St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-01
A SENSATIONAL SUIT.
A Young Widow Sues for
Breach of Promise and
Seduction.
She Claims E. C. Avery
Courted Her as Edward
Jackson.
And She Finally Discovered
That He Was a Married
Man,
Avery on the Other Hand
Says 1t Is Black
mail.

Mrs. J. G.. Camp, young and pre-
possessing widow who lives at sic
Hennepin avenue, has charged Edgar
c. Avery, who lives at SIC Seventh ave-
nue. south, and who is well known as the
manager of the Accommodation Bank
ing company. with an office at 55 Eighth
street south, with breach of promise of
marriage and seduction. Mr.. Avery Is
a man of wealth and prominence, of
good reputation, and has wife and
three children. Mrs. Camp demands
$4,000 damages.
The papers in the case have been
served upon Avery by E. ID. Briggs, the
attorney for Mrs Camp, and allege
that in 1887 he met and courted her un-
der the assumed name of Edward Jack
son, saying that he was a widOwer with
three children and wanted wife to
take care of them. 1t is alleged that the
defendant first accOSted the plaintiff on
the street III 1857, and subsequently
wrote her letter. To this she replied,
and it is claimed that Avery under the
assumed name of jackson sent her the
following letter:
December 26. 81.
Dear Little Friend: Your delicate worded
uOAG CdiiiS " iLC llliS CduSlIS SELL
salions to fly through my being not unlike
the recOllectioDs of sweet but vanished,
dream. Many, many times have l thought of
our brief meeting and wondered why you
did not care to see me again. When no.
ticed your loss then resolved / would call
some time, and one day drove by youl rooms
several times in the hope of seeing you, but
failed and did not dare risk making call for
fear you would he offended.
l will call this afternoon at o'clock, and
mo &c q nd hot
our meeting will be mutually agreeable. Sim
cerely. your admiring friend, JACKSON.
The complaint also charges that he
kept company with her and visited her
from two to four times week, except
when he was away in California. and
that there he wrote her number of en-
dearing letters. 1t is further alleged
that on March ), 1883. and for four
months after that, upon the strength of
mis- promise to make her his wife and
upon repeated urgings on his part, she
suffered him at diverse times to have
Illicit intercourse with her. That by
accident she discovered his true name
and learned that he was married man,
and when she upbraided him he claimed
that he was about getting divorce
from his wife, and when that was Oh
tanned he would marry her.
Mir. Avery was found in mis- private
Office on Eighth street last night by
GLOBE reporter. AT first he declined to
talk about the matter. Finally he said:
II have been in Minneapolis now for
twelve years, and | think | have a good
many friends. They will believe my
story. am IN the chattel mortgage
business, and this is the outcome of
that business. Back in 1887 met this
woman in business way. She bOr-
rOwed money from me and | hold the
mortgages against her property yet.
Among other mortgages she gave was
one upon some property belong
ing to well-known Minneapolis
estate. When l found that out l
Immediately took possession - of
the other property which was mort
gagged, and now have it in my possess
ion. l knew the woman only in a bust
ness way, and it looks like very weak
case 10 me when the lawyer who served
the papers had to apologize to me for
appearing in the case on the ground
that business was dull. These people
threatened me in writing to expose me,
and to give the whole story to the world
unless | settled. That i positively re-
fused to do. and told them to 90 ahead.
Understand | am not doing any talking
now; my turn will collie after awhile.
The papers in the case haven't been
filed yet, and perhaps they never will
be-"
Mrs. Camp last night declared that
her relations with MIR. Avery had been
more than friendly, and exhibited many
letters cOuched in the most endearing
terms. Following is the first letter she
ever received from him:
Thursday p. m, Nov. 4.-Little Friend:
No doubt you have already forgotten the
stranger whom you SO kindly permitted to
walk home with you on the evening of the
1st | will say, however. that l have been
unable to Danish thoughts of your superb
little figure from my mind. and with the hope
that yOu may favor me with more intimate
acquaintance take the liberty, trusting it
will cause you no serious Inconvenience
Can you not make an engagement to meet
me some afternoon or evening? Would you
to see me again after the presumption |
showed upon our first meeting, but if so
assure you it will be a long, long time before
the recollection of you will be effaced from
my memory. Pardon me again for this in
lrusiOn and, II you can, do please drop me
few lines and let me see you. DeYotedly
yours, L. JACKSON,
Lock Box 40, City.
She also has in her possession several
letters written to her while the sup
posed Mrs. Jackson was in California.
She declares that there is no attempt at
blackmail on her part, and SAYS that
some time ago Mr.. Avery offered her
$4,000 to settle the case. Now she
wants S25, ZOO.