The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-03
TROUBLE In THE AIR
Elizabeth Raiden Makes Public a Bit
of Scandalous News.
1T is QUITE SENSATIONAL
The Young Woman Brings Charges
Against a Well-Known Married
Man. Who Denies the
Spicy Allegations.

"A sensational suit for $4,000 dam
ages for betrayal under promis,
OF marriage was commenced ir
the district court yesterday by
a young woman from Salt Lake
against well known married
man of Butte. The plaintiff in the case
is Miss Elizabeth Redden and the de-
PENDANT is William l.. Ledford. the well
known copper precipitating man who
has made a big fortune during the past
TWO years out Of a lease on the waters
| OF the st. Lawrence and Anaconda
mines. Miss Redden is a young, come
iy looking woman of about % years of
age. The defendant is a man of about
30 and weighs a great deal over 800
pounds, and because OF his great size
Is notable figure on the streets Of
Butte.
Miles ]. Cavanaugh and Francis
Brooks are Miss Redden's attorneys
and in the complaint filed yesterday
she alleges that at the time of the
grievances mentioned the plaintiff was
and still is an unmarried female, and
at all times prior thereto had been
chaste and virtuous; that on or about
the 24th day of July, 1895, and at divers
and sundry other times since said date.
the defendant by vows of love- profess
sions OF affection, repeated promises
OF marriage, urgent opportunities, fiat
terry and false articles, induced and
seduced the plaintiff to surrender her
virtue and her chastity to his en-
braces; that relying on said promises
and professions of love and affection.
articles, opportunities and repeated
promises to marry her, and being in
huenced solely by such promises to
marry, flattery, artifice, urgent impor-
tunities, VOWS of love and professions
of affection, the plaintiff then being
chaste, did surrender her person and
chastity to the defendant as he did
then and thereafter unlawfully know
and debauch the plaintiff. BY reason
of the promises and in consequence of
the seduction by the defendant the
plaintiff has suffered greatly in body
and mind and has been injured in her
character and reputation to her dam
age in the sum of $4,000, for which sum
judgment is asked.
The story behind the complaint is re-
lated by Miss Redden and is to the eff
feet that Ledford, who has a wife and
grown family with whom he is living
In Butte, is an old friend of her fam
lily and a distant relative of her father
and they were intimately associated
years ago in Leadville. Miss Redden.
however, did not see Ledford from the
time she was about seven years of age
until last summer. as related in her
when he visited her home
In salt Lake. and after brief renewal
Of their acquaintance he laid violent
siege to her heart. He told her. so she
says, that he had had trouble with his
wife and that they had been divorced
and he desired to get married again.
he told her that he was worth at least
$4,000, and had a valuable farm in
Kentucky. He took the young woman
TO all the watering places in Utah and
loved her with the love of vouth
wa hnt hA oh
confidence and her promise to marry
him. They were together always and
had regular lovers time of 1t and
then he returned to Butte to close up
some of his business, as he explained |
TO her, and promised to be back soon
70 make her all his own. She said he
eft her with lot of money to tide her
over the interval, but when ne re-
turned to Butte his ardor seemed to
,ool somewhat and she had great diff
,ulty in hearing from him. He wrote
her several anonymous letters and she
inally became suspicious, and a week
lgo yesterday she came to Butte to in
5estigate. She found Ledford living
happy with his wife and
amily and then she realized that she
lad been betrayed. She started to
make trouble and, she claims, Ledford
ried to make a settlement with her,
)ut they could not agree on terms and
he finally placed her case in the hands
# her attorneys and the suit filed yes
erday was the result.
Miss Redden claims to have the
strongest kind of evidence to back up
Ter case in the form of letters and witt |
lesses The young woman is at pres
mt stopping with some friend in the
outhern part of the city.
Led1ord last evening sent a communi-
alton to the Standard giving his side
II the affair. Among other things, he
aid: Il wish to say that Miss Red
lens father was employed by me up to
short time before / went to Salt Lake
md boarded in my house. She is in no
way related to me. Her father came
Jack from Salt Lake on the same train
With me and l employed him again.
nd he lived in my family. Miss Red
len knew me to be married man and
he received money from me when
here and after came home she again
me constantly for money by
etter and l would not answer her let
ers. She arrived here last Friday |
morning and sent messenger three
lines to my house on Saturday morn
ng. wanting me to meet her, telling me
was safe and then and there
money from me, and would |
ave gone away quietly IL had given
er $500. l left her and Immediately
old officer Baldisero all the particu-
ars and stated to him that would not
e blackmailed out of any money, and
e has been notified of her every move
lent since. 1 did not go to Salt Lake
o visit the Reddens, but had a room
own in the city, where 1 saw her."
1
Grand opening of Easter millinery, in
II the latest styles, Friday and Satur-
ay. Mrs. L. ]. Prisk, 373Is East Park
treet.
spring Millinery.
Miss Deering will have on exhibition
uring the entire week all the novelties