The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-28
Wealthy Shawnee Mission Farm
er Sued For $4,000.
Kansas City Widow Feels En-
titled to Damages.
BREACH OF PROMISE.
Says Marriage Date Was Post
pOned Several Times.
Had Her Quit Keeping a Board
ing House.


Olathe, Kas., Aug. 2s.-A breach of
promise suit has been filed by Martha
c. Lyddon. of Kansas City. here for
$4,000 damages against Henry Cop-
pack, who lives just south of Shawnee
Mission. Coppack is a rich farmer and
stockman.
Mrs. Lyddon states in her petition
that on November 20, 1902. Coppack
promised to marry her and that she
has ever since said date been ready
and willing to accept him. but that on
the 9Th day Of tn present month Cop
pack violated his promise and refused
to marry her, although she is still wait
ing and willing. Mrs. Lyddon states
that the day and date has been fire.
quently set and arrangements were
made by both parties for the marriage,
relatives and friends being notified and
invited to the weddinglfeast, but that
on each occasion Coppack failed to APP
pear and refused to carry out his part
of the arrangement. For this she asks
$50 900 damages.
Mrs. Lyddon says that her husband
died several years ago and she has
been supporting four children ever since
by keeping boarders, and that Coppack
insisted that he did not want his affi-
anced wife to be keeping boarders, and
that about February l she gave up
her boarding house, her only source of
income. For this she asks an addi-
tional thousand dollars.
Henry Coppack has been resident
near Shawnee Mission for many years
and owns more than a section OF the
finest land just south of Shawnee Mis-
sion, and probably the most expensive
ana Deautitul farm house in Kansas.
His wealth is estimated at a quarter of
million dollars. His wife has been
dead for about six years and his family
OF six children are all about grown.
most or them being married. He spent
most of his time at the stock yards in
Kansas City and in looking after his
hundreds of cattle on his farms
Mrs. Lyddon states that it was known
TO all OF her friends that they were en-
gagged, and to have the affair broken off
as It was by Mr.. Coppack was very
humiliating to her. She said that she
nrst met Mr.. Coppaek about two years
ago at her home. He came there with
a friend Of hers. Mr.. Coppack, she said.
commenced to call on her regularly
soon after they became acquainted and
he began to tell her of his lonely life
on his farm, and they soon became en-
gagged to marry.
The wedding day." said Mrs. I.yd-
don. was set for February II last. A
short time before the day on which we
We're to be married Ar-~Coppaek said
mat the furnace in his house was out
OF order and that he was forced to
depend only upon CRATES to heat his
house. and that the weather was 60
c9id ne was afraid to take me and my
81 4i. en- out mere He suggested that
ne thought under the circumstances
a. would be best to postpone the we'd
ding day until warmer weather until
grass growing time as he put it
coi,seiltea ana when grass growing time
came around he asked me to wait until
garden planting time Again l con-
sented, and when garden planting time
arrived ne had some other excuse for
Postponlng the day. 1 was not hasty
IN urging him to fix definite dav he
cause l had confidence in him and
tnought that he would arrange tbe
AlLair in a reasonable time.
he called at my house nearly everv
AFTERNOON. He would come in ia the
stock yards in the morning and y,o',Id
spend the afternoon with me- He made
me give up keeping boarders when we
nrst became engaged, saying that he
9ld not want his finance to have to
keep ooarders, that he had enough
money to keep both of us without either
working. He said he did not want me
10 go out on the farm, that he would
sell the place and buy a residence in
town. where we would make our home,
lie said Mr.. Kirk Armour had Offered
$3.50 an acre for his place but thar he
happened to be away when the offer
was made and that when he got back
nome Mr.. Armour was sick and soon
afterwards died. He said he had re-
1t |AoV an acre 1Or the place, but
Hhat ne was certainly going to sell it
ana buy home for us in town.
Imagine my surprise when on An
gust s. Mr. Cappock came to my house
Just as usual and when he started to
leave he handed me piece of paper
and said 1 want you TO sign this on
the piece of paper was written: I here
by relinquish Henry Cappack from all
obligations whatsoever 1 was aston
ished and asked him what he meant by
that?
"Oh! nothing particular" he said. II
Just want you to sign it in order to
show people that I am a free man."
But you are not free man. I re-
Piled, you are my betrothed husband "
He insisted that sign it and when
I refused. he became angry and left the
house and has never been back since.