The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-30
Taggart Divorce CaseHas Nearly
Reached an End.
Mrs. Taggart the Last Witness
on Her Own Side.
DENIES EVERYTHING.
offered by Her Husband Against
Her FaithfulneSS.
Describes the Beating He Gave
Her at Fl. LeavenwOrth.

Wooster, O.. Aug. 3o.-The defense
in the Taggart divorce case finished
with Mrs. Taggart and practically
closed its case.
Mrs. Taggart is about the last wit
ness we will swear on our side,' said
Judge Smyser. 1.-THE plaintiff will
probably present a few in ~rebuttal.
We may have a little evidence to offer
after that"
1t is believed the case will end dur
ing next week.
The visit to the cellar with Lieut..
Fortescue was taken up. Mrs. Tag
CART said they had been making high
balls and ran out of ice. She started
downstairs, the ice box was just at
teScue stood with the candle light at
| the top of the stairs. Another officer
came down and helped get the ice
and she was not in the cellar more
than three minutes.
Sunday morning of June %, 1903,
did you go any place ?"
Yes; to guard mount. Watched 1t
from Poor'S house."
What truth is there that you were
to go there to meet Fortescue or any
body else %
None whatever"
Mrs. Taggart, is it true that you
and Lieut.. Fortescue were sitting on
the step together and drinking a few
days later, and that you and Fortescue
were sitting there the entire time I'M
til the guests went homer"
mo. sir; 1 was moving around
some of the time"
do you remember the occasion of
the dinner party at General Miner %
How were you seated at the tab1e?'
Il sat at the right of General Miner.
Captain Boles sat next to me on my
IBID you tell Captain Taggart that at
that dinner General Miner had been indis-
Certainly did not"
Did such thing occur?'
NO sir
Did General Miner give you rose?"
Yes, he gave me an American beauty
rose.
The Final Quarrel.
The trouble of June 80. 1908. being the
climax of the marital woes and the i'm
mediate cause of their separation has al
ways possessed peculiar interest. The sub
you to get from Poor's over to your
house?"
Had you any reason to ask Captain
Poore to &C. imp
Yes, sir
Go on
Captain Poore stopped in the vestibule
and called Captain Taggart to come down
l stepped inside the vestibule door. The
| He made one plunge and grabbed me, and
as he pulled brought my clothes off. All
were pulled off. He dragged me to the
| door and threw me out and said: You
can go to the gutter where you belong
He pulled me back and threw down
and sat on me. He kicked me and choked
me and jerked me upstairs. He said
| 'D-n you. I'll fix YOU He went into
another room and got revolver and said
! he had that to use on the one who brought
me home. He said that he had notion tc
that down on the bed and was soon asleep
| He had pulled out the front of my hair
My body was black and blue all over. Two
| bruises were on my shoulder"
What had you done that you were con-
J scious of to provoke that ASSAULT"
why, I had done. nothing. The captain
What was your intention when you left
Fort Leavenworth as to resuming marital
IT never expected to live with Captain
| Taggart."
Where a Kansan Came In.
She said Taggart, after the Colonial bal
in Manila, had slapped her.
Funstons staff, unmarried, of Manila
called at 4:30 o'clock in the afternoon,
she said. HE said he was not popular
He wanted to engage all the dances ne
could with myself and my niece, Mrs
| VOse. When Captain Taggart returned
told him Lieut.. Mitchell had been there
and told him what his mission had been
| Captain Eaggart said he was drunk, that
! he had learned that at the club and thai
1 knew d well he was drunk and because
| [ would not say he was drunk he slapped
me. The captain himself was in liquor
at the time. That was the last time 1 evel
| saw Lieutenant Mitchell and [ did not at
| tend the dance. While l was pOWderns
nv nieces hair he came in again, threw
| himself on the bed and called my niece
to witness his promise. meyer to strike
me or abuse me again." wv
| Mrs. Taggart said that when Captain
| Taggart returned from the Philippines ht
! stole the children from her. She described
| the event of his taking them and bringing
| them to Ohio. Il did not know there were
any divorce proceedings until read it il
| the paper. Then 1 received q letter from
| Billy Taggart saying that the children
| were there and that the captain was go
ing to sue for divorce A letter was pro
| duced written by Grace to Billy il
which she asked him to watch her chill
dren and let her know about them. In thi.
| letter Mrs. Taggart said that her hear
| was broken because of the children being
| gone.
The first question put to Mrs Taggar
by Mr.. Stirling on cross examination was
ture of an oath?' The witness said tina
she did. She was asked if she knew Their,
| was penalty for perjurers and what tn,
penalty was She replied that she did
| do you believe in God?"
Il do"
At this point court adjourned
ic summed I'm IN NJ Vu;++.,~ .x,c- -,