Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1888-01-20
A Special from Washington Giving
New Details and Names of
Parties in the Case.
Announced that Mr.. Witherbee Once
Thought of Coming to Bism-
arck as q Journalist.
Judge Mackey and Mrs. Witherbee
Denounce the Warfare as
Cruel Persecution.
SOME WASHINGTON RUmoRs.

.
Washington has been set all agog dur
ing the past few days by the sad sequel to
the marriage of one of its prominent and
successful merchants. Mr.. A. S. Wither-
bee is now the proprietor of one of the
finest book stores in our city. Entering
the service of Brentano as clerk, he made
himself of such value that he was in few
years taken in as a partner. Then at the
death of member of the firm he sue
ceeded to the position Of sole proprietor.
Knowing that certain parties to this sad
story were now residents of Bismarck,
your correspondent sought Mr.. Witherbee
and endeavored to secure from him an in
terview concerning this sad story Of
woman's wiles and mans duplicity. Mr..
Witherbee firmly but courteously refused
to talk on the subject So / sought a
friend, who generally knows everything,
and from him obtained the following
concerning the now famous case OF
WITHERBEE VS.. WITHERBEE:
A. s. Witherbee met Nettie NJ. Dunlap
in this city in December, 1885. They were
introduced to each other by the daughter
of q physician here-a Mrs. Ellery. Mrs.
Witherbeee had been the guest of Mrs.
Ellery here in Washington, several times,
and Mrs. E. had visited Mrs. w. in New
York. Mr.. w. first met Miss Nettle Dun
lap about December Is, 1885, and on Feb
ruary "a, 1886. 'sthese twain became one
flesh" When Witherbee had his first con-
versatlon with the fair Nettie she in
formed him that she was an orphan and
that she had been adopted by Mr.. 81. Lee
Borden, proprietor of the Borden Con-
densed Milk company of Chicago. Her
story was made more satisfactory to Mr..
Witherbee from the fact that the family of
DR.. Moore-Mrs. Ellery's father-lenttheir
endorsement to it. Mrs. w. further said
that Mr.. Borden had settled a small for
tune on her for the purpose of allowing
her to complete her musical education.
Mr.. and Mrs. Witherbee were married in
this city, and Mr.. Borden came on to the
wedding, and besides the wedding break
fast @ ne next morning gave them at the
many valuable presents. He bestowed a
fathers blessing upon them and said he
would always be a father to them. Every
thing went smoothly till Nettle said she
desired to visit her adopted parents, who
lived in Elgin, III. This request was made
Just four months after they were married.
Witherbee reluctantly consented, and in
June, 1886, she departed for the Sucker
state.
Inc story OF her escapade in Chicago,
the brothers. discovery Of her infdelity, the
visit OF her mother (Butterfeld) to Wash
ington and the interview with Witherbee
in which she gives the history of her life
and an! that OF his wife, has already, been pub
to his wife that day, Witherbee informed
her that he had had call6frOm her mother,
whereupOn
NETTIE TAINTED
to slow music and red fire. That same at
ternOon she, without word of warning,
except to telephone him from the depot a
few moments before the train started, left
Washington for New York.
Her acquaintance with Judge Mackey
dates from the time of the Hazen court
martial. In company with Miss Dewitt
Of e,taa this city city and the judge trip to Texas
was asked to swear to Mrs. Witherbee's
SIX months residence in the Lone Star
state. This Miss Dewitt refused to do,
and thus the plans of the judge and Nettie
for securing divorce from Witherbee
came 10 naught. AT one period when
Nettie was the guest of Miss DeWitt's here,
she, during the temporary absence Of the
fair Nattie, found in her room the most
gushing epistles from Mackey to Mrs
Witherbee. Immediately the telegraph was
used to inform Mrs. Witherbee not to re-
turn to the Dewitt mansion, and she did
not. The letters were sent by Miss Dewitt
to # q 6
MRS. MACKEY,
who is living here on Capitol Hill. After
many wanderings the Judge and Nettie
settled at q hotel in Chicago, registering
as man and wife. Here she was taken
sick and came very near passing in her
chips" as you western people term it.
While on her dying bed, the Judge induced
her to sign check in blank, telling her
81 was to pay for Medicine, doctors, ETC.,
etc" Upon her recovery, finding that she
had been. duped of all her bank account by
the Judge, she threatened him with suit.
ThereupOn he Quieted matters by giving
her his notes for the amount he bagged,
and then he abstractedS the notes. II n 533,
Quite q curious fact in connection with
the presence Of Judge Mackey and Mrs.
Witherbee in your city is that 9 few years