The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-24
MINERS CODE.
He Would Tell the Court But
Not His Wife
If Charges Made by Taggart Had
Been True.
KEPT FORTESCUE AWAY
Wouldn't Let Him Call While
Captain Was in Prison.
Captain Rither Explains a Late
Visit at Taggart Home.

Wooster, O., Aug. 24.-Genera1
Miner was on the stand nearly all day
in the Taggart divorce trial. He testi-
fed that at the time he ordered Cap
tain Taggart placed under arrest he
also issued an order forbidding Lieut..
Fortescue visiting Mrs. Taggart while
the captain was kept prisoner The
muster roll was brought out for the
month of July, 1908, and was iden-
titled by Miner. 1t showed that Tag
CART was sick in the hospital July 2
to July s, for disease contracted in
line of duty. It also adds, lin arrest
July 8, 1908, and placed in command
of company" In response to a ques-
ton from Sterling, General Taggart
denied ever having told Mrs. Taggart
to call him up at the office, but not
at the house. He was not using
telephone at all, he said, because he
could not hear through one.
General, if you were guilty of all
the improper conduct with Mrs. Tag
CART that you are charged with here,
would you admit it on the witness
stand ?''
Eyes, on the witness stand I
would
wei. would you tell your wife
about it?''
mo. sir; of course not"
Miner reiterated that he did not
conf1ne Taggart for acute alcoholism,
but for the purpose of observing his
mental condition. Miner asserted that
he confidently expected to see a recon-
Citation the last time he saw Mrs.
Taggart.
''As a peacemaker did you think it
would effect a reconciliation to send
Mrs. Taggart away, and have her take
the children away. too?''
ST thought that if she went away
| she would be better able to quietly
think the matter over and feel more
| like a reconciliation
''In other words you thought that
distance lends enchantment to the
view"
Didn't Think in Poetry.
Yes, 1 thought SO. but not in poe
try
general Miner, when you released
did you think he was mentally sound %
asked Sterling.
Doubt as to his being sound still lin
gered in my mind
do you think that his signing a
pledge to abstain from intoxicating IL
quors was a cure for his mental disor-
| ders?''
81 don't know; thought Taggart dis
| played mental disorder when he brought
| this suit for divorce"
''Why?"
Because he waited to see that all the
witnesses were out of the country. I sus-
pected mental disorders when he nied
an amended petition charging improper
conduct on the part of Mrs. Taggart
with all of us officers.
What result would follow the max
| ing out of false report against a sub
| ordinate officer?'
| 1T would subject the officer making
such report to a court martial"
What would be the result of you1
making out false report against Tag
CART and leaving out mention of his
| meritorious conduct and putting demer-
its that had no business there?"
lit would subject me to a court mar
tial unless there were mitigating cir
cumstances-''
The plaintiff introduced letter sign
ed by Adjutant Beacon at the order OF
Colonel Miner and addressed to Tag
CART The letter contained what pur'
ported to be a copy of Mrs. Taggart':
/ letter to Miner asking for severance
of communication between herself and
her husband The letter also requested
Major Taggart to return the adjutant':
letter with his promise to abstain from
any communication, which he did
The General Was Shocked.
On redirect examination Miner sale
Inc did not make out the muster roll