New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-21
PLOTTED FOR A DIVORCE.
AN ASTOUNDING STORY OF FRAUD PER-
PETRATED ON THE SUPERIOR COURT.
MRS WALTER S SANFORD WIFE OF THEAT-
RICAL MANAGER LAYS BARE THE CON
sPIRACY WHICH SHE AND HER
HUSBAND SUCCESSFULLY
CARRIED OFT

HUSBAND SUCCESSFULLY
CARRIED OUT.
II the charges made by Mrs Water s Sanford
that true she is liable to imprisonment io'
perpetratng gross fraud upon the superior CouI l.
and il is contended that the husband. Waiter D
Sanford, Mrs. Annie b. Clark, Daniel hehE'
George /. Harrison and Thomas Lahey are aDe'-
tors of the fraud and equally guilty. Inc
trouble arises out of the divorce obtained by Walter
6 Sanford on March 80 last from the present pam
tiff Mary Dowd Sanford. The divorce was p''i''e'
In the newspapers when 1t was tried. and 1t occa-
stoned no end of gossip in theatrical circles lot
Sanford Is the manager Of Niblos Garden Iheafe.
The decree was granted TO the husband ana carrie1
with 1, the custody OF the ltigants sX-year-oid
child
Mrs Sanford is willing that her husband should
have a divorce but she wants her child and alleges
that the custody OF the infant was obtained by
frauG and deceit the part of her husband ana
incidentally she charges that the divorce was o.
tained by collision and fraud. in which she and her
husband and ali the parties mentioned were con-
cerned Judge McAdam. when he was informed oil
the gravity Of the situation. issued subpoenas ior
:he presence in court of the plaintiff and defend
ant so that he might fully Investigate the charges
SO lightly made by the defendants wife
For Mrs SANFORD Bernard Traittel appeared
while Colonel Edmund l.. Price protected Mr..
sandfords interests Mr. Traittcl opened by de-
claring that he believed the present was one or
the greatest frauds practised upon court ana
said that while his client no doubt was a party
10 H. yet he hoped the Judge would take cog
nizance of her lack of the true knowledge OF
what she did as a mitigation of the offence. she
Is so impecunious he declared that she IS now
compelled to live with her colored washwoman
Mrs Sanford was then called to the stand by
Judce McAdam She is. she said, thrty-three
years old. She is dark-haired ana mas bright oa'h
eyes.
Were YOU at the St Cloud Hotel on March
last with man named Kimball?
yes"
"When did yoai go there-at what time!
"Oh, can't say think about II O'CLOCK
''Who vas this Kimball?
81 don't know. only that he was introduced 10 me
that night by Mrs. Clark. a friend of mine.
Where did you meet him.?
AT my house, No. 2o5 West Twentieth-st
How did he come to go there?
He came at Mrs. Carks invitation
Had you ever seen him before that night!
Never"
The witness then said that Kimbal was deputy
sheriff and a collection agent, doing business al
No West Forty-second-st. He Is dead now
Kimball she explained. was procured TO get out
with her so that her husband might secure a
divorce For his services he was to be paid SO
He came to the house about 10 o'clock said
Mrs. SANFORD Il had arranged with my husband
that Kmball should take me TO the compton compton
should come and catch us yarfu that perhap p,
nv husband should play me false, susgesleu 10
us. so that if my husband did not keep his agree
msP' shGqS 1e nsy not eSasRGs
What was this agreement? asked 'uuse MI
Why. Sanford to give me 500 and all the
rights and royalties 10 the d pa near Sxthavc
Vel We went to- the compton House
80 for room The clerk would not allow the sec:
ond man in the room with us, so we went away
MIR my lls |
Cloud Hotel and that If he called there at O'Clock
Man rhe for divorce Meanme the second
afraid when he heard n Of the sS%a hod
Ing so he left We went to the St. Cloud Hotel
resm So 81 Ne a st ars there sTSS r9
morning, when started away. AS we emerged |
i ifSin elevator eHs boy There is my husband He
piled Come, get into the elevator. quick. VIII |
es SS My M HUSBAND Of saw me and
ing over with Harrison. Lahey and Kelley. ssiG:
We'll it took you four wears TO do it, but even
what We should say was arranged prior to this
Mrs Sanford. in answer to further questions,
sa arrange sna matters that her husband should
evidence against her and then she detailed how she
house M that sh nd Should Sc E By
ford On that occasion the husband was to drive
kerchief from the window Of the vehicle. This
was done. Mrs. Sanford said that she immediately
her and the scheme Zen through ,,na.. .,,s ,,.,
Replying TO Judge McAdam the witness sald that
would leave her liable TO State prison; and when
Grand jury she only smiled The whole thing was
Planned; she said. by her husband at Nibios Gar
70 play. Besides the money and the play he was
II her husband had not taken her child from her
aside. During examination by counsel Mrs. sand
ford admitted that she did not bear a good char
acter prior 10 her marriage to sanford.
What doing in the -. Cloud Hotel
that time from Il o'clock until $3.50 in the morning"
Nothing else-yOu're sure?'
Walter SANFORD was then called to the stand
Sred terms and said they were false, He said Mrs
had oered TO h he Wond give h
IS 600 but he said he had had her watched for fully
dence He denied that there was any collision and
conspiracy. and said that he fully appreciated the
that he would not teopardize his liberty and bust
o annie r cak said that Wa she who
secured Kimball TO pose as the fake co-respon-
HE would do anything for money she said; "he
starred himself hin to death st TOR 9re
"oh. old enough to be your mother. About fifty"
You're not old enough to be my mother by abou,
wenty-six years. am now ff,y-six" and gen
'ral laugh went through the courtroom.
Mrs. Clark was an irrepressibie witness-she could
DO YOU consider that this was nice business for
my sef-respcc ting woman to be in?' was asked
1T simply business matter. / hoped to be
lbe TO help that poor woman Of her trouble.
Z was only a business agreement by which Kim
,an get SIS. That's all"
do you know that you are conspratOr in the
yes of the law?'
yes know 1t now. and ought TO go to Jail
or it, too
well. then, why did you do it?'
Il doing great deal of missionary work at
he time
I'm what lire. obtaining correspondence" asked
Colonel Price
NO: thought Of the child's interests only"
Judge McAdam then adjourned the hearing until
his afternoon at o'clock.