Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-05
WILL NOT ACCUSE WIFE.
Army Ethics Impose Silence on Major
Taggart.

Although his brother has testified to SEN
sational charges against his wife and
others are waiting to add their testimony,
it is reported that Maj. Elmor F. Taggart
will refuse to take the stand against Mrs.
Taggart in his divorce suit, which Is now
being heard at Wooster. Ohio
Not a word have 1 said against my
wffe's name,' said Maj Taggart yesterday,
land not one of the charges against her
has been made by me. Not a word will
say against her. My attorneys brought
| these charges against my wife. 1 will say
no word gainst her" ,.s.. q. Fl.
1t is rumored that. the charges "a gainst
Mrs. Taggart were broght by his attorneys
without Maj. Taggart's knowledge. 1t IS
explained by Maj. Taggart's friends that
| the ethics of the service will not permit
him to speak i'll of his wife, even after his
separation from her. When he brought his
children here, according to this .explana-
| ton, he consulted his attorneys.
They told him the only way to keep them
was by divorce suit, with proof that Mrs.
Taggart was not a fit person to have pos
session of them. They had to go ahead to
get the evidence without information from
the major until after the suit had been
begun. .-.....--.
The deposition of Mrs J. E. Moore. taken
In San Francisco, was read during the day.
She testified that while working at the
home of Mrs Taggarts mother. Mrs. Gull
yer, in Chicago, in 1901, 1902 and 1903, Mrs.
Taggart was there with her two children
and coiored nurse. Several men called on
Mrs. Taggart One of them was Mr..
Spencer who called nearly every evening
for a month. Mrs. Taggart was Ill one
night and he carried her to her room and
immediately went downstairs
Mrs. Taggart, the witness said, told her
of going Summing with a party of four in
San Francisco and of witnessing an exhibit
ton of dancers who wore only shoes and
stockings.
of Too rt
father of Maj Taggart, was read. He is an
aged man and was unable to come to court
He testified
Il knew Mrs. Taggart when she was liv-
ing at Orrville. l went to her house one
day when William Taggart was there. A
bottle of whisky stood on the table. l was
leaving when William Taggart asked me II
1 would have drink of booze.
There were no glasses and drank from
the bottle. Mrs Taggart was sitting on
trunk fixing some clothing. 1t was about
8 o'clock when l got to the house
knocked several times and William Tag
CART came and let me in.
when children, Taggart and his wife
lived at my house. they seemed very
happy and I wish they could live happily
together now. I always thought Mrs. Tag
CART virtuous woman. Maj Taggart
never drank until he entered the army"
Mrs. Grace Taggart. the accused woman.
shows marks of suffering as she listens to
the evidence. The lines have deepened in
her face Hollows have come beneath her
eyes. From her cheeks all the color has
been blanched in the two days of the ordeal.
dispatch from Chicago says: Grace
Viola Culver Taggart. the defendant in the
sensational divorce proceedings brought by
Maj Eimore F. Taggart. U. s. A. at
Wooster, Ohio, is the daughter of John
Manville, an employe at the Lafayette
Hotel. 105 West Madison street, and was
the daughter of Charles Culver. wealthy
board of trade, operator. only by adoption
This came to light through the discovery
that Manyille, who is Mrs. Culver's brother,
gave the Culvers his two little girls for
adoption when he went in the army, forty
four years ago. When joined the army,
said Manville. my sister, Mrs. Culver. was
in good circumstances. She asked me If
would not let her take care of the two girls,
who now are Mrs. Taggart and Mrs. Shields
What father would refuse his children an
opportunity of becoming well educated and
wealthy? I took care of my boys and let
my sister adopt the girls in due form
Manville was known about the Culver
home as Uncle john. and was accorded
that title by the women who are his
DAUGHTERS