Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-04-17
OUR ELLA IN A SUIT
FLAWS A MAN WITH SATIRE
AND TROUBLE ENsUEs.
ELLA ANSWERS QUESTION
But UngalIant Fellow Claims He
Didn't Ask it and Now Demands
$4,000 Evidence Tilt Someone
Else Promulgated 1t and Signed
His Name.

Some INSCRIPTIONS knave mas be-
. trayed the confidence of Ella Wheeler
Wilcox.
AS consequence the eastern paper
for which she writes is being sued for
$4,000
Away back in May, 1901, our Ella
presented one of those tender, soul
full little pieces she writes so nicely,
taking as text a letter from Elmer
Greger of Glenslide, Pa This letter
as printed in Ella Wheeler Wilcox s
column read as follows:
as a man destitute of honor and
morality if he takes a woman other
than his wife out riding, to theaters,
receives affectionate letters from her
and exchanges presents? A claims
that such man has no honor and is
brute. | claim that is putting it
too strong | consider myself an
honorable man, good husband, good
provider, but | like to have a good
time with another woman that | ad-
mire very much. | have a lovely
wife and / admit that l would not
live with her if she received such at
tention from another man. "A says
am as much a brute to my wife and
children as drunkard l think he
is Quixotic. | have no confidence in
other than pure, true women, but
think this can do me no hurt. What
say your
In the language of the street Ella
Wheeler Wilcox fell to this. She not
only printed the letter with Greger's
name attached, but said such things
of him as made him feel abashed and
ashamed before his neighbors. He
felt particularly aggrieved, because.
as he says in his affidavit, he not
only did not write this letter, but
wrote no letter at all to Mrs. Wilcox,
being modest man, not in the habit
of corresponding with unknown wo-
men.
Hatred scorn. ridicule and con-
tempt were his portion, and those
who did not jeer regarded him as a
moral leper.
To add to the agony Mrs. Wilcox
accompanied the criticism with a
poem. 1t was soulful thing, begin
ming. 1--WE do not make home of any
place we 60. The injured Pennsyl-
vanian couldn't see its relevancy as
applied to him.
In the article Mrs. Wilcox said:
Not only is such a man lacking in
a fine sense of honor but he is lack
ing in common sense.
Il think most women would, if
given the choice, prefer to have a
husband who was an occasional vic
tim to drink to one who was liberal
at heart, such as this man confesses
to be.
.'Of course, he will resent that
term. but when a married man owns
to the fact that he likes to have a
good time in the way of escorting
other women about and receiving
affectionate letters from them, he
displays the heart of a Mormon to
every observer, however he may
justify his love of such amusement
himself"
Mr.. Greger denies that he ever
wrote the letter published by Ella
denies that he is or ever has been I'M
faithful to his wife, and denies that
he has ever sought the company of
cheap or vulgar women.
Mr.. Greger is evidently very much
in earnest, and would like to interfere
seriously with Mrs. Wilcox's literary
ability.
This suit for libel is not intended
to dispose of the question as to
whether or not Mrs. Wilcox writes
letters to herself for herself to
answer at space rates. 1t really has
no bearing on the matter. But
whatever the facts in the case, Ella
went after the hypothetical voluptu-
airy in a sizzling style quite like what
might be expected from the good
little woman.