The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-10-09
ASKS FOR SEPARATION.
Mrs. A. S. Davis Brings Action
Against Her Husband for
Limited Divorce.
The Davis-R0ot Escapade in Chicago
and Elsewhere Fully set Forth.

days FREE PRESS involving promI-
ment man and woman of this city in
a scandalous affair has developed to
point where the injured wife has ap-
pealed to the court for an adjustment
of her rights, and Monday papers were
served on the erring husband in suit
for limited divorce, for control of the
plaintiffs separate property, and for
separate maintenance.
The circumstances leading up to
this litigation form an interesting
tale. and to those who have known of
the genuine happiness and serenity
surrounding the now wrecked home Of
the parties to the action, prior to the
yielding of the husband TO the attrac-
tiyeness of the woman in the case, a
recital of the painful history will bring
feelings of sorrow and regret.
The plaintiff in the action is Cynthia
G. Davis. and the defendant is ALBION
S. Davis, her husband, both well
known to Mankato people, and who
have always been highly respected.
The woman, over whom the trouble
arises, is Mary T. Root, wife of Ed.
H. Root. son Of G.. Wells Root, well
known capitalist of Hartford, Conn.,,
who is principal owner Of the Mankato
Pipe Works, and largely interested in
the Cement Works Of this city. Young
Root and wife have been residents of
Mankato several years, and two years
ago built dwelling house on Ogle &
Davis addition to Mankato, few
doors from the home of A. S. Davis,
the above named defendant. The re-
port goes that something over year
ago the conduct Of Davis and Mrs.
Root toward each other became such
as to arouse the suspicious Of Mrs.
Davis, and to cause some little gossip
among the neighbors. This continued
until Mrs. DIS suspicious grew TO fears
and the suspense began to wear upon
her. She said nothing, however. nor
took any counsel, until the latter part
of August last, when her fears devel-
Oped into actual grief and she became
almost Frustrated. 1t was then that
she concluded to counsel attorneys,
and she laid her case before Col.
Thomas and w. r. Geddes. These
gentlemen endeayored to disabuse her
mind of the thought that matters
were as bad as she had believed, but
promised to investigate the situation,
if possible either to convince her that
she was laboring under mistake. or to
!. produce evidence sufficient to warrant
steps on her part looking to the eX-
posing Of the parties, and to relieve
her Of the great suspense she was suf-
fering.
The active work OF looking up the
evidence was entrusted to Mr.. GeddeS.
with authority to employ such means
as might be necessary. With the aid
and counsel of Mr.. Thomas. Mr.. Ged-
des prosecuted the investigation with
all possible vig0r, and it was not long
until he and all concerned became full
Iy convinced that Mrs. Davis fears
were not wholly groundless. The in
vestigation reached out to St. Paul,
Minneapolis and other points in the
State, but nothing absolutely definite
could be developed further than that
there were times when Davis and Mrs.
Root were both out Of the city at the
same time, and that the accounts
Davis would give Of his whereabouts
were not bourne out by facts. During
the last year Ed. Root was placed in
charge of the Pipe Works, and Davis
travelled for the same company. This
of course brought him into the COM
pany Of the Roots more. and later on
when Root was relieved of the manage
ment Of the works, Davis was placed
in charge as manager. About four
weeks ago Mrs. Root accompanied
her husband to Dwight, Illinois, where
he went to the Kelley institute to be
treated for inebriacy, he having been
a heavy drinker. The investigation
was pushed vigorously from that time
and it was not long until Mr.. Davis
a.4ounced that he had trip of sew
eral days duration to make to La
Crosse and other points on Pipe Com
pany business. 1t did not take the
attorneys long to determine that dill
gent work would bring the case to a
focus on this. trip. Consequently Mr..
Geddes visited St. Paul and made ar
rangements with Thiel's Detective
Service for q man to be called by wire
at any time to take Mr.. Davis out of
the city in the event of his departure
on the proposed trip.
On Sunday, September 10th, Davis
left the city for Minneapolis, being
Swallowed. He went to Litchfield
Monday, did some business, and re-
turned to Mankato the same evening.
In the mean time communication was
opened with Thiel's Service in Chica-
go, and a man was detailed TO shadow
Mrs. Root at Dwight, this place being
% miles from Chicago. Tuesday,
Sept. 22nd Davis announced that he
was going away, and it was then GER
tain TO those MAILING the investiga-
ton that meeting with Mrs. e. was
contemplated. The same afternoon
he took passage for Chicago via the
Northwestern road, and instructions
were wired TO the service in Chicago