The San Francisco call., 1905-08-15
MAJOR TACCART
CROSS.EXAM|NED
Army Officer Says Wife
Played Organ at Church
While He Minded Children
HIS DRINKING CAPACITY
Plaintiff Declares He Could
Not Consume Enough Beer
TO Make Him Intoxicated
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WOOSTER, Ohio, Aug I-The testi-
mony in the cross-examination of Major
TagSart to-day was interspersed with
brilliant repartee on the part OF Attorney
Smyser and the witness, in which Tag
gart several times hoored Smyser, al
though the latter succeeded in wringing
some admissions from the witness that
were adverse to his case.
Major Taggart admitted that Mrs. Tag
CART playeu the organ for Chaplain
Springer at Fort Thomas at the Sunday
exercises while he remained at home 10
care for the children. He stated that his
drinking habits at Fort ISeavenworth
were no worse than they had always
been.
when you saw this little woman going
to bed because of drinking why dtdn you
kick every bottle of liquor and every in
Gredient of cocktail out or the house?
asked Smyser
Because" answered Taggart, Il
thought there were other ways of accom-
plishing he same results
Asked about the beer drinking contest
at Fort Thomas witness said that at one
time he was in charge of the canteen, but
not 1T the time of the contest.
Witness said that one night he caught
Mrs. Taggart and Lieutenant Fortesque
coming out of the cellar.
In reply to a question as to his ability
TO get drunk the witness said: My ca
pacIty for beer is SO large that l could not
drink enough 10 make me drunk. l never
tested my capacity for drinking whisky
or cocktails
Then, continuing: About a week after
the time | caught Mrs. Taggart and For
tesque coming uD out of the cellar For
tesque came home with some young Ia
dies and | Immediately ordered him from
my house"
In regard to Mrs. TaGgarts taking
the children from the hotel in San
Francisco across the bay TO San Ra-
faeI. leaving word not to inform Tag
gart of her wherea bouts. the defense
attempted to show that on an occasion
previous to this Taggart had abducted
the children and only returned them on
habeas corpus proceedings, but Tag
CART denied that he returned the chill
dren in obedience 20 such writ.
Taking up the abduction of the chill
dren the major said. in answer to
questions, that upon information in re-
gard to Mrs. TaGgart's conduct in San
Francisco. furnished him by Mrs. Pres
ton, he took the children and came TO
Wooster Asked about letters receiv-
ed in regard to the Rither affair at
Fort Thomas, witness stated that he
did not remember the exact language
in the letter, but it was to the effect
that Il had better watch my wife and
Captain Rither, as they were patron
izing a bad house in Newport
The pledge of Major Taggart. the
signing of which gained him his free
dom from prison at Fort Leavenworth.
was read Just before the adjournment
for the day. and in reply to question
the witness said
Il do not think that is the paper L
signed"
In this pledge Taggart agreed to re-
sign from the army if he ever again
wrongfully accused his wife
The pledge read as follows:
II E f. Taggart, do hereby promise
my commanding officer to abstain from
the use of all Intoxicating liquors while
l am an officer in the United States
army promise never again to wrong
fully accuse my wife of wrongdoing- L
write this of my own free will and
without mental reservation. and write
this as my resignation from the army
to be forwarded TO headquarters as my
resignation whenever in the opinion of
my commanding officer | shall have
violated this pledge