackmail. The grounds for
her divorce will be, as long since de-
elared by her, desertion, nOn-support.
cruelty and adultery. Until she can be
heard at the bar OF the court, where she
invites her accuSer to face her and her
sworn witnesses, in the interest of COM
a suspension ofrpublie opinion.
GEORGE T. WEBSTER,
Attorney for Mrs. Nj. A. Witherbee.