The record-union., 1897-11-10
WALKER DIVORCE CASE.
The Trial Concluded-The Matter
Taken Under Advisement.

BOSTON, Nov 9.-The trial of the di-
vorce case of Mary n. Walker against
Myron P. Walker was concluded in the
Superior Court at Northampton yester-
day. Coenel Walker was not present
Mrs. Walker was called for further
cross-examination and also gave some
redirect testimony. She said in sub
stance that she had no knowledge of in
fidelity on the part of Colonel Walker
prior to 1894 except mere rumors. Thera
was trouble in relation to the Belcher-
town house. May IA, 1897, Colonel
Walker wrote to the witness that he
desired to protect himself, and he sent
to her a copy of the bill in equity that
he proposed to file and with it letter
suggesting that compromise was pre-
ferable to fighting in the courts.
Proprietor Ham of the old Glendow
er Hotel, in Springfield, testified to see
ing Colonel Walker and Mrs. Skif to-
gether several times, and Richard j.
Griffin, a messenger boy of that city.
told of seeing Mrs. Skiff in the Colon
els rooms at the Haynes about o'clock
one morning.
This concluded the evidence, and At
torney Bumpus made his argument.
Some of the more important points to
which he alluded are these: That this
was the most unfortunate case he had
ever been called on to conduct; that
this case had caused the Colonefs
friends to desert him, his standing,
which had been Of the best, had been
damaged, and only the assumption or
his old position could repair it. Bump
US claimed that he had been meanly
treated by this woman, that when ne
succeeded in politics there was no bet
ter man, but when he was defeated she
east him off. took all his money, gave
him mere pittance, and that he was
treated as a toad that could be pulled
hither and thither. She wished hira to
be dependent, and wanted to deal out to
him his carfare. He reviewed the evil
dence to show that she deserted him
and in closing held that she had no
ground for divorce under the circum-
stances.
Mr.. Lathrop, counsel of Mrs. Walker,
closed with brilliant argument. He
refuted the claims of the opposing coun-
sci as to the rights the court had
to refuse to grant the libel as sued for
on the ground of adultery if the libelee
had been guilty of desertion, and main
tanned that no desertion had been
planned or attempted. He said:
My brother lawyer would have the
court believe that a woman must of
necessity supply the funds for the man
to do as he pleased, if she happened
TO be his wife and rich I'm his bill
OF complaint Colonel Walker made as
nasty a threat as was ever made to a
woman and in the politest way and
most polite language. He would have
the court believe, as my brother has
put it, that she, his wife. would MAKE
him but the mere appendage OF rich
woman There was no vulgar quarrel.
The letters show this, and the appear
ance of Mrs. Walker on the stand has
so disclosed her nature as to make it
apparent that this would be impossible
for her
'It was a terrible crucifixion Of her
sensibilities, when in 1856 Colonel
Walker commenced a career, without
cause and through caprice, which .Tas
unnatural and unwarranted-a total re-
fusal on the part of Colonel Walker to
maintain a marriage relation as man
and wife with Mrs. Walker. From
that year on Mrs. Walker was con-
sumed with apprehension. The honesty
and sincerity of the woman cannot be
questioned.
But through all the years. from the