The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-17
STORY Of. A TICKLE MAID
Blighted Love and a Disconso.
late Lover.
IT COMES OUT IN COURT
The Reason Rochester Did Not Bring
Back a Wife-Mss Peters Has
Sued for 81 900 for Doing
Detective Work.

A story of a tickle maid, a blighted
love and disappointed lover was dis
closed by suit commenced in the dis
trict court yesterday by Miss Annie H.
Peters against .Ras Rochester, an action
to recover judgment for 81 900 for do
ing some detective work for the defend
ant in connection with a love affair.
Miss Peters is a known kinder
garten teacher in Butte, and Mr.. Roch-
ester was formerly well-known bust
ness man in the city, where he still
resides. Last winter some time, at
which the story opens, Mr.. Rochester,
who was then engaged in the hardware
business in Butte, left the city for
Quincy, ILL.,, and announced to his
friends that he was going East to get
married. He returned a few months
later, however, without a wife, and he
was subjected to great deal of josh
ing by his friends, but the truth as to
why he returned unmarried has Just
leaked out.
1t appears that the lady whom he ex-
pected to marry was Miss Emma
Rickart, whom he had known since
childhood. The wedding day had been
appointed, anu NIL INDNu0SteT WENT u
Quincy, the home of Miss Rickart, with
happy and expectant heart He put
up at hotel and visited Miss Rckart's
nome many times day and evening.
The last evening on which he visited
her home, which was only a few days
before the day set for the wedding, all
arrangements for the happy event were
made. He returned to his hotel at a
late hour, and hoped for the coming
morning when he would see his sweet
heart again. The next morning came
all right, but before he had time to
brush up he received a call from Miss
Rickart's father. The latter had a
bundle in his hand. The bundle con-
tanned the engagement ring which Mr..
Rochester had presented to Miss Rick
art and all the letters he had written
her and all the little presents he had
ever made her. The father returned
them all to Mr.. Rochester. He said he
brought them at the request of Miss
Rickart, who expressed a sincere and
earnest wish that she would never see
Mr.. Rochester again, No explanation
for her conduct and change of heart
was given. Mr.. Rochester remained in
Quincy for several days and made re-
peated efforts to see the girl but with
out avail. She refused positively to see
him again, so he returned to Butte and
broOded over his bad luck for several
weeks. He could not understand the
motive of the girl and the more he
thought about it the more he wished to
know. He finally hit upon a plan to
satisfy his curiosity. He confided in
Miss Peters and engaged her to visit
Miss Rickart and learn from her just
how 1T was. He had learned that Miss
Rickart had gone to Sherman, Texas,
and thither Miss Peters was dispatched.
Upon her arrival at Sherman, Miss
Peters found that Miss Rickart had
returned to her home in Illinois, and
to that place she was followed by the
Butte female detective, only to learn
on her arrival there that the girl had
gone to Kirksville, Mo. To Kirksville
went Miss Peters and there she found
Miss Rickart. She remained in the town
for some time. formed the girls ac-
quaintance and in due course of time
knew all her secrets and had her eX-
PLANTATION of her treatment of Mr.. Roch-
ester and her sudden refusal to marry
him. Her work accomplished, Miss
Peters returned to Butte and reported
to her employer. At first, it is said, he
accepted the story as true, but later
refused to believe and later refused to
pay Miss Peters for her services and
then she went to Attorney NJ. D.
Leehey for advice. She got it, and the
suit brought in the district court yes
terday was the result. That is how the
story as above related came out.
In her complaint Miss Peters alleges
that in the city of Butte, on March /,
1899, she and the defendant entered into
a certain oral agreement, by the terms
of which the plaintiff agreed to travel,
at the expense of the defendant, to
Sherman, Texas, and to certain other
places in the state of Missouri and
elsewhere as might be necessary or ad
visabe to procure for the defendant
certain information concerning one
Miss Emma Rickart; that in considera
ton of the performance by plaintiff of
such services the defendant agreed and
promised to pay the plaintiff therefor
the sum of $1,000. In pursuance of the
agreement and contract, and relying
upon the promises made by the defend
ant to pay her, she at once left her
home in Butte and travelled to Sher-
man, Texas, and then, upon the eX
press request and at the direction of the
defendant, to certain places in Missouri
in search of Emma Rickart and of the
information desired by the defendant.
The plaintiff in due time found Miss
Rickart and found for the defendant
all the knowledge and information
which he requested her to obtain and
fully and completely kept and per-
formed her part of the contract.
In the performance of the contract
she was absent from Butte for period
of about three months and her services
were reasonably worth 81 900. She made
a demand on the defendant for her pay
on the LIST of July, but he refused to
pay, and now she demands judgment
from the court against him for the
amount.
To induce a sound nights sleep take