The San Francisco call., 1897-11-06
And 1t Is Evident That the
Drummer Boy" Will Lose
the Case.
FINANCES ARE ALSO TO
FIGURE.
Testimony to Head Off the Impend-
ing Action Of the FIckle Husband
for His Spouse's Property
special Dispatch 10 The CALL

NORTHAMPTON, Mass, Nov. 5-The
divorce case of Mrs Mary Walker, for
merly of San Francisco but now of New
York, against Colonel Myron ?. Walker,
widely known as he 'drummer-bo of the
First Massachusetts, Regiment, was called
in the Superior Court this morning, with
Judge GaskelI on the bench. The testi-
mony was extremely sensational. Mrs.
Walker charges wroE gdOing. The case
has been pending for year or more but
from time to time has been postponed.
Mrs. Walker is the daughter of the late
Judge Crocker of California, one OF the
builders of the Central Pacific Rail- DAD,
and one of the heirs 10 the Crocker mil
lions. She was first married on the Paci-
nc Coast to Charles L. Scudder, but was
divorced from him. There was volumin-
Gus correspondence between the two.
Mrs. Scudder promised to share her for
tune with her future husband. On the
promises made in the letters Colonel
Walker has a suit pending in this court
for half OF the 81, 10000 fortune of his
wife. That suit, however, has nothing to
do with the divorce proceedings and viii
be heard later.
Mrs. Walker was in court this morning,
accom- panied by her daughter, Mrs. Cur
lis and several friends. She was styllshly
dressed in a lavender waist and wine
colored skirt. She wore a jaunty toque.
Her hair is gray. She wears gold-bowed
SpectacIes and looks to be woman about
90 years, instead OF 80. There is some
thing very pathetic in her appearance.
Seemingly she takes only passing inter-
st in the proceedings.
Colonel Walker was not present. and ap-
Uarently has no witnesses in attendance.
His counsel, ex-Judge Bumpus, declines
TO state whether or not Colonel Walker
Will be called. The libelant claims that
Colonel Walker maintained intimate re-
lations with one Mrs. Elizabeth Skiff a
Springfield hairdresser and milliner, in
1894
d. a. Atkins. O Springfield police in
spector, testified to seeing Colonel Walker
and Mrs. Skiff occupy room at the
Haynes House in 1894 The officer was in
a room on the opposite side of the street.
Fred Hadd, another police officer of
Springfield, testified to alleged suspicious
circumstances at another hotel.
Colonel Pierce, at one time manager of
the Haynes House, testified that Colonel
Walker had a suite of rooms there and
that Mrs. Skiff called on him.
Mrs. Eta Burbank, a Springfield milli-
ner, who had a house near the one occu-
pied by Mrs. Skiff on Vernon street, testi-
fed to seeing Colonel Walker visit the
house many times during the day and
night.
Nellie Connors, a servant at the Haynes
House. testified to seeing Mrs. Skiff and
Colonel Walker at a room in the Haynes
House many times IN 1894.
Mrs. Mary Webb, housekeeper at the
same house, said that Colonel Walker had
rooms at the hotel, that Mrs. Skiff had a
key to the rooms and that Colonel Walker
and Mrs Skiff were frequently In the
rooms together.
Charles Boyle, a bellboy. testified that
Colonel Walker and Mrs. Skiff occupied
the same room aud that he had carried
drinks to both late at night. Colonel
Walker walked about the room in the
morning in his bath be. Daniel F. Dee
ing Colonel Walker and Mrs Skiff there,
but not under incriminating circum-
stances.
Mrs. Clara J. Wood, a dressmaker for
merry employed by Mrs. Skiff at the
Vernon-street house, gave her evidence as
lhough she enjoyed getting even with
Mrs. Skiff. who, she said had been un-
kind to her. Mrs Skiff she said, was
now a theatrical dressmaker in New York.
In her evidence Mrs. Wood said that
Colonel Walker came 10 the Vernon