The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-19
HUSBANDS STRANGE CHARGE.
\ Remarkable Reply to Wife's
Suit for divorce.

NEW YORK, Aug. 1S-Dr. John @. Sim
mons. a well known practising physician
OF Westchester. has marital troubles OF
peculiar nature. He has been sued for
divorce and aliinony on statutory grounds
by his wife, Mrs. Marie Simmons. while
In counter charges he alleges that his
home has been broken up, not by a man,
but by woman who exerts an unnatural
influence over his wife. and who has TAX
en- her away from Westchester to a fur
nished house in 12sth Street, where the
two have been living together since last
Monday.
The case DIR. Simmons declares, Is one
which parallels that of Freda Ward, of
Memphis. which attracted wide attention
eight or ten years ago. The woman whom
the doctor alleges has such peculiar con-
troll over his wife is Miss Leah Walters,
who for several years has kept a real es-
tate office in westehester. Miss Walters
is about thirty-five years old and is ma
tive of Yonkers, where her relatives still
live.
She was formerly employed in soda
water manufacturing establishment in
Westminster. but her ambition TO make
money about four years ago took her out
of that business and she opened real
estate Office and has since done pros
porous business. Miss Walters is widely
known in Westchester. The residents de-
scribe her as of a forward and masculine
temperament, alert in all business trans
actions, and a person who seems to ex-
ercise prepossessing influence over those
of her own sex.
Until the present trouble became pub
lie Miss Walters, who is brunette, was
leading member of the Woman's Liter
airy Club, which is composed of some of
the most intellectual young women OF the
Bronx Mrs. Simmons is also a member
of the Literary Club. She is a blonde
woman of figure rather larger than that
of Miss Walters. DR.. Simmons was mar
ried to her about four years ago, shortly
after he began the practice of medicine
in Westchester. The couple have no chill
dren.
He said tonight that the first time his
suspicious were aroused regarding the
strange infatuation between his wife and
Miss Walters was last November, when
he found a note to his wife lying on the
dressing case in her bedroom. 1t ended
with fond love, Leah" He noticed his
wife and Miss Walters were strangely in
innate They were together almost con-
tinuaIIy, riding on trolley cars with their
other over the telephone, and manifesting
other signs of affection that seemed to
him most strange between two persons Of
the same sex
Miss Walters came to his home some
times as many as three and four times
a day and on such occasions his wife
ushered her to her private room. Some
times they would be there ten minutes
and at other times when he was away on
professional calls their visits together
would last three and four hours. Finally
DR.. Simmons says he told his wife to
choose between Miss Walters and himself.
We'll, then, I'll take her. was his
wife's reply Her husband pleaded with
her not to go. however, and she did not.
but the strange relations of the two
women continued. The wifes affection
for her husband completely vanished. and
she was almost constantly in Miss Wal
tiers company. Recently the doctor was
forced to order Miss Walters to leave.
This so excited Mrs. Simmons. the doctor
says that she sued him for divorce. nam
ing an innocent Yonkers girl as core
spOndent