The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-15
Name Given to Capt. Taggart's
Sideboard at Leayenworth.
In Honor of a Young Woman
Visitor at His Home.
40 GALLONS OF PUNCH
Was Consumed at His House OH
One Occasion.
Tells When He First Lost Con-
fidence in His Wife.

Wooster, o., Aug. ia garrison
function in Fort Leavenworth, at which
40 gallons of punch were drunk in the
Taggart home. was the first chapter
of his divorce suit unfolded by Captain
Taggart on resurning the witness stand.
The drinking habits in the Taggart
household at Fort Leavenworth wero
the subject of many questions Chicks
bar" was the name given his sideboard
in his Fort Leavenworth house, in hon
or of young woman who visited his
house.
Judge Smyser asked several questions
to learn If it was not known as Tags
bar when she had gone He had never
called this young woman his bar
maid"
why didn't you bar liquors from
your house?" he was asked
L didn't think it practicable to. do so.'
Then you let her along the ways of
drinking?''
No; she simply had the same liber-
ties in her own house that did. 1 had
confidence that she could take care of
herself
The examination then went back to
Mrs. Taggart'S and Mrs. Poore's alleged
drinking contest at Fort Thomas.
Why didn't you take depositions on
Il don't think there is anybody at Fort
Thomas who was then there. 1 don't
know where they are
Had Confidence in His Wife.
Taggart said he had confidence in
what his wife had told him at Fort
Thomas about the drinking contest, and
didn't think he needed any more testi-
mony.
Have you confidence in what she
says 90
No"
her2"
First, when she came from the cellar
with Lieutenant Fortescue, and when
she went out in Manila with Captain
Did it occur to you to get divorce
on account of that drinking contest?'
when did you begin to treasure up
about a divorce?"
.sI don't recall just when I first began
/ to do so. This drinking contest, the
Matanzas trouble and all other differ
ences We're patched up In a way"
What other differences did you
have?'
THE trouble as to Mrs. Taggart's as
sociates was never fixed up or bridged
When Mrs. Taggart returned from
her cotillion at Fort Leavenworth. Tag
gart said Mrs. Taggart drank too much
He made 40 gallons of punch for that
occasion.
Haven't you purposely avoided TAX
ing the dispositions of Briggs, FOrtescue
was drunk that night after the cctil-
lion?"
Il purposely avoided taking the depo-
sition of Miss Yost. The men were not
/ drunk
This was the night, when, according
to Taggart, Mrs. Taggart fell on the
stairs and he helped her up and to bed:
She had sat, he said, with F'ortescue all
the time after returning from the cotll-
lion.
Did you take exceptions to her
drinking at that timer
mo, 1 waited until we were alone.
LAS a husband, why didn't you inter-
cept that drinking at the timer"
Always Chided Her Alone.
"I never chided my wife in the pres
ence of company.
1.-The next occasion" he continued.
sI had to observe suspicious actions
upon the part of my wife after that
was at a post dance, when she and
Fortesque, after the dance. came out
of the cellar at our home with ice;
what was their appearance when
coming up out of the basement?" he
was asked.
Mrs. Taggart looked very much
flushed; 1 noticed that both had been
drinking heavily and that Fortesque
walked unsteadily.
4Anything eIse?"
..I thought their actions denoted
something else than their ostenslots
purpose in going to the cellar"
.sWhat may have been their real
purpose, captain ?"
st believed that while my wife was
in the cellar with Fortesque she had
committed an act of disloyalty toward
Then came explanations as to how
he came to slap his wife and fall upon
Major Newbury's bed and when asked
| if he was drunk Taggart said the incl
dent had never happened. He had
frequently rested on Newburys pea
that was back of the parlor.
The night he ordered Fortesque
from his house, Taggart said, was not
on the occasion of the cellar incident
On this night he said nothing TO FoT-
fesoue. There was an argument as TO
whether the time that Taggart ordered
Fortesque from his house was prior 70
the night when he came from the cell
lar with his wife Taggart maintained
that he ordered the lieutenant from his
house after the cellar incident
Mr.. Smyser instituted questions
l bearing upon the alleged cruelty or
Cantain Taggart toward his wife at
Fort Ieavenwortll. A paper purport-
l ing to be a pledge signed by the cap
> tain during his confinement was pro-
: duced. 1t will be admitted IN eyioencs
: nrobablv. when it's contents will be ofl1-
ciaIlv made known. The paper is sa1o
| fo contain the modified terms of Cap
tain Taggart's agreement watn MS "ilS
in which he stated that a violation ek
auvs promise over his signature to the
: agreement would be considered notice
fo commanding officer that he wished
: to voluntarily retire from the army
Captain Taggart said that the paper
lin the possession of Mrs. Taggart may
: or NAV not be the document he signed
s at Fort Leavenworth while he was
l confined in the hospital.