The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-18
ONLY HALF DIVORCED
JURY REFUSED TO GIVE J. H.
SANDERS A SECOND VERDICT.
HAD PREVIOUSLY GOTTEN ONE
EX-GOVERNORS, JUDGES AND At
TORNEY GENERALS TESTIFIED.

prominent TeOpAe IN OlForce NdSe'
Mrs. Sanders Now in California.
Mr.. Sanders Was at TriaI-Said His
Wife Told Him Prior to Her Mar
ringe That She Was Girl of ~,
whereas She Was "A Widow of b.
Says She Is "A High-LiVer, Runs
About with Army Officers and
Drinks Wine.
One of the most interesting and sem
sational divorce suits which has been
tried in the Superior Court in many
day occupied the attention of jury
for several hours yesterday. The
parties at variance, Mrs. Loretta def.
S. Sanders, nee Mrs. Loretta Xavier,
and ]. II. Sanders, are both we'll
known in Savannah.
The outcome of the suit was not the
least interesting part of the proceed
irgs, for the jury declined to give the
husband the divorce which he asked,
although he had obtained verdict in
his favor at the last term of the
court. This means that he will have
to rub out and begin over again, if he
The witnesses in Mrs. Sanders behalf
were among the most prominent peo-
pie in California, in which place she
now resides. Their testimony was
taken by dispositions. Among them
were ex-Gov. Edward S. Salmon of
Washington territory, who attained
the rank of brigadier general in the
Civil War; Judge Henry c. Dibble,
member of the California Legislature,
and formerly judge of the District
Court at New Orleans, where he served
also in the capacity of assistant attor-
ney general of Louisiana, later acting
as United States attorney in San Fran
CISCO Hon. w. c. Burnett, county at
torney of San Francisco, and numer-
Gus United States army officers sta
toned in San Francisco.
Husband Tells story.
Mrs. Sanders was not in court, but
her husband took the stand in his own
behalf He said that he married her
under a misrepresentation, which re-
suited from her deception; that where
as she told him she was "a girl of %
summers, who had followed school
teaching from her gir1hood," she was,
in reality a widow, and an actress of
many years experience, who had seen
no less than 35 summers. In practlc-
ing the deception, he said, she changed
the date of her birth in the family
Bible.
He declared that he had only known
her a few weeks prior to their mar
riage, and that he took the precaution
of a prudent man in choosing his COM
panion, to ask her about her past life.
After their separation he testified that
he went to California to bring her back
to Savannah. There he said he found
her living in high life, drinking VINE
at every meal and occasionally par
taking not wisely, but too well of the
cup that cheers.
Pnwned Her Piano.
But Mrs Sanders had a different
| story to tell. She said that she went
to California with her husband, where
he tried to get employment; that she
| made every effort to secure employ
ment for him, paying his living ex-
| penses in the meantime; that, failing
| to get employment there, and receiv-
ing a telegram from a Savannah firm
offering him position, he left for
| Savannah, not, however, until she had
pawned her piano to secure railroad
fare for him. She said that he had
since refunded the money, and had
| written her that unless she returned
to him by a certain date he would in
stitute proceedings for divorce. She
said that he neglected to enclose her
! fare.
| She denied that she changed the date
| in the family Bible or told any false
| hoods about her age or avocation, and
| said that while she occasionally drank
| sparingly wine or beer, at meals, as is
| the custom with ladies in California,
| she had never been intoxicated. She
| said that she had always been very fond
| of her husband, and could not ac-
count for the false charges made
| against her.
| Admits kissing Burnett.
The husband charged that his wife
| had on one occasion kissed a Mr.. Bur-
nett. This Mrs. Sanders admitted, ex-
| planning that the young man, who had
! always been intimate with her fam
| lily, called at their home shortly after
their MARRIAGE he did not know that
| they were married, and when he greet
ed her he kissed her on the cheek.
Mrs. Sanders declares that her hus-
| band who was standing nearby, re-
marked, "Why don't you kiss her or
the other one" and subsequently adj
mitted of his own volition that he liked
Burnett, though he didn't take much tc
the idea of his kissing her.
To this she says she replied: Dear
1t will not happen again." and, she
adds, it never has.
All of the witnesses in Mrs. Sanders
| behalf swore to the high reputation
which she bore socially in San Fran
| cisco, declaring that they had never
| known her except as an upright wom-