The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-29
Defendant Takes the Stand in
Her Own Behalf.
HER TO DRINK
She Found Beer and Whisky in
Her Husbands Home.
Denies That She Smoked or Told
Improper Stories.

She stated she was adopted by the
Culver family in Chicago when she was
three or four years old; that her
adopted father, who at one time was
president of the Chicago board of
trade, had given her every educational
advantage. Asked as to her marriage
with Captain Taggart, she declared it
had been a pure love match.
She said that in her home, prior to
her marriage, there were no intoxicat-
ing liquors.
''Where did you first drink beer?'
THE captain had it in the house
when 1 went there
What did you find in the house
when you went tn ere ?"
There was beer and whisky"
Where did you get acquainted with
the Poors?"
TT was at Fort Thomas
'tAnd did you learn to know Captain
Ryther there?''f
Eyes, SIR
"To what extent did he visit at your
house or cau?"
He was at the. house quite often
when did you learn to know Mrs.
Saffarrons %
"Why, L met Mrs. Saffarrons as soon
as I arrived at Fort Thomas"
Only Smoked Cigarettes Once.
did you ever smoke cigarettes at
Fort Thomas 2?
Never but once when I smoked part
of one
Did you ever tell any of these
stories that you are reported to have
told %
mo. sir. I never. heard of those
stories until after this suit com
menced."
What truth is there in the alleged
drinking contest between you and Mrs.
Poor?'
'I don't remember anything about
such a contest.
RELATE the events of the drinking
in the cafe at Matanzas, Cuba"
The Mantanzas Story.
There was company at our house
that evening and after most of them
had gone Lieutenant Bencard, Lieu
tenant Parker. Mrs. Saffarrons and
myself, on invitation of one of the of
ficers. went to the cafe for sand
witches and lemonade. Captain Tag
CART said he was tired and would not
go but we should go and bring him
sandwich. The officers took gin
rickeys and we took lemonade. One of
the officers then paid a bill he owed
and the proprietor gave me a small
bottle of champagne 1 was just about
| to taste my glass, when in walked the
captain and said to Mrs. Saffarrons:
] This is nice time of night for you
| ladies to be out al raised my glass
to taste it when the captain knocked
! it out of my hand and / went home
with him. He did not have any shirt
or coat on. but had on his overcoat
with the collar turned up around his
ears. There is no truth in the testi-
mony that we picked the officers up on
the street. They were old acquaint-
1 ances.'
Mrs Taggart then told of the slum-
ming expedition in Chinatown in San
Francisco.
where did you first meet Billy
| 81 don't remember whether it was
at Leikheim's grocery or at his home
His mother and 1 were very good
friends and I frequently called at her
house."
How did you come to go to the
dance one night with Billy?'
Father Taggart was old and not
able to go out. so went to the
house that night. and 1 felt like going
to the dance: I wanted him to take
me. Billy could not dance, but he
took me and brought me home"
what took place in the house after
lyou returned homer"
I'VE had a little lunch and ther
Billy left
What object had you in convers
mo object that I know of. excep
to avoid awakening the old folks
What. if anything. improper tool
place between you and Billy tina
night?"
Nothing whatever" 7fE
Bought Shoes for Billy.
Ibid you buy Billy a pair of shoes
III AKRON on one occasion
Yes; he asked me to get them fol
him when 1 went to Akron, becaus'
he could not get any in Orrville to fl
him.
events of her trip to Akron will
"Billy" to attend concert given b.
an old friend of hers, Miss Jackson
. Billy registered for both of then
at the Windsor hotel and gave thei
residence as Cleveland.
tfVVhaf art nf i171D r0nTiRfU took MIA a.
,, between you and Billy on that trip 2
absolutely none.'
Did anything improper between
you and Billy take place while yol
were living at the Hurd hotel in Orr
| ville?''
mo, not that I know Of
The witness recalled a scene whicl
brought a smile to the lips of Captain
! when the captain was trying to teael
Culver how to spell. Culver coul,
J not spell a word correctly and tn
! captain took him by the neck an,
/ choked him.
do you know of Captain Taggar
l giving the boy anything to drink?''
.sNever to my knowledge"
: where did you first meet Captain
i Bash %
"At Manila. I met him at a part,
arrived there"
5 ''Did he call at your house?"
yes, once, some time after"
Did Captain sTaggart ever objec
! to your associating with Captain
l Bash %
Yes"
Were you very intimate with him :?
ct was not"
'Is there any. truth IN the deposi
Z ton of Augustine De La Cruz %
l Absolutely none"
/, Mrs. Taggart said that the tim
: Captain Taggart struck her at Manil
> was on the night of the Colonial bal
E in that city. The captain had refuse
to attend the ball. and Mrs. Taggar
stated that he urged her to. attend be
: cause, he said that his position de
: manded that either one or the othe
of them be present.
I'll when I returned that night tn