The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-08-08

STARK COUNTY DEM
examination was in no way impeached.
MERC1LESS ARRANGEMENT.
After enduring as mericless an ar
ralgnment as ever woman was forced
to hear, in which Edward S. Wertz,
her husbands lawyer, forecast testi-
mony designed to tear her character to
shreds. dispassionately naming date
after date and man after man in his
resume of her alleged misdeeds, Mrs.
Grace Viola Taggart walked up the
main street of Wooster yesterday
with her sister, Mrs. Shields, and her
niece, Mrs. Voss. to her home, two
blacks away, where her ten-year-old
son, Culver, rushed to meet her with
big bunch of nasturtiums. Receiving
the flowers with a kiss, the accused
woman turned to the group of women
friends awaiting her on the lawn and
received effusive expressions of SYM
pathy.
Dressed plainly in black, Mrs. Tag
gart looked quite different from the
published photographs, taken several
years ago. Her face is nearly colorless,
her features are thin, and her figure is
slight and not noteworthy. When the
session began she smiled frequently
and chatted with her relatives and
lawyers, but as Wertz proceeded with
his awful impeachment her smile fad
&c and appeared no more. During most
of the afternoon she sat motionless
end expressionless, toying nervously
with her handkerchief or a copy of
the court calendar.
PLAINTIFF SCORED.
Capt. Elmore E. Taggart, major of
volunteers and lieutenant colonel by
brevet, her husband still in name, ap-
peared in the dress uniform of his
rank, with glittering two-barred
shoulder straps and broad white
stripes down the trousers The single
uniform in evidence gave the court
room scene military color corre-
sronding with the constant army flavor
of the verbal proceedings The cap
tain was composure itself throughout
the afternoon, never fiinching even
when Congressman M. L. Smyser, his
wife's lawyer, leaning toward him over
the table and, shaking scornful finger
in his face, hissed: "In Manila, at
Fort Thomas, at Fort Leavenworth
and elsewhere this gentleman and
brave soldier with cowardly, cow
ARDLY brutality, assaulted his wife,
the mother of his four children
OF the plaintiffs witnesses three
were examined before adjournment
yesterday. All were from Orrville and
their testimony bore ON the relations
of Mrs. Taggart and her husbands
cousin, Billy" Taggart. Mrs. e. W.
Dietrich. who washed for Mrs. Tag
gart testified that the washing con-
tained shirts marked "W T." and
other male garments. Eta Plumb for
nerly waitress at the Windsor Hotel,
Akron. testified that she saw Mrs. Tag
gart and Billy" breakfast together
there and that they had a shy ap-
pearance This expression was or
dered stricken out. Mrs. Maggie Fern
baugh testified she had seen Mrs. Tag
gart riding with Taggart lots of
times" in the grocery wagon which
drove.
Questions as to witness knowledge
Of Mrs. Taggart's reputation for chas-
Lity and Billy" Taggart's reputation
for sobriety brought objections and
strenuous argument. Attorney Ster-
ling, for the plaintiff, said he meant
tc prove that William Taggart, whom
Mrs. Taggart chose for her first inti-
mate associate in Orrville, was "a
drunken loafer." Argument as to the
of this class of testimony
was postponed to this mornings ses-
zion for citation of law and precedent.
DAUGHTER OF HOTEL PORTER.
Wooster, o., Aug. 3-The identity of
Mrs. Taggart's real father has been
disclosed by statements made in con-
pection with the trial.
Instead of being Charles Culver, rich
operator and for five years president
ot the Chicago board of trade, her
'ather was and is John Manville, now
employed as porter in hotel in Chi
cago's west side. i
Mrs. Taggart and her sister, Mrs.
Shields, disowned their father and
mother long ago, when they were
adopted by their poor fathers rich sis
Ter. Mrs. Culver.
All this. as has been said in court.
was kept from Capt. Taggart until he
earned it after his engagement to
Grace Viola Culver, the Chicago belle,
and daughter Of the rich board of
trade magnate"
James Shields, Mrs. Taggarts broth
er-in-law, made his first appearance at
he trial this afternoon, and Capt.
raggart for the first time missed a ses-
sion. He was engaged in hunting up
witnesses and had occasion to pass
Mrs. Taggart's home, which he had
was elsewhere. Warned of