Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-01
THE CODY DIVORCE SUIT
THE CoLoNEL'S WIFE GIVES HER
SIDE OF THE CASE.
Denies Husbands Charges - Pathetic
Recital of Her Early Struggles to
Help Him to Success.

dispatch from North Platte. Neb says:
Mrs. Louisa Cody yesterday took the Wit
ness stand in defense of her character and
good name, which have been assailed by
w. f. Cody G3ufalo BID in his petition
for divorce Mrs Cody emphatically de-
MED that she had ever attempted to poison
her husband or that she had administered
dragons blood" or any other pois N for
the purpose of getting control Owes him.
The hearing was held behind closed doors
in the law offices of Mrs. Codys attorneys.
Mrs. Cody testified that she was married
TO Col. Cody at ST. Louis forty years ago
when she was twenty-five years Of age.
AT the time we were married. she said.
Col. Cody was employed on the plains OF
Kansas teamster. and shortly after
became engaged buffalo hunter for the
railroad contractors on the Kansas diyi-
sion Of the Union Pacific.
Early Days of Poverty.
I'm 1868 we moved to what was thcn
Fort Mcpherson, Neb.. where Col. Cody
became a scout for the government; We
lived al Fort Mcpherson for several years.
We were poor in those days and | aid
what l could to assist in supporting the
family by taking in sewing. Col. Cody and
l did not have serious trouble durinG our
residence at Fort Mcpherson. The colOnerN
went on the stage IN 1913 ana SlOEuN after
this he took us to Rochester, n. Y, where
we lived for four years.
AT the expiration of this time we came
back to Nebraska and located here st
residence here in town. This was liked up
in good style, and l prepared TO welcome
my husband home from England where he
had been touring with his show"
Was his homecoming the occasion Of
the big banquet rendered by the citizens OF
North Platte to the colonei?' asked Mr..
Halligan.
Yes, sir"
Mrs, Cody. did you ever administer a
drug to Col. Cody. or any liquid tha7 would
injure him."
mo, sir. I never did"
You doctored the colonel when he suf-
fered from minor ailments. did You not?'
Yes, sir; | doctored him. aud gave him
different kinds of medicine for his little
troubles when he drank"
Never Heard of Dragons Blood
Did you ever administer dragons blood
for the purpose Of making the colonel love
you more and other women less?"
NO SIR and I don't know what dragons
blood is Never saw any, and never heard
of such a thing
Mrs. Cody denied that she had ever poi
soned any of the coonel's dogs inten--
tionally.
Il told the men at the ranch" she ex-
poison for the rats. which were getting
bothersome and accidentally the coloners
dogs got some of this poison. One of the
dogs In particular. OF which the colonel was
very fond. was killed. and | felt very bad
over it,
Mrs. Cody acknowledged that she had
punished her children whenever they
needed it, and had occasionally castlgated
them with a small riding whip
Mrs. Cody denied that she was eN er In
toxicated as has been testified by witnesses
for the plaintiff. She never drank liquor
except for medicinal purposes, she said.
and never used profane or obscene lam
guage.
Hopes for Reconciliation.
do you desire reconciliation at this
timer"
Yes I do. but think that the colonel
ought to retract the poisoning accusation"
did you ever tell Mrs. Boyer the names
of any of the women with whom you
thought the colonel was intimate?''
No, sir"
Mrs. Cody recited the incidents of the
funeral trip from Spokane to Rochester. N.
Y, when they buried their daughter Arta
Did you at that time, or at any tme'
threa ten to denounce Colonel Cody at the
grave OF your daughter as being her MUIR
derer?'
NO, sir
did you ever send him a threatening tel
egram In connection with the natter.
Il wired him that / thought he had been
the cause of breaking Artas heart"
A pathetic scene occurred here when AT
torney Wilcox introduced letter and asked
Mrs Cody to identify It. Tears streamed
down her cheeks and between her broken
sobs she said IL a letter from her
daughter Aria three days before she died
Among other things written by Mrs.
bringing of the suit for the divorce OF her
father had broken her heart.