Dodge City times., 1889-12-05

who is now a resident of this place. By
request We publish below the letter of
Mrs Mary Widen in order that all may
know the truth of the whole matter:
| HOW SHE ANSWERS HIM.
1st. am wrOnged wife but did not
follow him, but went in behalf of my
children. 2nd. did 60 to San Diego to
try and get my boys and to insist in hep
ing to right the wrong to his second wife,
another victim, as have a letter from
her relatives to that effect. have pa
pers from Perry Widen as payment on
alimOny but have realized but little. 3rd.
As to the scandal between Perry Widen
and Lizzie Etherington is the truth and l
will go before any court and make oath
that she was his mistress in MY own fam
| lily beginning about the middle of May
1882 until the last of January 1883, then
he sent her East furnishing all the money
and helped her to produce an abortion.
Of about six months knew of their init
| macy, but was compelled TO remain quiet
for safety of my own life, from threats
he had made to the effect that he would
kill me. After she left he confessed his
guilt and asked forgiveness; also asked
me what to give her to produce the abor-
ton, knowing that knew nothing about
such things. She came back to my home
and was in the family week contrary
to my wishes and without an invitation
by me; and she told me she had only
been up from her abortion six days when
she came to my home After week she
left, not returning to my home. Bat in
about six weeks Mrs. Anna L. Robbins
came to my house to see Perry Widen
on business, she said. And when he
came home they entered into an agree
ment as partners to buy one town lot Of
j. Collar, when an intimacy sprang
up between them, as imprudent actions
had occurred. For instance. they found
occasion 10 visit Fowler City, distance
of thirty miles, always selecting rainy
weather, and would take the best blankets
from the house, and in u closed carriage,
and always managing TO return between
midnight and daylight. But l hope my
friends will not forget she was his only
love. 4th. 1t is thought by the people
of this place that he did set fire to his
store January 18th 1885. 4 Mrs. L. Rob
bins being his pardner in the building
and lot. In August of 1885 he came
home from Dodge City Qor we lived on
the claim two miles from town in Il great
hurry and said he was about broke up in
business. But he brought deed with
him and asked me to sign it with house
hold goods and all personal property over
to d. H. Stockwell (Mrs. A. L. Robbins
Brother in-law) and said if | would sign
it and do as he said he could soon pay his
debts and if would not we would loose
home and all.
Trusting him signed the deed with
no witnesses) and within week he told
me he wanted divorce and as was very
much surprised and asked him what for
and what had done and he said moth
ing but he had found the woman he
loved (Anna L. Robbins) and told him
1 would not give him a divorce and he
SAID "he'd be d-now hat l had to for
he had all the property out of my hands
and asked what could do now.
The same month he took me with my
four children, the younger three months
old, up to Minneapolis, Mimi, and left
us there among strangers to rove until
November 1887 when returned to Dodge
City and by fighting for my rights sue
ceeded in getting a small home which
could not realize S50O.OO out of s15000.0O |
which he received through me from my |
uncle since the spring of 1888. He never
could have taken my two boys Frank and
Leo now with him had my lawyer done
his duty and not been bought off.
My dear boys wept because they did
not want to go with him, but was com
PEELED to, for they were afraid of him
through mistreatment received at his
hands while here. 9Th. Perry Widen
did get divorce through fraud, he plac-
ing me with my four boys in the extreme
county of the Eastern part of this State,
he going to the western part and his resi-
dence being in Dodge City. He would
not give me any money that might ap
pear, and he wrote an answer to the Pc
t,tion and made me copy and sign the an
swcr threatening TO kill me if did not
comply with his wishes aud was afraid
of my life. He made the attempt to de-
stroy my life with my youngest child and
l have lately written him to that effect
and he did not deny it. 9th. did hear
a letter read from the Dodge City Mason
id Lodge by DR.. Morgan in his office in
San DieFo Sept. 25th giving reasons why
Perry Widen was thrown out of the
Dodge City Lodge 9Th. Perry Widen
was made to and promised and have the
agreement to the effect that he was to
pay me $4,000 alimony per month, and at
any time could release it by paying me
100000, or if Widen failed to pay me
the $4,000 which he did fail one year ago
last May and then the foreclosure of
mortgage made by my attorney u. II.
Finlay) TO the amount of $1,000 90 but
found the mortgage was another fraud
and had to accept notes in payment on
alimony running until next August. Sth.
II is true there was an affectionate scene
at the school whea met my little boy
Leo and no doubt there would have been
a more effectionatc greeting only for the
recent training of the child by his Chris
tian parent. Through fear of Widen, the
child avoided at first to talk with me say
iny hia Pana would NOT Let him and ,s,y