St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-01
Mrs. Edgerton Makes a
Lengthy Reply to Her Hus-
bands Charges.
She Admits That Their Mar
ried Life Was Not a Hap
py One,
But Insists That at No Time
Could Fault Be Laid to
Her.
Story Of Their Living To-
gethep After the Billings
Divorce.


her banker husband, E. d. EdgertOn, at
Helena, for divorce and $50, goo, made an
affidavit at the Montana capital two
weeks ago which is strikingly at vari-
ance in important particulars with
some of the garbled extracts tele-
graphed papers in st. Paul, Minneapo-
lis and Chicago. She says that it is not
true that for nearly a year prior to May
l, 1856. she and the defendant did not
! live together as husband and wife. In
the spring of 1856 she lived with the de-
PENDANT, E. d. EdgertOn, at their home
on Benton avenue, Helena, as his
wife, occupying the same room and
bed with him. In the month Of
1856, they they rented their house
on Benton avenue 10 Alexander
Devine, also the furniture, and Mrs.
EdgertOn with her boy Ralph went to
live and had rooms with Mrs. John
Neill, on Ninth avenue: then went TO
Mrs. DR.. Waite's at Beaver Creek ranch
| and stayed two or three weeks. While
there the defendant came once to see
her and stayed ali night, occupying the
same room. In July, 1886, she went
with Ralph 10 OvandO, Mont, and lived
on what is known as the McNally ranch.
That in September of the same year,
while at McNally's, the defendant
wrote to her and telegraphed her to join
him at place called Avon; that she
went there, took a rOOIr, the defendant
Joined her and stayed two days, Occu-
plying the
Same Room and Bed
with her and at all times recognized her
as his wife, and so introduced her to
his friends, paid her bills and directed
the place of her stopping. During the
summer of 1856 they had rooms at the
Merchants hotel in Helena, and re-
manned there for some time. On the
same floor with them were Z. c. ChildS
and family. The hotel was then run
by James O'Brien. and her presence in
the house was well known to a great
many living at Helena. During some
! month in 1856, which is not given in the
affidavit. they went to Mrs. Norma ID.
| Chadwick's, on Breckenridge street,
and stayed there until October, 1856.
| The reason of making the change was
because there was case of diphtheria
at the hotel, attended by DR..
| Cole. and that for fear of the
! health of their son, Ralph, Mr.. Edger-
ton made the change. She remembers
! these dates well. and she did not leave
|
| the defendant went with her and their
| son as far as ToStOn. On the same train
were Maj. Maginnis and John Carter.
! Mrs. EdgertOn says she left Helena at
| the request and solicitation of the de-
| PENDANT and for no other cause. Dur
| ing November, December, January and
March she lived in New York city and
at FldVana, ChatauQua county. \. Y.
frequently communicating with the de-
PENDANT. 1t is true that the defendant
and she did not live pleasantly together,
| but it was from no cause of hers. From
few months after her marriage he eX-
ercised course of cruel and inhuman
treatment toward her, frequently strik-
| Ing and beating her, and in other ways
| that were
Cruel, Inhuman and Criminal,
made her life miserable and unhappy.
When she went East he promised to
| send her regular monthly allowances.
That he failed from the first and that to
! enable herself and her son to live re-
specially she was oblige to seek and per-
form daily labor. Frequently the de-
PENDANT would state to her: IF you
were ont of the way | would marry Miss
-" By reason of this treatment
| she agreed to live separate from the de-
PENDANT Early IN September, 1887, or
the latter part of March, 1887, the de-
PENDANTS father, then living at Oradel.
n. j., died, and the defendant went
East to attend the funeral and met Mrs.
| Edgerton at her rooms in New York.
| About April 4, at 149 West Eleventh
street, she wrote at mis- dictation
| and through fear Of bodily harm and in
| jury the letter of authority to Z. d.
! Weed. as stated in her former affidavit.
! For short time the defendant lived
| with her in March. Early in April she
| went with him to Philadelphia and
| stopped at hotel, where they regis
! tered as E. ID. EdgertOn and wife and
son. The defendant remained with her
until the early part of May, 1887. when
! he left her to come West. He had
taken her to his mothers home at Ora
! del, n. j., and she went to the train
with him when he left for Helena. She
did not see him again until September,
1889, although they frequently wrote to
| each other. After leaving his home,
! Mrs. EdgertOn says she lived with her
| friends until the fall and winter of
| 1887, when she went to Napa. Cal. and
remained there until September, 1889.
where the defendant wired her to meet
him in Portland.
She Travelled With Him
from Portland to Helena, and then trav-
eled alone from there to Merriam Park,
| where she has since resided. 1t is not
| true. she says, that the defendant pur-
| chased home tor her and had it luXu-
I riously furnished, the fact being that
he has paid only 81. 100 On the house,
| which stands in his name, and that he
claims he can sell 1t over her head at
any time. Mrs. EdgertOn says it is not
true that the defendant has made her
presents and part of the time paid her
500 month; that most of the time she
has only received $50 a month, and for a
short time SIS. These payments were
irregular and uncertain. That she has
lutte want. To maintain herself
she was obliged to take in room
ers and boarders in the house
she is living in, and during all
the time she and her son have slept in
the back attic on beds of straw. Since
September. 1889, the defendant has
lived with her as her husband some of
the time, as follows: In November,
1889, nearly week: in January, 1890,
two or three days; in June and April,
1890, several days. In the year 1856 she
says she was forced by the defendant to
submit to very painful operation at
|
son referred to in defendants affidavit,
as she is informed, a surgeon and doc
tor residing at Helena; that it was
against her wishes and desires that she
did submit, and only when her hus-
band, the defendant, stated that she
should, if he had TO bind her hand and
foot and gag her. did she submit While
the operation was abOuttO be performed
the doctor made
A Criminal Assault
upon her; that she repealed him, anC
he desisted from his efforts. After she
recovered from the operation she tolC
her husband of the conduct of the doc
tor and he paid no attention, but still
compelled her and her son to receive
treatment from him. She denies EN-
!, | phatically that she was ever criminalIN
, intimate with the doctor or any one else
and denies that she wrote the words
land often while at his Office unde
treatment submitted to his wishes anC
; sexual intercourse" She believes tina
| fbof mart Of the letter ic a fOrUarv Shl