Evening star., 1897-01-14
Mr.. WILBERS SIDE OF 1T
He Denies Allegations Made in His Wife's
Suit.
He Says His Wife Abducted the
WILDER Family History.

Representative Wilber Of New York has
made a statement in regard to the suit for
alimony and support Of their child brought
against him by his wife. an account of
which was published In The Star yesterday.
Mr.. Wilber said
This suit is simply a duplicate Of the
action begun against me by my wife in the
supreme court in the county of Onondaga,
N. Y, last summer. As soon as that suit
was filed petitioned the court for a change
of venue, in order that the trial might
come Off in the neighborhood where We
were best known. The petition was granted
ard the case was removed to the county OF
Otsego. which is the county in which On
eonta (our home) is situated. The original
bill filed in the county of Onondaga con-
tanned allegations which have been left out
of the bill filed here. I answered the ale
cations of the first bill seriatlm and IN
full. My answer was dated November 10.
the day on which Mrs. Wilber swears she
took up her residence in this city. AS soon
as my answer was submitted to the court
Mrs WILDER abandoned her case. 1t would
seem to one who would care to think over
the matter that If the plaintiff belived that
she had a good case against me sne
would have continued to prosecute her
action in the place where we are both best
known and where witnesses to substantiate
her charges, IL there are any such witness
es could best be secured, instead of dis
ton to start another action.
THE fact Is that the allegations contained
in the bill, so far as they charge me with
abandonment, drunkenness and non-sup-
port. are absolutely without founda ton.
We have not lived together since June Is,
1895. Two months before that date made
over to her. absolutely, house and lot,
worth $4,000. She then sent me word to
stay away from her house, she did not
want anything more to do with me- Mrs
Wilber left Oneonta last winter and rented
furnished fiat in Syracuse. Last summer
she returned to Oneonta and lived in her
own house. Later Mrs. WILDER seems to
have alternated between Syracuse, Wash
ington and Oneonta. In Syracuse last fall
her first suit was filed.
AS to the charge that / have refused to
pay her the portion of interest on bonds
which is due her, have only to say, as l
am one of the trustees, that no demand
has been made upon me, and that the
money is due and payable in the WILDER
terms of the will. as construed by the
other trustees, 1t cannot be paid anywhere
else.
LAS to the control Of our child, Mrs. Will
Der twice drove the little one from her
home, and short time ago the surrogate
of Otsego county. upon petition Of the
child appointed me her guardian and l am
under $1,000 bond to protect the person and
property Of the child. Tuesday my daugh-
ter was abducted from the school in which
I had placed her in this city.
Il thing that when the time comes I can
fully substantiate the fact that Mrs Wilber
Is woman Of ungovernable temper; that
she has repeatedly done all in her power
to humiiate me in the presence of others
and that she has upon several occasions
told mutual friends that all the differences
which have arisen between us were due not
to any cruel treatment on my part, but to
her own uncomfortable temper"
Mr.. Wilber claims that his daughter was
abducted from his custody and charge by
Mrs. WILDER. He claims that the abduction
occurred last Tuesday. when the daughter
Edith NJ. Wilber, arrived in this city, and
was met by a teacher of the Washington
College for Young Ladies, in lexington,
which the young girl has been attending.
1t had been arranged, Mr.. WILDER said, that
Miss Edith should make short call on her
mother. and then return to school, but the
program was changed by his wife. Mr..
had driven the teacher and pupil to the
residence of Mr.. E. Q. Smith, 2024 R street
northwest. where the mother is staying.
Some little time was spent there, and finally
Mrs. WILDER entered the carriage to ae-
company her daughter back to school. On
the way high words passed, Mr.. Wilber be-
lieves, and the ladies were probably much
excited. This he takes for granted, as.
when the cab door was opened at the col
lege, the teacher was found to be in faint
ing condition and assistance was sum-
moned to have her removed. No sooner
was she out. the driver claimed, than Mrs
WILDER jumped back in the vehicle and
ordered him to drive to the home Of Mr.
teacher, who had recovered, and the school