The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-12
QUEER Law SUIT.
Wife Sued by Woman Hired to
ImpersOnate Her.
Wanted to Take Trip-BIind
Husband Objected.
WIFE WAS SURPRISED.
When She Returned Woman
Was Loaded With JeWeIry.
Angered, She Refused to Pay
Her Substitute.

Chicago, April 12.-Suit for wages was
brought the other day in Justice
Blume's court by Violet Gleason, who
says that Mrs. katherine Walsh en-
ployed her to essay the role of wife to
Ira Walsh. of IS Peoria street, Who IS
blind, while the defendant TO the suit
went on a visit that was opposed by her
husband
The amount asked by the plaintiff is
$21 which is for one weeks services
Proof of the novel method of escaping
ones husband by hiring a proxy to
play wife viii depend on the sense of
touch of the deluded husband. The
case will come up today and the blind
husband will be called as a 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 who lives at 465 West Madison
street, Mrs. Walsh came to her about
q month ago and told a pitiful story.
She said that her mother was dying i'll
New York and that her husband re
fused to let her go east.
Now, Violet" Mrs Walsh is cred
tied with saying, Il 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
our voice is just like mine and we
are of the same build. You come over
and play you are me for week and
win give you $21 besides all the things
you can get out of Mr. Walsh
Just what do you want me to do2"
asked the surprised girl.
I want you to come and act just as
though you We're me" replied the wife.
But wouldn't you be Jealous, and
how do you know 1 will be as good a
wife as you, or that your husband
would not suspect something"
Wei you try it and I will be gone
anyway. / 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.
It was a trying ordeal at first, Violet
says, to play wife to a blind man. He
was petulant and wanted to be pette4
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
Mt home most Of the time He hired
2 girl to do all the work He took his
wife" TO theaters and concerts, bought
her diam onds and gowns and talked of
deciding 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 "hus-
band TO run away with her, she says.
But Mrs. Walsh came home. She en-
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: 7 wish Kittie
would come; she's been gone fully ten
minutes"
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
ana he learned the truth of the matter
Tuesday Mrs. Walsh denies that she A
ever hired Violet to play wife and Vio-
let viii try to prove her claims by her
own testimony and that of the blind
man, who viii 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.