The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-17
POINT FOR TAGCART.
Court Orders Letters to His Wife Re-
turned to Him.

wooster, o., Aug. 17.-Judge Eason
has granted an. order in the Taggart
divorce case providing that all the
letters written by Captain Taggart to
MS VIE be returned to him. This is
regarded as a blow to the defense as
II was upon these letters that Mrs.
aggart based a good part of her case
A letter written by Captain Taggart
TO Mrs. Taggart, which his counsel
secured possession of, was the subject
OF direct examination when Captain
Iaggart resumed the witness stand.
Nov, captain" said his attorney,
the letter dated Orrville, May 81,
1904, was written about the time you
rhade application for divorce:"
ct think SOL
when did you arrive in San Fran
t'About the middle of May
Did you get information Of your
wife's intention TO ignore your agree
ment about a divorce? ?"
Yes
What was the first step you took ?"
Communicated with my attorney"
What did you receive by Inail?,'
II found the three letters I had
written, two of them unopened
The witness then went with the chill
dren tC OrrVille. William Taggart met
him at the depot. About two or three
days after this he learned of "8illy's''
relations with Grace Taggart his wife.
He gave in detail his information, the
Akron trip, the Cincinnati hospital ex-
perience, the Hurd house relationship
at Akron and many other things.
Back to Philippines.
On the ss-examination the at
torney went again to the Philippines
and drew from the witness that while
there at one time he was quarter
master of United States hospital ship
Relief; that he was in charge of the
repairs on the ship. Here another
objection was interposed and argued.
Captain Taggart asked permission of
the court to make statement. 1t
being granted, he said: ''If there is
anything rejecting on my conduct as
an officer of the army, ] want it
brought out. The matter was not
pursued to any Length.
Howard Taggart took the stand and
IN answer to a question from Attorney
Wertz said that while at Orrville. Miss
Bessie Wertz said Mrs. Taggart was Il
sweet little woman, but she would lose
her good reputation by associating
this information to mis- sister-in- law
and told her to be careful. She
laughed and said "Billys all right
Following this testimony five wit
nesses were produced who said that
Billy Taggart bore a bad reputation
they had seen him in company with
Mrs. Taggart on several occasions.
To Bring in Hospital Records.
An order from the Wooster court
has been sent to the officials of Christ
hospital, Cincinnati, directing that the
proper person be entrusted with the
hospital records and that they be
brought to the scene of the trial.
These records for the time Mrs. Tag
CART was in the hospital contain the
true history of the illness with which
she suffered there.
Captain Taggarts attorneys made a
statement at some length concerning
the rumor that the disclosures of the
divorce trial will lead to an investiga-
ton of his army record. They said:
1T is simply another illustration of
the fight that has been put up against
him ever since 1903. Every plan that
could be brought to bear upon him
has been used to force his children
from him and put him down. They
have tried to have him court martiaIed
and attempted to disgrace him in
every way. They have threatened
him in every possible way, yet he has
brought this action, notwithstanding
he knew all that they had done and
derstands this very well and we know
he has the sympathy of his fellow Off
GERS. His record is clean and it will
stand any kind of an investigation that
can be made. Had it been otherwise
he should not have begun this action.
AS to the so-called graft charges, there
is absolutely nothing in them and
never was"