Evening journal., 1905-04-13
RATLEDCE
SUED FOR ALIENATION
Robert P. Small, Of Mil
ford, Brings Action on
Serious Charge in Court
Here Against the State
Official


fectious Of his wife. Julia Laws small,
Robert r. Small. Of Milford has today.
through his counsel. L. Irving Handy IN
stituted legal proceedings IN the Superior
Court against State Detective James T.
Ratledge. While no amount Is mentioned
IN the papers filed today il Is understood
that Mr.. Small will ask for $4,000 dam-
ages.
Mr.. and Mrs Small were married on
July p. 1895. at Milford and up until re-
Gently have lived there ever since. Mrs.
Small was formerly Miss Julia Laws Cam
non, OF Milford. They have one child
daughter, Virginia, who was born on
May 20. 1896.
Detective Ratledge Is married and has
two children, one Of them, daughter. is
married. He Is a prosperous farmer and
lives near Glasgow Mr.. Ratiedge was re-
appointed a State detective by Governor
Lea about month ago.
Mr. Small. who alleges that the detec-
tive has wrecked his home, Is well-known
and respected throughout the lower part
OF the State as he has lived in MilfQU5y
for many years. He was In Wilmington
today mad states that at the present time
he does not know the whereabouts OF his
wife and daughter. Mr. Small had done
considerable work In helping the detec-
tive on cases and in this way he says
they became intimate personal friends. It
was Small who captured Jacob Lohand.
colored. the murderer OF Susie Hazard.
also colored, some months ago. In speak
ing about the suit he has brought Mr..
Small said: why / considered Jim Rat
ledge the best friend / had on earth and
would not have believed the charges I
I Ir. EaI 1 al
TO be true
II Is alleged by Mr. Small that through
his friendship for the detective he told
him TO make his home his abode when
ever he was Ia Milford and that Ratledge
betrayed him. lie claims ne put every
trust In Ratledge and that The latter
during his absence from home betrayed
that trust Mr. Small says when he heard
rumors In regard 10 her relations with
Ratledge he went to the latter. but he
denied any improper relations with his
wife
Mr. Small has laid the matter before
Governor Lea. chief Justice Lore and At
torney-General Richards. When seen this
I morning by a reporter for The Evening
e Journal Mr. Small made the following
statement:
: "Ratledge and have been Intimate per-
sonal friends and ! have been associated
with him in working up cases for the
state. on several occasions. whenever he
came TO Milford he would come TO my
house az my request as / trusted him in
every way.
I'm October, 1904 ] went TO Charlestown
e South Carolina, whore / accepted "a DO
sition as chief clerk in the Joint yard
OF the Atlantic Coast Line When I left
I told Ratiedge that whenever he was
d in Milford to consider my house his home
To- and that he was perfectly welcome. Dur
n ing my absence he took advantage of the
20 situation to ALLEVIATE my wife's affections
{ ana to establish Illicit relations with
- her on December 6. while / was away
Z Mrs. small moved out OF the house AZ
e Milford where ] left her and went into
a another home across the street She
o wrote to me 10 the effect that she had
k LETT my home and had gone to prepare d,
n nome for herself and child and that She
p did not want me 10 bother her and If I
10 did she said she would use the law.
.e Il came back TO Milford on December
IA ~ or a. but my wife would have nothing
,r to do with me. I then heard the runors
with regard TO the relations between nv
"ile and katledse, which had become tho
talk OF the town. The gossip was thai
J. hatedge was making any house his home.
hunted up Ratledge in Wilmington ana
r asked MIN about the reports He denied
"a any improper relations with Mrs. Small
a- ana sald he had all the respect in the
A. world for my wife. Rafiedge said he vgould
q use his influence TO get Mrs. small to ~
,n turn and so South with me and he wrote
I'd TO her 70 that effect
ty Il returned South on January ana
n- came back 10 Delaware ON April q and
II found that Mrs. Small on or about .Ianu-
be airy u had removed from Milford 10 VIII
he mington and established herself in a
to house az No. 2515 Pine street which had
IL been procured for her by Ratledre
through the Intervention of a friend of
n his Mrs. Small brought our daughter and
IT, the household goods here / found that
,d Ratledge spent most OF his nights az the
fr. house and claimed TO be a 6oarder.
My daughter Virginia. was taught tc
call him Uncle Jim. I have discovered
that about March i3 Ratledge took m,
wife and daughter to Philadelphia and
closed up the house at No. 2si5 Pine street
leaving the furniture there. l traced then
n TO No. ll20 Wallace street. "A boardins
house. whore they passed under the nam,
III of Mr.. and Mrs. Laws and daughter vir
ginla Laws Ratledge represented him
SUI ~ '' ~ H'AAoA anu NufNNk llt fWl
n weeks that my wife and daughter re
mainod AT the house 1 have discovere,
that he spent six nights there occupyin,
the same room with my wife and # SEEM
almost incredible but am informed tha
this bright nine-year-old child OF min
slept in the same room with Ratledg,
er and any wife. AT this house my littl,
In daughter was taught 20 call Ratledg,
ne papa"
up Mr.. Small says they left the Philadel
phia house two weeks ago and he ha
IT'S not been able TO locate his wife an,
m daughter or their whereabouts since tina
'lO time.
IRE Il have complained about this matte
lar TO Chief Justice Lore said Mr. Small
''and he told me to go see Attorney-Gen
lbs eral Richards. Mr.. Richards said he Wa
IN not the one 20 go 10 and told me TO Sc
gh a magistrate and bring my charge. 1 ais
mis- saw Governor Tea and he said he woul
or take the matter up with Attorney-Gen
lp- eral Richards.
ces Mr.. small has given up his position
kho South