The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-26
THE WESTGATE AFFAIR
BE Tells His Side Of ths Advertised
Story.
SAYS HE HAD BEEN CRAZY
caIifornians Believe ths Statement
CT the Husband and Say He 10 , .
Good. Hard Working
4 kaisominer.

BUTTE, April ga few evenings ago
the Ia'er Mountain published sensa-.
tionai but rather indefinite story relating
10 Mrs. Jerome B. Westgate, a former
resident of Butte, who. it was alleged,
had been locked up in n private mad
house at San Diego, CAL, on charges
trumped up by her husband. IL was
stated, in effect, that about 10 years ago
thefwoman owned large real estate inter
csts in this city, but that her health fall
ing. her husband persuaded her 10 dispose
of her property and go to California. 1t
Is stated that she has a sister living in
WalkervIIle who heard little or nothing
from Mrs. Wcstgate after she went TO
California until recently, when a letter
was received stating that the woman was
confined in a private asylum. whereupon
the Walkerviile woman went to San Diego
aud secured her sisters release and re-
turned with her to Butte. The story further
stated that Mrs. Westgate was a physical
wreck, and quoted her as saying that
shortly after she and her husband settled
in San Diego she invested her money IN
real estate, which enhanced greatly in
value; that her husband became profit
gate, and fearing that his wife might Sc
cure a divorce and leave him he schemed
to GET possession of her property; that he
destroyed their marriage certificate ana
denied that she was his wife; gave II out
that she was an imposter; that he charged
her falsely with being crazy, drugged her
and sent her to an asylum where she was
locked up in q cell for weeks; that her
whereabouts were unknown to her friends
until her husband was charged with hav-
ing murdered her, when he disclosed her
presence. The story concluded that she
would secure q copy of her marriage GER
tiflcate and return to San Diego to re-
cover her property. The story reached
the San Francisco papers and the Chron-
icle OF last Tuesday contains the follow
ing interview with the womau's husband:
SAN DIEGO, April 23.-Westgate was
shown the dispatch from Butte tonight.
He did not evince unusual excitement,
and said he expected something OF the
kind.
II will tell the truth about this" he
said. "Ten years ago / lived in Butte
and there took up with this woman. She
is Bohemian, and l thought she was a
widow. Her name was Annie Drobni. l
was threatened with arrest aud married
her.
that her former husband was living. 1
aided her to get divorce, and in Febru-
airy, 1893. married her by contract. We
were both poor, but got little property
together by hard work. She showed signs
of insanity, as l now remember, for some
years, but nothing violent till last year.
was violent. Physicians examined her
and Judge Puterbaugh committed her to
the San Bernardino asylum. / received
word from Director Campbell occasionally
that she was no better and that the pros
poets of her recovery we're unfavorabie.
February / received word that she was
no better. April 10 came the word that
she was released.
"Then / learned that she won't 70
Chicago with her sister. They hired q
lawyer there and engaged another here
for the purpose of destroying my bust
ness and running me. This story from
Butte is concocted by the lawyers, as the
women are too ignorant to get 1t up.
my wife has a brother here, John
Bubinik, with whom l have had trouble
and attribute this to him. AS for the
property. there is not enough of that 10
light over. and what there is is in her
name. This house made myself, and
there are two lots. The whole property
is not worth over 81 500. intended to APP
ply for divorce and get the property
back, as it is mine"
Westgate showed papers from Director
Campbell of the ASYLUM, the decree oil
divorce and the original copy of tho con
tract of marriage, also deeds showing the
property to be in his wife's name.
Men of standing here say his story is
true and that the Butte story is an absur-
dity. Westgate is a kalsominer and a
hard working man.