Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-08-28
MIR pRIaas TALKs.

 e1 Agreement That Had Been Made. Mrs l.. F. Burpee. accompanied by Con- stable O'Brien. went to the residence of George A. Driggs yesterday afternoon and took away a lot of personal property. which she claims belongs to her. George A. Driggs makes the following statement in connection with the case: 'All through this affair have refused to make any statements to the newspapers. It was agreed by both sides that such a course should be followed and I and my attorneys have kept our word. But I | think it is about time I said something. Mrs Morton. my two boys and myself have been at Watch Hill for two weeks. We arrived home tonight and found the house stripped of a largo number of articles. Among these were wedding presents. fur niture, bric-a brac. cut glass, pictures and china ware. There was hardly enough china left to furnish our supper table. Many of these articles were the personal property of Mrs Morton and Mrs Burpee had not the slightest claim on them. Even my cigar ash trays were taken. Some of the articles taken were purchased since Mrs Burpee left the house Before Mir Terry left for the Adirondacks and in the final settlement it was agreed that a list of everything Mrs Burpee claimed as hers should be prepared and given to me. | Wh6 tuch bo bcuu ubE WuAt LuOuRut rightfully belonged to her. and the ownership of any articles which might be in dispute was to be settled by Attorneys Terry and O'Neill. There is an | agreement now in Mir Terry's office signed | by Mir and Mrs Burpee that the settlement of this matter should await Mir Terry's re- turn from his vacation. No list has ever | been presented to me. Whatever Mrs Burpee has ask. d for since September 26 | n--G VI. She came here, I am told, several times last week and tried to get the keys of the house from my coachman's wife, but the woman would not give them. She came here to-day with Constable O'Brien to pro- | tect her person, rang the bell and when the servant girl (who had returned yester- day) opened the door she pushed past her and entered the house. She was accom- panied by three express wagons and un- derstand that two of them were loaded with articles she claimed as hers. The servant girl burst into tears and asked her to wait until Ireturned, but she paid no heed except to tell the girl that she would protect her. My brother, who arrived while the thing was going on, warned Con- stable O'BrIen that he was trespassing and then started down town to my attorney, | but when he returned they were gone. I am perfectly willing that she should have everything that belongs to her; we do not want them. I wish it understood, how ever, that in direct violation of the mutual agreement she has ransacked my home and taken many things on which she has not the slightest claim."
 Mir Burpee. when interviewed by a DEMOCRAT reporter to-day, gave the fol- lowing statement for publication:
 Mir Driggs' statement that any agree ment was ever made that Mrs Burpee should not claim her property until Mr Terry returned from the Adirondacks is entirely false. She never agreed to allow anybody to decide what was her property and what was not. A great deal of the furniture. crockery and household furnish- ings, which are now in Mrs Mortons s house, were paid for by her daughter s money. MT Driggs admitted in his state ment of his account with her that he had spent some S1 400 of her money in buying these very articles. Besides there was a large number of personal gifts from her friends. Mrs Burpee's claim to this prop erty was apparently not disputed. After waiting more than a month for them to return this property to her. she went to a portion of it. She didn't take all of it. because she did not wish to make her mother and Mir Driggs any unnecessary trouble.
 The table. and china, off which MI Driggs and Mrs Morton ate their supper last night. are the property of Mrs Burpee, which she left in the house for the present for their convenience. There is also, q l considerable number of other articles
 which Mrs Burpee believes to be hers. but about which there may be some question, These also were left behind until theiI ownership can be decided satisfactorily
 Nothing was removed concerning wbich , it was believed there could be any ques
 ton of title. No ash trays were taken
 nor any property which was not in thu house last September. Constable O'Brier did not accompany Mrs Burpee to the house. He was not sent there until aftel one of the inmates of the house had threat
 ened to use violence upon Mrs Burpee His instructions were. simply to see tha no disturbance was made by anyone anC to leave the premises when ordered to dc so by any proper person. Thii , is not a matter in which I sup
 pose the public would have any proper interest. MT Driggs seems to think differ. ently. If the case is to be fought in th'
 newspapers there is a great deal whicf
 may be said concerning MT Driggs appro
 priation and use of his wife's money, anC
 his neglect either to return it to her or tt
 give her the property which he says h, purchased with it. For the present it il
 enough to say that Mrs Burpee does no propose to rest contented with such part O
 her goods as Mir Driggs may think right
 fully belongs to her. She does intend ti
 get and keep what is hers according to he