The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-06-23
DENIES THE CHARGES
EXAMINERS SENSATIONAL STORY
REFUTED.
Attack on Judge Estee Arouses Indig-
nation of the Distinguished Jurist
and His Friends

The whole thing is too dirty for be-
lief. l have never had but one wife and
she is with me at the present time. The
story may be a political fake but it is
scurrilous on the face of it,"
United States Judge Morris NJ Estee
was disagreeably surprised this morn
ing on receiving the coast files to see in
the Examiner of June 16 a dispatch
alleging that his divorced wife of
ten years ago had just died alone
in a little room in Brooklyn and
made the foregoing statement in en-
phatic style. The following refutation
had already been prepared by his Sc
cretary and the judge, who was con-
siderably worked up over the affair,
added to it vigorously.
Il have seen the article referred to
i'm the Examiner of the 10th inst. 1t is
wholly untrue and absurd on its face,
| lived in California since l was is
years old, in fact until l came to the
Islands. l was married there in 1863 to
my present wife, who was the daughter
of Judge Divine of San Jose and who
is now with me in the islands There
are people living in California who were
present at my wedding. My daughter
Mrs. Charles j. Deering, the only child
living, is at present in San Francisco.
II think this must be either a prac-
teal joke and if so it is i'm very poor
taste, or some mistake. The name is
an unusual one, and know of no other
Judge Estee
There are plenty of people in the ISL
ands who know that the entire thing is
false. Judge A. L. Rhodes of Califor-
mia, who is known here was with me
at my wedding in 1863 when married
my present wife. George Mckenzie of
Hilo was sheriff of my county at the
time and there are many others who
can cOrrOborate my statement if such
thing is necessary My wife and l
have been married nearly forty years
and she is living with me today, while
my daughter who returned to San
Francisco a short while ago, is thirty.
And yet the Examiners article claims
that l was divorced from a woman who
is now dead, only ten years ago.
Il cannot understand the reason for
the attack. No such charges were
made against me during my political
campaign. l should be obliged if you
will refute the matter in your columns,
publishing my statement, every word
of which is true. OF course the story is
libellous but l am not dealing in libel
suits just now"
The attack upon the judge brought
many callers to his office this morning
entire disbelief in the Examiners story
which is headed Special by leased
wire and reads as follows:
NEW YORK, June 15.-Mrs Sarah
Estee divorced wife Of Morris NJ. Estee
twice a candidate for Governor of Cali
fornia and defeated both times, was
found dead this morning in her room in
a Brooklyn house, No. 100 Nassau street
kept by Mrs. Seymour.
Ten years ago Mrs. Estee divorced her
husband, who was for years one of Cal
ifornia's leading Republican politicians
and a wine grower. His wife's charges
figured against him when he ran for
Governor in 1894, and the Democratic
candidate was elected. Estee was also
defeated in 1882 for the same office. Mrs.
Estee was one of the bellies of Mem
phis when, as Sally Phillips, she mar.
ried the Californian. Her mother stin
lives there.
The wife got substantial alimony
but crushed in spirit, she resolved never
to return to Tennessee, where at one
time she held undisputed sway as the
prettiest and most dashing girl in the
State. HeatbrOken she came to Brook
Ign, where one or two friends of bygone
years were living. They died and
finally she lived a life wholly secluded,
seeing no one and taking no interest in
the world outside her tiny hall room.
Her mother was notified by telegraph
and the body will be shipped to Mem
phis tomorrow.
Estee is now United States Judge In
Hawaii