The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-07
WIFE HIDES A PROXY
REAL Spouse WISHING TO VISIT
DYING MOTHER EMPLOYS A
SUBSTITUTE
DUPEs A BLIND HUSBAND
He Is Charmed by the New Com
panion and the Jealous Original
Refuses to Pay Wages, So
the Girl Now Sues.

CHICAGO, Ill, April 6.-suit fer wages
mas been brought in Justice Blume's court
by Violet Gleason, who says that Mrs.
Katherine Walsh employed her to essay
the role Of wife to Ira Walsh, who IS
blind, while the defendant to the suit went
on visit that was opposed by her hus-
band.
The amount asked by the plaintiff is 81,
which IS for one weeks services. Proof OF
the novel method Of escaping ones nus
band by hiring a proxy to play wife Will
depend on the sense of touch Of the de-
luded husband. The case will come up to-
day and the blind husband will be called
as witness to tell by feeling the features
of the two women whether he really was
fooled or not
According to the story told by Violet
Gleason, Mrs. Walsh came to her about
a month ago and told d 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, Il want you to co 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 be-
sides all the things you can get out or
Mr.. Walsh.
Girl Empersonates the Wife.
Just what do you want me to do, ask
ed 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 known l will be as good wife as
you, or that your husband would not sus-
pect something's
,.1x-
way. | won't be jealous was the an
swer.
So, after some urging, the bargain was
made. One bright morning in March VIC
let slipped into the Walsh home and Mrs.
Walsh left.
1t was a trying ordeal at first, Violet
says, to play wife to blind man He
most of the time. But it seems that
the wife by proxy was fully as soothing
as the real wife, and Mr.. Walsh soon
remarked that he never before had realiz-
ed what good, loving wife he had. He
changed his way of living and stayed
at home most of the time. He hired
CIR! to do all the work. He took his
wife to theaters and concerts, bought
| her diamonds and gowns and talked of
/ deciding her some property.
Real Wife Grows Jealous.
In fact Mr.. Walsh was so indulgent
to Violet that she began to wish that
she had taken the job for life She be-
gan to dread the return of Mrs. Walsh
and was several times on the point of de-
| claring herself and asking her "hus-
band" 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 husband
! room. There she found him resting COST
ly and muttering: Il wish Kittie would
t come; she has been gone fully ten min
That settled it 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 and
j ne learned the truth of the matter Tues
! day Mrs. Walsh denies that she ever
! hired Violet to play wife and Violet will
! try to prove her claims by her own tes-
/ timony 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 will be
| interesting