The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-10-30
SUED FOR BREACH OF PROMISE
Mai Lucy Lection Sues senator Sullivan
for Fifty Thousand Dollars

Washington, October ga suit for
$50, 900 damages for breach of promise
against United States Senator william
v. Sullivan, of Mississippi, was fled
in the District of Columbia supreme
u this afternoon by Mai Lucy Leet-
on, OF Oxford, Miss. The plaintiff in
her affidavit alleges that She, IAN IN
married woman, at the request of the
defendant, undertook and promised to
marry him n the defendant under
took and promised to marry the plain
tiff, which he without cause or right
has refused to do"
The plaintiff claims that she met
Senator Sullivan about October 7th
1895 IL his law office at Oxford, he
fn-law. h claims that he made pro-
testations of affection for her, "andIbe-
gan by wiles Inc articles to induce
the plaintiff to accompany him on a
journey to Chattanooga, Tenn" Plain
tiff claims she refused to go with him,
but allowed him to correspond with
her. She was at that time married,
but not living with her husband.
Plaintiff claims h a Senator Sulli-
van promised to procure a divorce for
her "a that he would keep her for
ever with him and that she should oc-
cupy as high a position as n lady in
the land"
About December 1, 1895 the plaitif
at the request of the defendant went
with him to New Orleans. In January
1898, according to the affidavit filed
today, the defendant placed the plain
tiff in Nelson's business college at
Memphis, Tenn, paying her tuition
and board. In May 1897 he sec'--~6 a
divorce for her.
The affidavit then alleges that May
10th of that year, plaintiff and defend
ant lived together in Alexandria, Va,
as Mr.. and Mrs. w. L. Sutton, he in
PRODUCING plaintiff as his wife. Later
he placed her in the Farquhar female
institute, in WarrentOn, Va, as his
niece, where she remained from Janu-
airy to June, 1898, the defendant writ
ing her every day and promising her
he would marry her in the summer.
During this time plaintiff claims she
had an offer of marriage from a young
man who lived near her home and ask
ed the defendant to consent to break
off their relations. The latter, she
claims, urged that she should not mar
ry the young man, but wait and marry
him in the following summer.
The affidavit also recites hat the
couple lived together in Washington
and that the defendant finally notified
plaintiff that he was not financially
able to marry her; also that the plain
tiff, hearing the defendant was ill, in
June 1900, came to Washington to see
him n found him rooming with a
woman whom he had brought from
Holly Springs, Miss. She claims that
the defendant offered her 81, 900 to go
home and not expose him before a
woman. The plaintiff refused to do
this and claims that the defendant
abused her and left her without money,
friends or can to live On.
The court this afternoon ssued the
usual writ for service on the defend
ant to show cause within twenty days
of service why judgment should not
be had. The writ is in the hands of
the marshal for his district for SER
vice. Senator Sullivan is out of the
city. The cause canno reach a trial
for some months in the present condi-
ton of the docket
Oxford, Miss, October 26.-Lucy Lee
ton, who brought a breach of promise
suit against Senate W. V. Sullivan in
Washington, d. c., today was married
fifteen years ago to Thomas Hyde, a
carpenter of this county. Shortly after
their marriage she and her husband
moved to Temple, Texas, remaining
there init about four years ago, when
Mrs. Hyde returned to Oxford. Hyde
sued for a divorce in the chancery
court of this state in 1896 and obtained
the decision. Senator Sullivan today
gave out the following story:
This woman has absolutely no
claim on me of any kind. While in
Washington recently an attempt was
made b. her and her abettors to eXtort
money from me, under threat of a suit,
such as she has now brought. 1 de-
clined 10 entertain such a proposition.
The proof will show that It is an at
- l. va 49,