The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-01
Testimony in the Suit of Miss Eliz.
abeth Cole Against Retired
Naval Officer.
PLAINTIFF ON THE STAND.
She Claimed Wages Due as Com.
panioin of Mrs. Rodney-De-
PENDANT COntradicts Let
icrS in Evidence.
EEPUBLIC SrE,1AL

hEFj BG.IC SPE'TAI.
Washington, Dec. 31.-More details Of th'
family troubles of Robert Burton Rodney.
Retired PaymaSter OF the navy. and hi:
bride were brought to ligh; to-day in th'
hearing Of the. suit of Miss Elizabeth Cole
against Mr. Rodney for 81 salary ~ COM
panion TO Mrs. Rodney.
| The trial-rOUm was crowded when Miss
Cole entered with Mr.. Archer. her lawyer.
She Is handsome young woman. p years
| old. Mr.. Rodney elared herccly At her dur
ing the three hours Of the hearing. He had
TO be restrained BY i.'atto.ney at times.
| ~ he seemed to think It was his duty tO
| comment upon Miss Coles testimony.
Miss Cole said in q straightforward man
| ner that she was a cousin % Mr.. Rodney =
wife, a bridesmaid at his wedding and had
| been engaged by him 10 act as companion
10 his wife on November p. the day before
he was married. She WAS then employed at
g telephone exchange in Toronto, and she
said she gave up her position. as Mr. Rod
ney had agreed to give her so u month for
two years.
She declared he has not paid her any
wages, but al one time gave her so for a
dress. which he charged to her account. and
at another time gave her 81 for car fare
Numerous letters were introduced which
we-e written by Mr.. Rodney to his wife's
mother before the marriage. in which he
expressed willingness 10 employ Miss
Cole as a companion lie expressed a high
regard for her in these letters. but on the
witness stand said that he had never seen
her until the day before the marriage.
HOdney's Testimony.
When examined. Mr. Rodney said he did
not remember receiving Il letter from his
wife before the wedding. and that her
k..V- At Aalra
to his employment he became quite
dramatic when he insisted that he was
a Paymaster I'm the navy on the active
list. He admitted that he was carried by
the department on the retired list. but
said it was without authority Of law.
He testified that he met Miss Cole the
day before his wedding. when she called
upon him with his fiancee. and that he gave
his fiancee five 50 bills. He said that he
had given her Sl9,s previous to that time.
He haG no idea Miss Cole was to accom-
pany them to Washington, and when they
went to the station after the marriage
sine forced her way on the train, and there
his wife compelled him to purchase ticket
for Miss Cole.
He said the two women deliberately kept
him out of their compartment on the
train and that Miss Cole had slammed the
door of the compartment in his face and
locked it on the inside. The two women
had been constantly together and he COM
pared them to the Siamese twins and said
that he had been kept from his wife's pres
ence.
Asked why he wrote letters praising the
young woman. he said he was only val
entining": that he was of a very gallant
nature. and that he did not mean what
he said.
Miss Cole. he understood. came here as
a guest and he would do anything II she
would return to Canada. He said his wife
never comes 10 him unless she needs
money.
In his testimony he frequently contra
dicted himself. lie was extremely nervous
and was bitter in his attacks upon the
plaintiff. The case went over until next
Wednesday.