Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-06
HOULTON'S SCANDAL,
Society Woman Leaves Home
for a Tramp Convict.
He Apparently Has Some Strange and
Powerful Influence Over Her.
Husband Sues for Divorce and She Answers
With Counter Charge.

Houlton. Me-. Dec. 5.-The residents
of Houlton are in the throes of a social
problem. A community of culture. an
educational and religious center, Il
town which prides itself upon being the
home of the Governor and other prom
inent men of the State, has been shock
ed by a degenerate woman The wife
of one of the most respected citizens
has gone wrong. and gone wrong in Il
manner such as Ibsen and Sudermann
never dreamed of in their most graphic
pictures of modern realism.
The three principal actors in this do
nestle drama are William A. Kay, his
wife, Susie Saunders Kay. and Thomas
Sweeny. 1t is not a pretty drama.
Few dramas of the modern realistic
school are. But it presents a phase OF
humanity which utterly defies analy-
sis-the fathomless caprice of a Gull
tured woman mad with an unholy love
for Don Juan in rags.
A background of rural simplicity as
centuates the wildly drawn characters
who occupy the center of the stage
.,
not large enough to quite exclude the
balsam Udors of the Maine woods 1t
is the country seat of Aroostook coun-
ty an dis the social center of that dis
trict. 1t is a town of roomy old houses.
spacious lawns and wide, well shaded
streets.
The Rays moved in the very best sci
Mr.. Kay is deputy sheriff of Aroostook
county. and in that capacity has super
vision over the county Jail. Mrs. Kay
is woman of good family, and has
always been a leader in social affairs
Until recently she has been devoted to
her children and her home life No
breath of suspicion has ever touched
her fair name until Sweeny came into
her life.
real name is Musgrove. and that he halls
from Cape Breton. He has also been
known at various times Charles Mon
roe and Charles Morehouse. He is but "a
trite removed from the common tramp.
I He is illiterate, unprepossessing. vulgar,
with not a trait which could possibly APP
peal to woman of Mrs. Rays position
in life, unless that woman be the victim
of some abnormal moral hallucination.
And yet William A. Kay has filed an
this man hH been named as CO.
respondent.
Mrs. Kay, through her lawyers. imme-
diately entered cross suit Oh the
ground that her husband had been init
mate with a number of HoultonS most
prominent married women. No such
scandal has ever before been made public
in northern Maine. and it is feared that
in spite of every possible precaution
other names will yet be dragged in the
mire.
Sweeny has twice found himself behind
the bars of the county prison. both times
on a charge of toying with the affections
of young women. One of his accusers
was a mere child. Despite his unSempt
appearance and his utter lack of good
looks. he seems to have exerted a strange
influence over the fair sex.
1t was while awaiting trial on the sec
ond charge that he excited the interest
of Mrs. Kay. He was taken ill and was
removed to the so-caled "woman's cell.
to which the superintendent wife had
free access. She was able to visit him at
all hours of the day and night without
exciting any suspicion, and nurseh him
back to health and strength. When his
case came up for trial. no one appeared
against him. An effort was made to
shield his victim from further publicity,
and Sweeny was discharged.
1t was noticed that he did not leave
town and resume his former life as
got their heads together and strange
stories were whispered over the teacups.
Several of Mrs. Rays former friends cut
her when they met on the street rms
reached the husbands ears, and though
lOath to believe wrong OF his wife. ne set
a watch on her movements.
One evening he followed her and saw
her meet her tramp lover on the out
skirts of the town. He saw enough to
convince him that the gossips had the
for their tales. KAY
was armed and his first impulse was to
kill the pair. But the thought OF his
children interviewed to prevent him from
ia king this rash step, and he quietly came
away. go
The next day he sent one of his chill
1reu ont to find Sweeny. The child was
instructed to tell the man that het
mother wanted to see him at the jail.
Sweeny came promptly and unsuspec!-
jnglv. When the lover was safely WITHIN
the wallis. the husband, disregarding the
fact that he had no papers OF arrest ana
had no right under the law to thus detaln
a man, grabbed Sweeny and threw MN
into the cell he had occupied during the
time of his incarceration
High Sheriff Gary arrived, the next oay;
from Caribou. He took charge or tne JaI
affairs and released Sweeny. AT tnat time
there were no formal charges asailis 1, 'i n
man. and the sheriff felt that ne couid uo
Nothing else than to let him go. Swech!
nromptly disappeared. without stopping
IN claim satisfaction for his Irregular III
generation during a day and a night.
There was a stormy scene between nus
hand and wife. Mrs. Kay sad the accu
sations against her were infamous, d his
Nv KaX was firm in the evidence OF ms
own eyes. The wife left Houltoh' sayiis
She would return to her people. :, .ho
Hut she didn't AS she Went IN IN. tne
direction of St. John the oilieer, II, III ' har
civ were notified to watch her on neI
arrival and note her actions. ~ rof,l
nnrted by the officers. VINO kept ca 4tarn
esnonaee on her. that she arrived .n .he
on Friday afternoon ana mSne al as as
Queen hotel. where she reglSteereu as
.:rJrs. 7. Fl. Num-" She gave tf,s us, iia ha@.
withstanding the fact thar her o"e
gage had the name Of Kay syrr ON d. in town
.nd n vent TO the Queen hotel ana ca 1,,es
for Mrs. Num-" saying thai sue ref,, ~aS
his iJ wife But the hotel people S iei thev
~ ,s allow the couple to remain, 90 o .mey
; ment r. the police report. reglsteremu .h hs
MS, ms ond wife. remaining there uh'h TIC
, ,rl.n. INV morning following. ,e.or hor
One Of Mrs Kay 70 t pnrch nnss for him
now, cnit of clothes. the one ne wu,v
the time he sat for the ac Ion, him to
..e LINZ ,rhan she prevailed upon MN 20