The record-union., 1896-05-28
THE old MAN Was DAZED.
G. Y. Talmadge's Story Of His Marriage
to "Pearl."
She Pulled the Cork of the Bottle,
and the Whisky Did
the Rest.

Interest I'm the Talmadge divorce trial
yesterday centered in the testimony of
the defendant, c. " Talmadge. 1t was
OF such character, however, that only
portions of it can be referred to. Tall
madge is upward of 70 years of age, and
so deaf that his attorney had to use a
speaking tube, though sitting by his
side. Otherwise the defendant does not
show his age.
AT Mr.. Burners request he opened
his story with the circumstances under
which he first met his wife. She was
an inmate of bagnio in this city, and
he knew her only by the name Of Pearl.
After being a short time in her COM
pany he became infatuated with and
made frequent calls on her. Then, at
her request, he procured apartments
for her at 901 L street, where for some
time he continued to visit her.
She finally induced him to take her
to San Francisco with him. She took
passage on the steamboat here and he
Joined her at Trask's Landing, near
Courtland- Reaching San Francisco
they went to a hotel. 1t had been I'M
derstood they were to have a good time,
and as a starter his companion pro-
duced a bottle of whisky and he i'm
bibed freely Of its contents.
Then it was that Pearl made the
proposition that he should marry her.
She told him he had compromised her,
and that 1t was his duty to marry her
He protested, but she insisted. What
followed he did not very clearly re-
member as to details, but while taking
a walk they found themselves at the
County Clerks office and a marriage
license was asked for by his companion.
He had no recollection of signing the
document that had given him SO much
trouble, but he subsequently found his
signature on it.
On their way back from the City Hall
they called at a jewelry store and he
purchased a ring that she selected-a
plain gold one. They then called on
PEARLS aunt, a Mrs. Lowry, where he
discovered that preparations had been
made for a wedding and that he was
to be the groom Everything was done
SO quickly, and he was so daZed by the
liquor he had taken that he hardly
realized what was going on, but there
was a ceremony and he learned that he
had wife.
1t was in a rather sheepish frame of
mind that he the next day returned to
his home near Courtland, leaving his
bride behind with her relatives. A
couple Of weeks later she put in an ap-
pearance at the ranch with her head in
handages. She reported that she had
met with a buggy accident on the road
to the ranch. Her arrival was a sur
prise to his daughters, whom he had not
informed that he had contracted a mat
rimonial alliance. His wife was there,
however and she did not lose any time
in asserting her rights as mistress of
his household.
The real troubles of the aged rancher
soon afterward began. There was war
between his wife and daughters, and
he was frequently drawn into their
quarrels. He denied, however, having
ever used the vile language to her to
which she had testified, except once,
when she applied an opprobrious epi-
thet to one of his daughters, he told
her Qn less polite language, however)
that it applied to her.
Talmadge admitted that he some
times INDUCED in a drink of Chinese
gin. but denied that he was in the habit
of getting drunk frequently and then
abusing his wife. He also denied having
told her that on his death she would
get $4,000 but did say that when he
departed this life she would be entitled
to what was his. 1t was prior to his
wife's arrival at the ranch that he
made deeds to his property.
Asked as to the alleged furniture
breaking episode, he said there was a
quarrel one day at the table, and he
got up In haste to get out of the way,
as he usually did at such times, but
tripped over a chair. He was out of
temper, and picking up the offending
piece of furniture he threw it upon the
floor and broke 1t.
He left the house and hied him to an
outside closet, but his wife followed
him and brandished a carving knife
before his face in threatening man
ner. He caught her by the hands and
elected her.
Before going into the story Of his
meeting with the woman and his SUBJ
seQuent marriage Talmadge said he
was the possessor Of some 12S acres
near Courtland This was unincum-
bered and worth about S20,000. He had
on this ranch eight or ten head of
horses and a like amount of cattle,
also farming utensils The probable
value of his personal property was
$1,000 At the time of his marriage
he had about $4,000 in cash and he
also held various notes and mortgages.
His cash was In the Peoples Bank and
the D. o. Mills Bank.
But Talmadge had a long story to
tell of his two years experience on the
ranch with his new wife and of her
capers. He said her demands for money
We're frequent and his expenditures on
her account correspondingly many and
large He supposed he had given her
at least a thousand dollars altogether
There are quite number or ladies
about the Courthouse who are waiting
to be called as witnesses in the case,
and II looks as If the week may be
consumed in the trial.