The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-08-18
MAJOR TACCART STANDS THE
EXAMINATION WELL

Attorney Smyser at once began to
probe into the matter of Chicks bar"
in other word the sideboard- of the
Taggart home in Fort Leavenworth
Wasn't the sideboard, in fact, called
Tags bar?'" asked Attorney Smyser.
This was in pursuit of the defense's
effort to prove that Taggart's habits
were known to the garrison as distinct
| ly conyivial.
You're mistaken" said Taggart,
| tersely
Was there anything in the regula-
tions OF, the army requiring you to
Keep liquor in the house If this little
woman was going to the bad?" said
Smyser.
regarded her as able to take care
OF herself" said Taggart. "It wasn't
practicable to Danish liquor from the
house. think did the best | could.
Personally, | was a moderate drinker.
1t was an accepted fact in the family
that she entered the drinking contest
with Mrs, Poore, and learned it from
her own lips."
An earnest effort by Smyser fol-
lowed to dlscredit the story of the
drinking bout
isn't 1t fact that you never Of
Tered to take a deposition at Fort
Thomas regarding this so-called con-
test?' demanded Smyser, banging the
table with his fist.
Il don't know what was done in that
matter" said Taggart.
Then Smyser triumphantly brought
forth the fact that Major Taggart has
no witnesses in court who can testify
to the alleged bibulous contest on
which so much stress has been laid.
i only know of one witness that |
can remember" said Taggart. "He
was Dr. Brooks, but he is dead,
think"
Would you take her word alone and
unsupported" asked Smyser.
II would then - | wouldn't now"
thundered Taggart, clinching his first.
The first time | lost confidence in her
word was when she came from the
basement of my house with Lieut.
Fortesque; again ard forever. when
she was in Manila with Capt; Bash"
Major Taggart explained that he did
not remember how many glasses of
beer his wife said had been consumed
by Mrs. Poore and herself.
At Manila | tried to eliminate the
matter from my mind" he said
Il thought our troubles were all
patched up, and it ranked, and once
again ii stung me with its recollec-
tion. With it | tried to forget the
Matanzas trouble which had happened
prior to that time. There was one
thing, however, that ran between us
from the time we were at Fort Thomas
until we separated, and that was the
matter of her associates. The matter
was never settled, and we spoke of it
OFTEN when we were alone together"
Captain Taggart said the amount of
punch need at an army cotiilion was
80 or 40 gallons
That was the amount / made at
Fort Leavenworth the night of her
cotillion," he said.
'She did not get drunk there, but
atterward at her home 1t was the !
first time ! ever saw Fortesque, and
there was a lot of other army men |
present, too"
DO you mean to say that with all |
those people there you can produce no /
witnesses but yourself of that alleged |
Judge Smyser shouted |
as he brought the query home.
1T wouldn't be practicable to bring
them here" said Taggart 81 don't !
know where most of them are"
The first time Mrs Taggart arose |
from the stairway where she had been |
sitting for an hour and a half with |
Fortesque she fell headlong on the |
steps, | practically carried her up |
stairs then and helped her retire"
said Taggart. "She was drunk"
'Taggart - excuse me, Major"
sneered Smyser, "just for this occasion
aren't you exaggerating that trifing
circumstance for your own ends?"
MOI" shouted Taggart.
Weren't you jagged yoursef?" said |
Smyser
No"
"You hung about the jagshop and
the puhch-DOWl all night, didn't you? |
Isn't it true that you cannot name one
person with whom you danced?"
Taggart's face purpled at the query,
he started forward and then laughed.
"All hops look alike to me-" he said. |
81 don't remember"
Without circumlocution Judge Smy-
Ell then entered into the occasions |
when it is charged Mrs. Taggart ac-
companled Lieut.. Fortesque into the
cellar of the Taggart home at Fort
Leavenworth.
1T was then / first told her that her
relations with the man were not such |
as they should have been" said Tag
gart, "and 1t was then that my doubt |
was changed to certainty"
Weren't you drunk then?" demand |