The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-14
CROSS EXAMINED.
Taggart UndergOes Searching
Questioning by Defense.
Declaree Has Always Been a
Faithful Husband.
DRANK MUCH LIQUOR.
Invented the Cocktail that
Follows the Flag"
Saws His Wife Often Told Vulgar
Stories in Company.
DRANK MUCH LIQUOR

of lavendar!" and the "Taggart cock
tails"
Upon these phrases was builded in
court Saturday another skyscraper OF
scandal in the Taggart divorce case.
Tart, smart and festooned with smut,
the testimony tempted 1000 people to
attend the half days session of court.
The bitterness, hatred. jibes, sneers
and anger that came so near trans
posing the temple of justice the even
ing before into prize ring, or murder
scene, still left traces of expectancy on
the faces of the witnesses, but other
wise the atmosphere cleared with the
skies.
For that you don't get your cof-
fee" according to the major, was
saying of his wife, in the presence OF
her young lady guests, the Iaggaft
children and the gay Heutenants VINO
are said to have anchored so often IN
the majors residence for drinks and
dreams. He had accused Mrs. Tag
CART of making a loafng place and
barroom of his house in officers row.
For that-you don't get your cof-
feel" was the climax in story worthy
of Sterne.
Major Taggart was turned over to
the defense for Oss-eXamination at
II o'clock in the morning, and at
1870 the court adjourned until today
the afternoon and all the attorneys in
it were engaged with the exception of
Judge Snyser. who declined to take
issue on side shows as he charac-
terized this by-product of the main
case.
Major Taggart took the stand after
arguments had been made again over
the proposed admission of that portion
of DIR. Shallenberger's deposition,
which furnished the court a certified
copy of Mrs. Taggart's case while con-
fined in a hospital. No decision has
yet been reached.
Taggart was questioned as to his
wife's alleged propensity for telling
vulgar stories. He said:
1.-THE story that became a byWOrd in
my house and even familiar to my
License This story heard Mrs
Taggart repeat in the presence of Miss
Jones of Philadelphia. Taggart then
related a stock story about young
married couple at a hotel which in
volved a rustic marriage license clerk.
On another occasion she began to tell
a vulgar story when he kicked his
wife under the table and she asked
him to go out of the house until she
concluded.
One of the Wife's TOasts.
Mrs. Taggart asked A certain young
man at her house why he didn't get
married and he said because he
couldn't get any license Except a
toast used always when young people
drank with Mrs. Taggart in her home.
1t is half rhyming proposition with
spangles on it and cannot be recorded
here. The trimming of a coffin with a
little dash of lavender was a part of a
story that was popular in the Taggart
home.
Just for that you don't get your
coffee, was an expression often used
by Mrs. Taggart and Miss Berry of
Newport Il knew the story from
which this was extracted" said he,
''and | asked Mrs. Taggart not to quote
from it, but she continued to do so''
Taggart then told the story. While
he was detailing these tales Mrs Tag
CART who sat behind her counsel,
turned in livid rage, and with an ex-
preston of unutterable scOrn and con-
tempt looked at her husband an in
stant and then hurled at him in an
undertone barbed wire invective
During all your married life have
you been faithful to your wife? he
was asked by Sterling
Il have"
Mrs. Taggart, he said. after she had
left Christ hospital wrote to him that
she had undergone an operation
When asked for this letter he said
he had received it while in the Philip
pines. and destroyed it, as he had nc
way of carrying mail matter in the
field She said in this letter that she
was very weak; had been in the hos
pltal. and had got Miss Berry to write
TO him for her.
In Cincinnati Hospital.
Then followed testimony as to Mrs
IaggartS condition when she arrived
in the Philippines, and which bore or
her Cincinnati hospital experience
w no were your wife's intimates al
Manila - he was asked.
I only know one Mrs. Poore-
and one other-Mrs. Rither."
In the winter of 1903 he saw his
chlldren in the Palace hotel, San Fran
CISCO, on the day before I sailed for
to Mrs. Taggart that I wanted to hi6
my children good-by. When 1 got tC
the hotel my wife and children were
not there then crossed the bav tC
san Rafael, and found Mrs. Tagpa RI
and Culver were there and I ve6f -
her room" -
He then recounted that he and Mrs
Iaggart arranged to appear only to the
outside world as husband and yyife f.,
at least a year.
II was agreed that as long as was
away neither of us would bring action
Tor divorce; that we would both to fhf
Woria' appear friendly. I asked her tc
read letters would mail from the Sand.
wien Islands, Japan and Manila to +be
chlloren, and write to me concernine
the ch1ldren. We agreed that tbeT
snould pc placed in school and both o1
US nave access to them. She agreed tc
thls ana said she would bring no actior
in my absence. AS left she SHOOK ~
hand and said: "Good-by. Tag ? hons
you have pleasant voyage and refT1rT
in good health. Then she Kissed me
The next train that would take me r
the transport did not go until N,
ana sat in the hotel writing letters r.
my attorney, Edward Mansfield"
Then came an account of the vvritine
and receipt of letters along the line IS
voyage between Manila and San Fran.
CISCO Three of his letters were sen4
by her. back to him. Only one had beer