Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-25
TAGGART DIVORCE SUIT
SENSATIONAL, TESTIMONY OF OLD
BLACK NANNY,

The morning session began with the con-
tinuation of Miss Berry's C'Chic'C deposit
ton. She said Capt. Taggart was peevish
and irritable, but devoted to his family
Mrs. Taggart had never countenanced the
telling Of questionable stories and never
told such stories herself. She said Mrs.
Taggart had never asked any man to take
her anywhere.
Part of the deposition Of Judge A. g.
Berry Of Newport was offered. The judges
political career was detailed. He had met
Mrs. Taggart at a charity ball. and owing
to Judge Berry's height (six feet six inches)
he had paraded up and down the ball room
floor with Mrs. Taggart. to the edifcation
Of those who were present, because Mrs.
Taggart was small He had sent ten gal
Ions Of whisky on occasion to Capt. Tag
CART, who paid for the same.
Old Nurse Takes Stand.
Emma Lyttle. an old negress nurse in
Capt. Taggart's family for ten years. was
called to the stand. She began her employ
ment in the family in Fort Thomas and
was with them when riddles" was born.
She was with Mrs. Taggart in Orrville.
went with the family to Manila, and has
been with her charge in Fort Leavenworth
and Chicago, and was with Capt. Taggart
in Fort Leavenworth while he was III In
his quarters after his hospital experience.
She did the cooking and took care OF the
children.
Mrs. Lyttle said wine. whisky and beer
were kept in the Fort Thomas house and
in their quarters in other posts. She said
that during the latter part Of their stay
in Manila Taggart drank and was mean to
Mrs Taggart. He often got drunk. she
said. She thought the Filipino woman
caused the trouble.
Says Taggart Cursed.
Maj Taggart used bad language. but
Mrs Taggart did not She had heard the
captain swear at Capt Bash when the two
drove up on one occasion. She had seen
Taggart drunk in Fort Thomas, Ky.
Mrs. Taggart preceded Mrs. Lyttle to Orr
Vile. They stopped in the Hurd House to-
eether for time and then took the cot
tage. In this house the family comprised
Mrs Taggart, the children and herself.
Mrs Taggart went to the hospital in Gin
cinnati during the last of May.
She met Billy Taggart first in Maj. rag
CARTS fathers house when he brought Mrs.
Taggart home from the dance. She had ask
ed Billy Taggart to stay in the house after
Mrs. Taggart left for Cincinnati. He always
came home early. He had never stayed
over night in the cottage while Mrs. Tag
CART was there. He packed coal and chop
ped her kndling wood while Mrs. Taggart
was there. and she thought 1t was real
nice of him to do 1t.
On cross-examnation Mrs. Lyttle said she
was born a slave in Augusta, KY, and was
owned by Layton Bradford. She married
In slavery and could neither read nor write
She said that Taggart was drunk all the
time while in Manila and then stated that
he was not so drunk that he could not at
tend to business.
"One night l saw the captain and Au-
gustina De La Cruz in the dining room IN
a loving attitude. l watched them, but
did not say anything nor interfere. l saw
them in one of the other rooms on one &C.
casion. They saw me looking ana smut
the door in my face.
Loving Scenes With Augustine.
Emma was asked how many times she
witnessed loving scenes between Taggart
and Augustine. She replied:
About a thousand times"
In regard to the events Of the night Of
June 80, Mrs. Lyttle said
when the captain came in for supper
Mrs. Taggart told him that Fortescue had
invited them to a party that evening.
Capt. Taggart phOned to FOrteScue that
he had an engagement and could not go,
but Fortescue should call for Mrs. Tag
CART.
Before 'phoning to Fortescue the captain
had a scrap with Mrs. Taggart about her
associating with Fortescue. The captain
went riding with the children. Fortescue
called for Mrs. Taggart, and about IL o'clock
Mrs. Taggart returned.
When she entered the house the captain
grabbed her an dtore her clothes Off and
showed her upstairs to her room, where he
choked her on the bed and kept asking her:
Don't he hate me-? until Culver finally said:
Tell him yes, mother and maybe he'll quit.
Taggart then relented and went to his room
and went to Sleep
Watched the Proceedings.
The witness said she stood at the head Of
the stairs and watched the whole proceed
ings. Mrs. Lyttle also added that in this
fight the captain stuck revolver in Mrs.
Taggart's face and said he would shoot her
and Fortescue also.
THE next day Col Miner and Col. Hoff
came to see Mrs. Taggart After they left
Mrs. Taggart told me that she had told
them to keep the captain locked up until she
got away and then leave him out, but leave
him stay in the army and die a hero. Mrs.
Taggart also told me that they wanted her
to take the children and go away. / do not
know whom she meant by they.
you saw almost everything that went on
around the Taggart house. didn't your
asked Mr.. Sterling.
You bet I did, answered the colored
nanny. There warn't nuthin' goin'
aroun' dat house dat didn't see" and she
did not hesitate to put the emphasis on the
Il"
DO you understand the nature of an
oath?" asked Sterling
You mean to swear to anything?'
YES"
well, ! am not educated, and I don't
know"
DO you know the penalty If you swear
falsely?'