The San Francisco call., 1897-09-06
in battle were given by Colonel Wygant
ard other veterans of the regiment.
A PLUfGER CONES TO GRIEF.
Wealthy Widows Infatuation for q
Gay Young Sport With a San
francisco Wife.

NEW YORK, n. Y, Sept. 5.-William
Botto, the 22-year-old plunger of Louis
vile, KY, who married Mrs. James F. Ir-
win, rich widow, and squandered her
money was arrested here yesterday for
passing worthless checks.
1t develops that he was previously mar
ried to Miss lie UPPER of San Fran
cisco. Bottos aged mother came to-day
from Louisville to he p him, but could do
nothing. He is now in the Tom bs
prison.
The story of how Botto married the rich
widow OF Captain Irwin of Louisville is re-
markable. Society was shocked at the
widows open infatuation for the lad, who
was known TO have a wife. This wife was,
before her marriage, Miss Belle Uppler of
San Francisco, handsome woman and,
according 10 her own assertions an ac-
tress.
Botto and his wife registered at the
Grenoble Hotel on August l, 1896. and re-
mained until November 30, paying their
bills with the checks and drafts Of the in
faiuated elderly widow in Louisville.
During their residence at the hotel
Botto ard his wife quarreied constantly.
II
the poriers to prevent the young man
from killing his wife.
Botto went away frequently, leaving his
vile at the hotel. A long absence pre-
caded his final departure from the hotel
With his wife.
Alter he had gone letter was found in
his room written by Botto, from Louis
Vile, to his wife in New York. 1t was q
long letter OF eight or len pages. and was
a REGULAR one for husband to write to
his wife. Some OF the language contained
IN it is unfit for publication, but the pur
pose of the letter is clear and distinct.
In it Botto, speaking of the subject as OF
something upon which he and his wife
had long before agreed, gives explicit
directions about preparing evidence
for the divorce trial which was to give
him his freedom. Naming a New York
firm OF lawyers, he says:
Go to - and tell them of -, who
will be the correspondent"
Continuing, the letter refers to Mrs.
Irwin as that old cat," and Botto con-
cludes by saying that if his wife implicitly
obeys his directions he will ''get the old
cats money"
Some months after the letter was writ
ten Mrs. Belle Botto appeared in Louis
vile as an inmate of a disorderly house.
She stated that she had been driven to it
by Botto. who would not support her.
Upon presenting evid ence of his wife's
misdoings in a Louisville conrt, Botto, in
June last, was awarded a divorce. His
whilom wife left Louisville, after having
established grounds for divorce, and
came back East, apparently we'll supplied
with funds.
To acquaintances she frequently said
that she hau been literally paid for ''giv-
ing Willie up"
On July l Botto was married to Mrs. Ir-
win, and next day he left his bride and
came East upon his wedding tour alone.
He had $1,000 for first expenses, and his
fond wife had given him credit for $1,000
more. 1t was evidently deep consI tracy
Botto's first wife, who calls herself Miss
Belle Botto, had been living in theatri-
cal clearinghouse at eos West Thirty
eighth street until few weeks ago when
she left, saying she was going to San
Francisco.
Later she stopped a few days with
Mrs West, who has a fat at 248 West
Thirty eighth street. When she left there
she said she was going to Saratoga and
then 10 Boston