Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-21
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.


New YORK, March 2O.-The defense in
the Flack case will be opened tomorrow in
the Oyer and Terminer court room. Sheriff
Flack may not go on the witness stand, but
for the first time his version of the case was
made public to-day in the shape of the state
ment he made before the grand jury. The
testimony taken during the forenoon was
chiefly corroboration of that previously
given.
After recess parts of Sheriff Flack's state
ment before the grand jury were read as evil
dence against him. The statement contained
these interesting points: The Sheriff be-
came acquainted with Sarah Cherry 10
years ago. She was in his employ year or
two, and he paid her regular wages. Four
teen years ago she gave birth to boy, whom
he adopted. 1t was his intention to bring
the boy up. The boy went to st. Paul's
school and sang in the church choirs. His
full name is Edward J. Raymond. He was
born in the house of a Mrs. PriUchard, in
New York. Mr.. Flack said he was not in
troduced as Mr.. Raymond. He visited
Mrs. Raymond at various places where she
boarded, and he took some meals there.
The people might have thought them hus-
band and wife, and he never disabused their
minds. He paid the boys expenses in
school.
A VOLUNTARY STATEMENT.
He was asked: SIS the grand jury to un-
derstand that this statement is entirely vol
untarv?" He replied, eyes"
"And if they ask you. you will state the
entire truth?"
"Yes."
He testified that Mrs Raymond had saved
some money at time when her family were
hut he oc
her having any other source of independent
income. He had sent money to her since
she left New York. He had sent money to
her several times, but did not know
where she was now. Getting down
to the subject of divorce, he
testified that the matter had been in his
mind for 10 or II years. When asked why
he had waited so long before he had put his
plan into execution he replied that he was
tender hearted and did not want to cause
his wife any unnecessary suffering. She
was usually in such bad condition that he
could not talk to her. He did finally tell
her one morning when she seemed capable
of understanding him, but she became so
much excited that be deferred the more i'm
portant part until later day.
THE FAMILY SKELETON.
81 have been trying" he said, s'to keep
this skeleton from the world since her
mother died." In the first part of April he
was surprised one morning to find from sew
eral questions that she addressed to him
that she was In an unusually sensible and
quiet condition. She evidently, he said
understood all that he said to her. He told
her that it would be better if they were
divorced. She asked him how that could
be done. He said that the laws in New
York were very strict in regard to divorces,
and there was only one way in which the
object could be accomplished in this State.
He told her that he had an attorney that
he had known Is years ago who would at
tend to the matter for him. He would take
everything on his own shoulders and keep
it from being known. Mrs. Flack did not
want to be called to any lawyers Office. and
wanted to know what questions would be
put to her and what she would have to
say. She was afraid she might be in a diff
ferent mood when the time came. She
finally consented upon his promise that
she would be spared all annoyance.
ONE LAWYER FOR BOTH.
Mrs. Flack did not have separate lawyer
other than Mcneil. Mcneil had been his
lawyer before. He employed Mcneil for
her. She told him she did not want any
stranger and did not want anything known.
that the action was fol absolute divorce on the
ground of adultery. He gave the name of
the correspondent as Reynolds, for the reason
that he did not want to have certain persons
with whom she was acquainted know the
facts.
Flack was asked: "When Ambrose
Mcneil appeared for Mrs. Flack, was he yet
your attorney"
He replied: eyes, he was my attorney"
He intrusted the whole matter to Mcneil,
and was assured that Judge Bookstaver
would appoint friendly referee. He gave
the name of Reynolds to Mcneil to insert it
in the papers. Mrs. Raymond and he dis
cussed the divorce matter and the part she
was to take in the proceedings. He knew
he could do the right thing by Mrs. Ray
mond and the boy without getting a divorce,
but he wanted to get a divorce so as to get
rid of the woman with whom he could live
no longer.
HIS PLANS ALL FORMED.
He knew that if a man was divorced in
this State for his own offense he could not
get married again, ne said, but he could go
to Jersey City and get married. He consid- |
cred the divorce all right, and his conscience
never troubled him. Mr.. Flack narrated |
the history of his domestic troubles. After
Mrs. Flack's mother died she was an invalid |
at intervals for about two years. She had
severe fits of nervous prostration and was
under treatment from the family physician |
about all the time
One day the latter said there was no use
of his coming any longer, as he could not
cure her and it was only throwing away
money. The doctor said the only thing in
her case was to put her in an asylum. He |
told the doctor he could never do that.
The case may go to the jury on Saturday. |