The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-04-18
A QUEER LAW SUIT.
A Chicago wife Hired-Another woman to
ImPersonate Her TO Blind Husband and
Then Refused to Pay the Substitute

A Chicago Wife Hired-AnOther Woman to
ImPersOnate Her TO Blind Husband and
Then Refused to Pay the Substitute
Chicago Suit for wages was brought
the other day IL Justice Blume's court
by Violet Gleason, who says that Mrs.
Katherine Walsh employed her to essay
the role Of wife TO Ira Walsh, Of IS
Peoria street, who Is blind, while the de-
PENDANT TO the suit went on a visit that
was opposed by her husband
The amount asked by the plaintiff is
81, which is for ore weeks services.
Proof Of the novel method Of escaping
ones husband by hiring a proxy to play
wife viii depend o. the sense Of touch Of
the deIuded husband When the case
comes up for trial the blind husband
will be called as a witness to tell by
feeling the features OF the two women
whether he was really fooled or not.
According to the story told by Violet
Gleason. who lives at 49, West Madison
street, Mrs Walsh came to her about
month ago and told pitiful story. She
said that her mother was dying IN New
York and that her husband refused TO
let her go east
Now, Violet. Mrs, Walsh is credited
with saying. I want you to do me a
favor. As you know, my husband is
rich and blind. He cannot see you and
he can well afford the expense. Your
voice is Just like mine and we are Of the
same build. You come over and play
you are me for a week and 1 will give
you 81 besides all the things you can
get out of Mr.. Walsh
Just what do you want me to do?"
asked the surprised girl
Il want you to come and act just as
though you were me, replied the wife.
but wouldn't you be jealous, and how
do you know 1 will be as good a wife as
you, OF that your husband would not
suspect something's"
well you try it and will be gone
anyway. 1 won't be jealous" was the
answer.
So, after some urging, the bargain was
made. One bright morning in March
Violet slipped into the Walsh home and
Mrs. Walsh left
1t was a trying ordeal at first, Violet
says. 10 play wife to a blind man. He
was petulant and wanted to be petted
most of the time. But it seems that the
wife by proxy was fully as soothing as
the real wife, and Mr.. Walsh soon re-
marked that he never before had realiz-
ed what a good, loving wife he had. He
changed his way Of living and stayed at
home most Of the time. He hired a girl
to do all the work He took his wife"
to theaters and concerts, bought her
diamonds and gowns and talked of deed
ing her some property.
In fact Mr.. Walsh was so indulgent to
Violet that she began to wish that she
had taken the job for life. She began
to dread the return Of Mrs. Walsh and
was several times on the point Of de
claring herself and asking her husband
to run away with her, she says.
But Mrs. Walsh came home. She en-
tered the back door, according to the
suit. First she found a servant doing
the work. Then she crept up to her own
chamber and found Violet there with
the costly jewels and beautiful gowns
which Walsh had bought her. Then she
withdrew and went to her husbands
room There she found him resting
cozily and muttering: Il wish Kittie
would come; shes been gone fully ten
minutes"
That settled 1t with Mrs. Walsh. She
drove Violet out OF the house and kept
all the jewels and gowns, the complain
ant declares. She discharged the girl.
Violet asked for her wages and was
refused She appealed to Mr.. Walsh
aud be learned the truth Of the matter
Tuesday. Mrs Walsh denies that she
ever hired Violet to play wife and Violet
viii try to prove her claims by her Own
testimony and that Of the blind man,
who will feel the features Of the two
women and tell which lived with him
during the week in question. Other
witnesses viii be introduced and the
case viii be interesting
4 Cure for Cane Poisoning.
Cattle raisers Of Sherman county suf-