Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-04-06
Dr.. Ray II the Police Court.

S's w NtsS OhtON SVsNs
A The case of the Commonwealth v
4 DIR. Dakota Ray, alias Morris F. Chan
. beriain, the ell known Tiwana med
n cine vender, who is held on the seriou
e charge of bigamy, came mp in th
!. police court Thursday afternoon at
O'Clock, it having been twice post
! poned on account of the absence c
witnesses The Commonwealth a
to 'n.y, Carter Rrax'On, was assiste
, by his brother, A. G. Braxton. and til
prisoner was represented by r. J
Walker, OF the Shenandoah bar.
There was only one witness to tax
the stand, and that was the prosecu
trix, Miss May Pauline Pate-or, a
she claims, Mrs. NJ. F. Chamberlain
She said, substantially: Am nativ
of Toledo. Ohio, and will be 70 year
told the 23d of May. | know tie &C
IGused, and he is my husband. Her
1the defendants counsel raised an OBJ
Il Election, on the ground that the CLAIM
tof: marriage should first be ,estab
lished by some one else, or by som,
other means, and not by the prosecu
trix herself. This was overruled ab(
her testimony continued Met the ac
cused in October, 1894, in Dallas, Tex
as, and were engaged two week!
before our marriage took place
AT that time l was staying al
boarding house in that city. DR.. Ray
made all arrangements for the wed
ding, and we were married at the
boarding house by some man brought
along and whom he represented to be
a justice of the peace; marriage was
witnessed by Mr.. Rosa, who is now
dead. DIR. Ray signed our names (se
be said) in a big book that looked like
a Bible; never had occasion to doubt
validity of marriage; know nothing
about law. We have lived together as
man and wife, and he has proclaimed
our relation as such to the world.
Our marriage has been recognized
by DR.. Rays family and by
my brother, who has seen him. The
wi tness produced letter she had re-
ceived in Staunton from DR.. Rays
mother. dated March 9th, 1S99 1t be-
gan: My Gear children" There
were many expressions of love and
admiration for them, signed '.Lov-
ingly your mother, H. A. Chamber
lain" Another letter was also read.
This one she received from Ray him
self. 1t was dated May 23l, 1895, and
was very affectionate, speaking of her
as ''Dear Nanny" and Dear Wife. ="
1 have been in Virginia five months.
At this juncture the witness was
given over to be questioned by coun-
sci for the defense. She said Ny
home is 10 Toledo, Ohio. Have lever
left my husband but twice, and was
then On visit to my parents. The
last time was due to the trouble we
had, and l stayed away about ten
days. DR.. Ray told me on several oc-
casious that was lot his wife, and
threw up another girl to me l lold
him was legally his wife. l left him
because be talked continuallyof another
woman This second wife). Our court
ship took place on the fair grounds in
Dallas, Texas. was a skirt dancer
with the Oriental Company and he
was working with some other show.
Mr.. Walker: Did you ever live
with man in that city by the name
of Martin Weller?
Witness No!
Continuing her testimony witness
said :: Our trouble began at Buena
Vista. He told me at Lexington that
[ was his wife before man and God.
With the exception of four nights,
when was sick, was present at all
the shows be held at the Columbian
Hall in this city; he told the audience
that in his absence Ibis wife would
conduct the entertainments" When
our trouble began he told me that
could not prove the marriage-that
there was nothing with which to
prove it.
At this stage of the proceedings At
torney Walker introduced as further
evidence to prove that DR.. Ray had
never married the prosecutrix, another
letter from her, from which is noted
the following facts: 1t was written
at Toledo, Ohio, on the first of last
February. 1t begins In this way Dear
Daddy: You must think l am crazy,
but I.have written to you every day
since have been home and twice to-
day. Now, Daddy, don't think my
thoughts are not with you, for they
are and no one else. If you
want me to come back send for me,
but you must believe me in the future
for l never done anything wrong, and
1 always loved you. l am making my
dress and will work for you the same
as any one else-not at the door, but
one the stage will work in all o. K,
and do singing special and after
awhile do song and dance. Then /
can be with you, but you must marry
me just as soon as l join the
show. l have been good to
You and l never tried to hurt your
feelings, IS you did mine, and l am
not going to live a life of shame any
longer. l 60 into my sisters house,
and the first thing see is her marriage
license hanging in front of the bed
That is what l want or l will never
come back. for ] can't stand you tC
throw up other girls, and l know
have no right to you; for, Daddy,
love you with all my poor little heart
IL have written you every day
If you don't get my letters it is tx
mail mans fault, and not mine.
answered your wire each time. Now