New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-05
MRS. DODGE ARRANGED IT
COLLISION is CHARGED.
Morse's Lascyer focused Of SmTch-
ing His Former Wife.

| legally with the summons in the suit for divorce
which his wife obtained few years before she
Was married to Charles F. Morse. II is expected
| in view OF the testimony presented yesterday
| that Mr.. Davies will report that Dodge was
served legally. On such a report IT is expected
that Justice Truax. who ordered the reference
after granting Mr.. Morse's application TO inter
vene viii make an order setting aside the an
IMMINENT Of the Dodge divorce and will also set
aside the decree which annulled the Morse mar
riage Mr. Morse in such case, VIII get back
his wife
Mr.. Morse was present with his counsel, Sam
uel T-ntermyer, at the hearing, while A IL
Huuanel acted as counsel for Dodge, VINO IS
stiu in Texas fighting extradition TO this city
Ex-Justice E l. Fursman, Mrs. Dodges couh-
sci. was present to look after her interests. Mr..
T-ntern,1-ar strove to have the hearing confined
10 evidence OF the eenuineness OF two letters
alleged 10 have been written by Dodge TO his
former counsel. the late Mortimer n Kruger
admitting service Of the summons In the oi-
xorce suit M Humnel kept trying 10 divert
the hearing TO an exposition OF his claim that
there had been collusion In obtaining me ol-
vorce Mr.. Untermyer offered repeatedly 10
concede the collision. declaring that the he
ing had nothing to do with that. Assistant DIS
trict Attorney Rand who produced the Dodge
letters which are evidence In the Dodge per-
jury Indictment remained at the hearing ana
listened the testimony.
Adoph E. Dick. proprietor OF the Hotter Gren-
obIe who formerly employed Dodge as ho'eA
clerk identified the two letters to Kruger as IN
the Handwriting OF Dodge and he placed IN evl-
dence four letters which had been written by
Dodge to him as standards of comparison. In
the summer Of 1898 he said. Dodge showed 10
him a clipping from a newspaper containing /
report OF the Dodge divorce, saying. lhahk |
the Lord. am free again.
M SWeetser testified that he served Dodge |
with the summons in the divorce suit at the |
Everett House on March 81. 1897. He said that !
he was told by Mrs. Dodge. at her home at No. !
COS West Forty-fourth-st. on the morning OF |
that day. that Dodge at the Everett House |
and was going back to Atlanta, Ga. where he |
lived She showed TO him a photograph OF |
Dodge and said Dodge had been at the house TO |
see ner on the previous day.
TOLD WHERE TO FIND HER HUSBAND |
Mrs Dodge told me" he said. that Dodge |
would be at the Everett House be served |
with this summons about noon that day as he |
wanted to leave the city for Atlanta
Al this point Mr.. Fursmsn objected. on the |
ground that It was a privileged conversation 1
This has a tendency 20 indicate COLLISION and /
7 do not care to have Mrs. Dodge smirched in |
this matter I never heard Of any collusion." /
said Mr. Fursman.
1t does not make any difference how much /
collision there was said Mr.. Untermyer.
'oh. yes It does" said Mr. Hummel; IT goes |
20 show that this divorce was fraudulenty pro- |
cured"
Svreetser testified that he wrote to Daniel W. |
Rountree a lawyer Of Atlanta. suggesting Kruger |
as counsel for Dodge. There was delay In OBJ 1
tanning the decree Of divorce. because Mrs. |
Morse wanted Rountree's fee commissioner |
TO take the evidence against Dodge I'm Atlanta 1
paid out Of her counsers fee Sweetser ad- |
r1itted nlstaking Charles +. Herpich for Dodge |
AZ the hearing before the referee In the suit OF |
Dodge to have the divorce set aside recently.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Hummel. sweetser re- |
peated his statement that Mrs. Dodge had told 1
him her husband was waiting st the Everett /
House 10 be served with the summons. Mr.. |
Fursman again objected. and when Mr.. Inter
nlyer said II made difference Mr.. Fursman |
said: Yes Il does You and Humn1el too. are |
irving TO srnlrch this woman" Mr.. Cntermyer |
later denied emphatically that he wished 20 In
1ure Mrs Dodges good name OF that Mr. Morse /
wished TO get rid Of his wife.
Svyeetser admitted that he had suggested the |
contents Of the first letter sent by Dodge to /
Kruger. He said he could not remember If Kruger |
had been his counsel when several judgments |
were recorded against him. He denied that he
had paid Ruger's Zee. but said he had asked /
Mrs. Dodge TO pay It.
WILLING TO ADMIT COLLISION.
If counsel viii admit the genuineness OF the |
letters" said Mr.. Untermyer. I'VE will admit |
that there was collision from the beginning 20 |
the end OF the Dodge divorce suit. We not |
here TO try the Dodge perjury case"
We are here" said Mr.. Hummel. ito prove |
that the witness Sweetser Is unworthy OF be- |
lief"
Svree,ser admitted that he was arrested I'm /
1897 in company with Colonel Robert A. Am |
mon and William J. Wood. the referee In the |
Dodge divorce suit. on the charge OF obtaining |
81 600 by fraud from Samuel J. Keller He was /
discharged later. He denied telling MT. Hum |
mel. in the presence OF Mr. Morse, that he had /
retained Ruger rs Dodges counsel and paid /
him.
Mr. Morse was called TO the witness stand |
He testified that he went TO Mr. HumrneI's |
house with Sweetser and heard Sweetser tell |
about the service OF Dodge with the summons /
at the Everett House. Sweetser said he had /
Identified Dodge from a picture OF him in THE !
Messenger" When his attention was called TO /
the fact that the date OF the paper containing |
the picture six weeks later than the date |
Of the alleged service OF the summons Sweetser /
said he would have TO correct his testimony !
that point Mr.. Morse declared that he heard /
Sweetser say he had retained Kruger and that he /
knew who paid Ruger's fee. but, Kruger was /
dead. he would not tell MIR. Morse told OF the |
production OF the Dodge letters recently by |
Swectser I'm the office OF Mr.. Fursman and of /
the refusal OF Mrs. Dodge TO identify the let |
ters. He spoke of his recent wife Mrs /
Dodge" and said he understood that she had |
given orders Mr.. Fursman to get a new d. |
vorce. because she thought the first was |
not good
The hearing was closed after Herpich had tes- |
titled about being mistaken for Dodge by /
Sweetser. Mr.. Cntermyer asked for a speedy |
report by the referee. but Mr.. Hummel insisted /
linz hrio Mr. les co fha hrfa