The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-23
KANSAS news.
A Madison Love Affair Winds
Up In a Feud.
Romance, PathOs and Tragedy
All In One Cases
TRIAL IN THE COURT.
Young Wife Signed Will Under
Misrepresentation,
It Is Charged, and a Serious
Complication Followed.

Eureka. Jan. pa most interesting
case has been decided here in the dis
triet court after years of litigation, the
parties interested live at Madison. 1t
is the story of a feud:
In 1894, VIII Dodge fell in love with
a girl named Miss Gertrude Hale. The
parents of both the young people were
well to do, and the two families were
very warm friends. When it was found
that the young people loved each other,
the two families were well satisfied.
The young people were not of age, and
their parents wished them to wait a
year or two before getting married.
Like many other lovers, however, they
were in a hurry to get married, and
disregarding their parents wishes.
went to Emporia, and were united in
marriage.
Young Mr.. and Mrs. Dodge then re-
turned to Madison. Their parents &C
cepted the circumstances of the case
and received them cordially. M. Z.
Hale, the young wOman'S father, per-
nitted them to occupy one of his farms.
Wills father bought them team and
other equipments, and they started out
on their married life under the best
and most favorable of surroundings.
They were frugal and industrious and
mony at the trial showed that they
were an exceptionally loving couple,
and were exemplary in every way. The
girls father, NJ. c. Hale, was much
pleased, and talked of giving them the
farm, which was worth $4,000. He af-
forwards offered to sell viii the farm
for $1,000. Will agreed and borrowed
the money of his father. The farm was
deedly jointly to Dodge and his wife:
Dodge then bought large number of
calves and started in the stock bust
ness. During all this time the rela-
lions between the couples parents were
the most cordial. but soon they fell out
over some cattle deal.
All went we'll until Mrs. Dodge took
sick. She had the consumption. The
physicians advised a change of eli
mate, and she went to Colorado with
her father, Dodge bearing part of the
expense. She came back in August of
the same year, and grew rapidly worse.
Dodge then became alarmed. He had
a. public sale of all his goods, rented his
farm, and took his wife to Arizona in
the hope that her health would be re-
stored.
They had been there only a short time
when it became evident that Mrs. Dodge
could not live. and he brought her
home to die. They made their home
with Mrs. Dodges parents One day
| Dodge saw that his wife was in the
last stages of consumption, and it was
| evident that she could not live long He
Soon after this, Hale, the girls faith
er, suggested to Dodge that he go to
town after certain things for his wife.
While he was gone, Hale got on horse
and rode to town. While there he got
/ a lawyer to draw up will bequeathing
all of Mrs. Dodge'S property to him
self. Hurrying home before Dodge
/ should arrive, he, with the assistance
! of his wife and daughter, raised the
sick woman up in bed, and had her sign
the document. The names of two do
| mestics We're appended as witnesses.
Mrs. Dodge was told that the will was
just concerning the bequeathing OF a
few personal effects, such as her watch,
| etc, to her mother.
| After Dodge came home, one of the
servants made him acquainted with the
will matter. and signed a statement re-
citing the facts. Dodge asked his wife
about the matter, and she said that
she understood she was bequeathing her
/ personal property to her mother.
| Mrs. Dodge died short time after
| this and Hale produced the will, Dodge
refused to settle on that basis. Hale
! then threatened to sue. When he made
/ application in the probate court for the
will to be probated, such a strong fight
! was made by Judge Graves in behalf
| of Dodge that the probate court refused
to admit the will to probate
| The case was then appealed to the
! district court, and came up for trial in
! the Greenwood county district court at
! eureka the nFSl OF last week. ABOUT Az
witnesses We're examined after the in
/ tensely interesting and dramatic trial,
! the jury found in favor of Will Dodge
The Hales had over 40 witnesses on
the stand. Judge Graves succeeded in
impeaching considerable of their testi-
| mony. When the court gave its decis-
ion, Dodge left the court room and
started to Madison. After transacting
some business, he intended to go to
Emporia where he works for Haynes
Bros. When he got off the train at
Madison Junction, three of the Hales
We're waiting for him. He says he was
knocked down repeatedly and once IN
der a moving train, but rolled out. He
is at his home today in Madison and
it is thought, not seriously hurt.