The evening times., 1896-02-21
MOTHER is An EXAMPLE
Curious Affidavit in the Maggie
Anderson Div5rCe Case.
RAN AWAY TO BE MARRIED
The Old Lady Finds That She Hns
Lived Happily, and Thinks Her
Daughter VIII Find n Good Hus-
band in Soidier-Boy Bowles-Father
Half Willing TO Drop Prosecution.

Love laughs at law In a paper filed In
the District supreme court this morning. 1t
is the answer of Joseph T. Bowlcs, 4 SOL
der at the Arsenal, to the suit for annul-
ment Of his marriage with pretty Maggie
Anderson.
The suit was brought by his wife's
father, Joseph F. Anderson. who claimed
that lie expressed his daughters wishes in
the matter. The papers handed in this
morning put quite a different face upon
the affair.
1t win be remembered that Mr.. Anderson
gle away by false promises and had mar
ried her in Baltimore, obtaining a license
by the false oath, as 10 her age. of a COM
rade in arms who accompanied them.
Maggie, according to Mr.. Anderson story,
heartily repcnted her folly. AS she had
been a wife only in name, she wanted to
break X the bonds. Maggie appeared in Judge
Hagners court at the time the bill was filed
by her father about three weeks ago, and
appeared to assent to her fathers state
ments, though she was noticcably not very
enthusiastic about it. She was in short
skirts, and her father claimed she was only
thirteen years old He grew very wroth
as he recounted Soldier Bowles' duplicity,
and threatened to break his neck.
THE SOLDIERS ANSWER.
Attorney Campbell Darlington brought
in the soldiers answer this morning. In
the first place. he says he is OF good family.
His parents live near Atlanta, and have con-
siderable means.
He does not regard 1t as a disgrace that
he wears the uniform of a United States
soldier, but as an honor. and he thinks his
wife and her family ought to feel the same
way about IL. In fact, the most important
members of her family do feel SO. To cor
rect one OF the incidental errors Of the many
into which his father-in-law has fallen. he
states that he is an artilleryman, not q
marine.
Next, his wife does not desire to have
their marriage annulled. She acted, in
filing the bill, under a species of coercion by
her father with which the world is familiar.
To clinch this. he presents the affidavit of
the girls mother. 1t Is unique among legal
papers.
Mrs. Mary E Anderson is the mother. She
says she knows Bowles well. He is of good
family and excellent reputation for indus
try, honesty, morality, and honor. He has
treated his wife, Maggie, with the greatest
consideration nd rfection, and has behaved
in an honorable manner in oil his dealings
with her.
But that isn't half. She herself, Mary E.
Anderson, made exactly this same sort Of
runaway match when she was a girl,
ard that, too, with the same Joseph F. An
derson who is making all this fuss now.
She was only fourteen years old, and the
family Bible shows Maggie was fourteen
on November 10, 1895. in spite of her hus-
bands assertions; and Mr.. Anderson was
only twenty-three, just as the good artil-
lerymnn is nearly twenty.three. now.
THE MOTHER DID, IT.
"And deponent further 6cposcth aud
says, that while she marTte0sa$ the carly
age of fourteen, She has never regretted
said marriage. and does not propose to
find fault with her daughter Maggie for
following her example; and deponcnt te-
lIevcs for many reasons that it.1s best for