The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-26
THE RAGGED EDGE

young woman was well known as the
daughter of Col. George A. Porterfield
a prominent resident of that place and
the interest of the situation lies in the
fact that at the time of her marriage to
Judge Mackey, on July 10, the judge had
already contracted a marriage which he
now seeks to have annuned. with Sarah
Leonore Curtis, who was said TO be living
in this city at No. 2O6 West One Hundred
and Fourteenth street, though she could
not be found there last night
Shortly after the arrival of the couple
at her house Mrs. Catherine began to
have suspicious that all was not right
She noticed that Mrs. Mackey was APP
parently a prisoner in the room occupied
! by the judge and herself on the second
floor. An alcohol stove served to cook the
| meals of the couple and Mrs. Mackey did
not leave the house from the moment of
her arrival.
When the landlady went to the room on
Saturday to deliver a pitcher of ice water
she found the door locked, and Mrs
Mackey, who was within, said that she
was unable to open 1t, her husband having
locked her in when he went out. The
young woman said that she was most
unhappy, and intima ted that she was kept
a close prisoner, unable to communicate
with her relatives or friends.
When I called at the house yesterday 1
was received by Judge Mackey, a tall,
/
pearance and apparently about 60 years
old. He Indignantly denied that his wife
was being restrained of her liberty but
appeared TO be under great excitement,
and to fear that he might be placed under
arrest
1T came to New York. he said, ito push
my case for separation from a woman to
whom l was married in 1891. Her name
when 1 married her was Sarah Leonore
Curtis, and l have since ascertained that
the marriage was invalid. 1 regard my
marriage to Miss Porterfield, my present
wife, as perfectly legal. 1t Is absurd to
suppose would have come to this city
had l not been assured that was acting
in a perfectly legal manner"
Judge Mackey then showed me the fol-
lowing letter, which he said he was about
to send to Col. Porterfield and which he
said would fully explain his position:
New York, Aug. % 1S9S.-Col George A.
Porterfield: Sir-I have just read your let
ter of the 18th inst, addressed to my wife
in which you give the assurance that no
prosecution shall be instituted against
me for sixty days in order that I may be
free to prosecute an action in the Supreme
Court of this city which shall establish
the legality of my marriage with your
daughter. Relying upon that assurance
will begin such action within the next
four days to annul the marriage entered
into by me with one Sarah Curtis in 1891.
THAT action, of course should have pre-
ceded my marriage to your daughter and
l so intended, but the peculiar circum-
stances that surrounded me at the date
of my marriage 10 her had the effect of
temporarily clouding my judgment. and
my devotion to her led me to run the ter
rible risk Of mourning a prosecution for
the alleged crime of bgamy and suffering
also public odium and disgrace rather than
abandon her to situation that she deem
ed intolerable. 1 never for an instant
doubted, however that my marriage of
1881 was not lawful marriage, and that
was legally free to marry your daughter
That 1 shall establish my legal evidence
in the courts without delay.
Thomas Jefferson Mackey,"
AS evidence of his sincerity. Judge Mac
key then called in his wife, who when
asked whether she knew that the Judge
had a wife living at the time of her mar
riage to him, said that she was aware Of
the fact. She seemed to be nervous and
under some restraint, but corroborated ev-
cry statement made by the judge. and even
produced a typewriter copy of a letter
which she said she had sent to her father
for the purpose of placing before him the
judges version OF his matrimonial trou-
bles.
Judge Mackey then left the room, ana
the moment the door had closed behind
him his wife's manner changed. and she
declared with vehemence that she had TO
knowledge of his previous marriage at the
time she married him.
Judge Mackey," she said, came 10
live in the same house IN Washington
where I was staying. ana paid me every
attention. lie was a most devoted sutton
! did not accept him at FIRST, and he then
wrote TO my father. He accompanied me
20 my home IN Charleston ana stayed two
weeks Ny mother said he must either
leave the house or we must get married
never loved him. but BE- won me by per-
severance. Finally broke my engagement
with Alexander Hpoisfoni Of Virginia ana