, 1892-07-15
BERTHA DENTON.
Marshall K. SMELLS Relations With
a Typewriter.
His Wife Gets a DivOrce--A Tale OF
the Recent Military EncamP-
ment at American Lake in which

TACOMA, July 15.-A sad story in connee-
tion with the recent National Guard en-
campment, which has been hushed up
since the camp broke, came out yesterday
when Jennie K. Smell was granted di-
vorce from Colonel Marshall K. Smell, of
Troop B. The application for divorce was
filed week ago. but kept from the public.
Then everything was arranged for the di-
Vorce, and only enough was offered in evil
dence to convince the court that Mr.. and
Mrs. Smell could no longer live together.
The divorce was granted on the ground of
cruel and inhuman treatment simply, but
Mrs. Smell subsequently said her husband
had been fascinated by younger faces and
recently had paid great attention to Bertha
Denton, formerly Lieutenant Governor
Laughton's private secretary, who, it will
be remembered, came to this coast three
years ago from Albany, New York, with
Colonel w. w. Thompson, promi-
nent lawyer and politician, who de
serted his wife and family to accompany
her. Thompson subsequently went to pris-
on for forgery, and Bertha's mother began
action, alleging that her daughter was in
oaAACS III O4lC llOpb VI DIluBluR leT unQer
her protection, Mrs. Smell says her hus-
band visited Bertha at her Office in the
Wright block two or three times a day and
took her out buggy riding, returning in the
small hours of the morning. He would
not explain his Absence and this, together
with violent language, was the ground for
the charge of cruel and inhuman treatment
After one of these r-midnight scenes
Mrs. Smell was refused a buggy ride by
Smell, and upon the advice Of attorneys
she followed him when he took Bertha rid
ing over the prairies south of the city. She
passed and repassed them, Smell not
recognizing her, and finally he turned
home, Mrs. Snell's vehicle coming into the
city abreast Of the accused pair. Matters
were brought to head when Bertha was
brought into Camp Murray. Mrs. Smell
had occupied tent near the commissary
department, but now all the ladies were
assigned to a large tent, and Smell was or
dered by Colonel Scott to prepare a place
for his wife. Shell reported that Mrs. Smell
refused to sleep in the tent with Miss Den
ton, saying she was not lady. Rumors
credit her with much more vigorous Ian
guage, but what is now gwen she corrobo-
rates. General Curry then ordered Bertha
escorted outside the lines. This was 10
O'Clock at night Not having the password
she could not get back into camp, while
the outside was inhabited with hangers-on,
gamblers and strumpets. Colonel Smell
demonstrated, saying it was an unfit
place to put dog. General Curry then or
dered Adjutant-General O'Brien to
drive Miss Denton to Tacoma. Sympathy
in the camp seemed to be with Mrs. Smell,
and while the scandal has been circulated
in military circles since with many sensa-
tional additions, the facts have not been
generally known. Mrs, Smell also has
much sympathy here, where she is CON
sldered an amlable woman. Smell SAYS
Berth did his typewriter work and will con
tinue to do so, there being no guilty rela-
tions. Mrs. Smell is charged with driving
out of the Office one of Snell's lady type
writers and of being jealous, of which dis
pleased him. She gets half the property,
and $50 alimony until her son, of whom
she has care, reaches his matrimonY.