The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-23
1t Occupies Attention In Judge OTIS
Court.

1t Occupies Attention In Judge OTIS
Court.
A divorce case of romantic tinge oc-
cupied the attention of Judge Otis in
the district court yesterday when the
case of Mrs. Ralston j. Markoe, who
charges desertion, came up for trial.
The defendant is the son of one of st.
PauPs early settlers and was formerly
ar attorney in this city. Mr.. Markoe,
though out of the city, is contesting the
case vigorously.
AS q girl Mrs. Markoe was q Miss
I.obdell. Later she became the wife
of Hewson Semple, by whom she had
one child, and finally after securing
divorce from Semple in 1887, she mar
ried Mr.. Markoe. The attachment be-
tween the couple sprang from their
relations as attorney and client during
these divorce proceedings. The we'd
ding took place the same day the decree
of divorce from Mr.. Semple was grant
ed, and at the time caused some COM
ment, especially in Catholic social cir
Giles, as the Markoe family had long
been devout members of the Catholic
church, which opposed the marriage of
persons once divorced.
For nearly seven years Mr.. and Mrs
Markoe lived happily together as hus-
band and wife, but during the hard
times of 1895, discord arose from the
cially embarrassed and he could not
support his wife in the style to which
she had been accustomed. Mr.. Mar
koe had adopted the son of his wife by
her former marriage and conferred his
own name upon the boy, and the sight
of his wife and child deprived of the
comforts of life, determined him to seek
fortune in other lands. The manu-
featuring concern in which he was
largely interested, had failed, the real
estate which he owned was not sale
able, and so he confided his intention
of going away to his wife. He says
Mrs. Markoe made no objection to his
contemplated absence, but on the con-
trary, advised him to go. A fond fare
well was said, and he frequently wrote
to his WIFE, she in turn writing affec-
ticnate replies about twice week.
After a while, the letters Of the wife
became less frequent, until finally she
ceased writing altogether. He answer
ed all of her letters and continued to
write to her even when she failed to
reply. During this time, Mr.. Markoe
Travelled through California, Oregon
and Montana, in pursuit of the elusive
goddess of fortune, whom he had set
out to capture, without any semblance
of success rewarding his efforts. Six
teen months passed in this way; when
he received an offer of a position from
Orleans, where he is at present located.
In his deposition before the court, Mr.
Markoe states that he would have come
to st. Paul to defend the suit against
him in person had he the means to do
so. Through his attorney, Mr.. Con-
raids, he has entered a vigorous denial
to the charges of his wife, declaring
that he did not desert her, and that it
was the hope of his life to return to
her and his adopted child to whom he
had become very much endeared. He
believes that his wife has begun di-
Vorce proceedings because she has be-
come discouraged over his financial
prospects, as he claims he will be able
to show from her letters, twenty-one
of which he has in his possession. Mr..
Markoe also adds that he has reason
to believe that he will in the near fut-
ure recover his lost fortunes.
The only witnesses examined on the
half of the plaintiff yesterday were
Mrs. Markoe herself, who told substan-
tally the story embodied in the COM
plant. James e. Lobdell, her brother,
ar d Mary Schultz, a domestic formerly
in the employ of the Mar1oe family
The defense called William F. Mar
kce. brother of the defendant, Ell
gagged as a salesman fer w. J. Dyer
& Bro, who testified to having lunched
at the home Of his brother the day he
left home and to a. conversation be-
tween the husband and wife at part
ing, but Mary Schultz rebutted this
testimony by swearing that she waited
On the table that day and that the
witness had not been at the house at
all. Mr.. Markoe also testified to a
conversation with the plaintiff after
she had begun action for divorce in
which he said Mrs. Markoe had ad-
vised him to influence his brother not
to contest the case, or she would
bring charges of a more serious nature.
Witness reply was such that Attorney
Iiurment asked him if he had dared to
SO talk to the defendant in her own
house? Yes" replied MarlSoe, II did"
Did not she then have you kicked out?
she should have done So" Mr.. Markoe
testified that his sister-in-law was an
arrogant woman of expensive tastes
and spent a great deal Of money
At 5 o'clock Judge Otis ordered court
adjourned until this morning. with the
matter still undecided. Mrs. Markoe
| is a good looking woman of the bru-
nette type.