The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-31
She Is Yielding Under Strain
Of Continual Fire.
BECAME EMBARRASSED
When Confronted With Letter
About Mrs. Poor.
Continues to Deny Allegations
Made by Her Husband.

wooster, u, Aug 31.-MrS. Grace
Taggart, wife of the army captain, was
subjected to severe cross-examination
on the witness stand. It might. be said
she is yielding under the strain of the
continual fire and difficult questions
from Attorney Stirling.
Shortly before the noon adjournment,
Mrs. Taggart was confronted with
letter written by her from New York to
Captain Taggart who was then at Salt
Lake City, Utah. The letter alIudes to
MRS. Benjamin Poor in a manner that
is not in conjunction with the testimony
OF the witness. Mrs. Taggart flushed
Vlslbly when confronted with the letter.
she laughed in an embarrassed manner,
but finally admitted that the letter was
written by her. In the letter Mrs Tag
gar said: Captain Dunning is stopping
at the Grand, so the Poors cannot be
very far away. The Saffarrons live in
cheap little fiat out at Ninety-sixth
street. 1t must be terrible to live in
| place like this without plenty of money.
Thank God that is not the case with
| US"
Now, Mrs. Taggart," said Attorney
Stirring, after the letter had been read.
/ w nat do you mean by referring in this
letter that Captain Dunning was stop
ping at the Grand and that the Poors
cannot be very far away?''
L
Dunning was at the Poors. I did not
mean to insinuate anything about Capt
Dunning and Mrs. Poor
Mrs. Taggart fdgeted about in her
chair as she said this. Adjournment
relieved her from further questions at
| the time.
Were Happy in Manila.
] After the noon hour Mrs. Taggart
said the first months she spent with
the captain at Manila were very happy
1 ones She said she Immediately was
! introduced to a number of social lions
of Manila.
''At Fort Leavenworth, Mrs. Taggart,
it has been told here that the captain
had the best stocked sideboard in the
garrison. Is that true?''
| Il guess it was well stocked
''Witf all kinds of drinks. I sup
''Yes, the captain kept everything
necessary to entertain his guests
You used to go to that sideboard
pretty often. did you not %
mo, sir"
''Can you mix cocktaif?"
''I don't know as I could
20, come now, your certainly could
do that for you,' said the witness.
not ?''
"Quite often"
Whom did you go with?''
Well used to go with Captain
Taggart. Once or twice I went with
Captain BASH
The story of the quarrel in front of
same as told before. She said she was
with Captain Bash three times alto
gether- did you meet him at social
| functionS?'
Yes, sir, several tines
Have you told us all the meetings
with Captain Bash %
"Yes, all that I remember Of
"You did know him at Fort
Niagara %
Yes, sir met him there
| Mrs. Taggart said she and the cap
| tain lived in very luxurious quarters at
Fort LeaVenworth. She said the of
ficers' wives all drank, Mrs. Poor was
described as being a woman who would
indulge in a cocktail before dinner.
never drunk. The Bash incidents at
Manila were not very thoroughly gone
into by Mr.. Stirling.
The Ryther Incident.
The Ryther incident. the midnight call
| at the Taggart home, was next taken
based upon it. Next the incident in
the Matanzas cafe was covered in full.
Mrs. Taggart said the cafe was one she
had often visited in company with Cap
tain Taggart. When the name of Clin-
ton Spencer was mentioned nobjection
| was interposed by Mrs. Taggart's at
torneys. Mrs. Taggart is a loyal
champion of her friend. the wife of
Captain Poor. In cOnn6ct1On with the
scandal in this case, the name of Mrs.
Poor is second only to that of Mrs. Tag
gart.
Did you not say to your servant
Nora Murphy in Chicago that Mrs. Poor
! was just as bad as she could be and
that every one knew it, but that no one
could catch her doing anything wrong?
Did you not say that she had a way of
going to the young men and putting
her hands upon their knees and getting
them at her feet ?"
sI never talked in that way"
Did Captain Taggart ever ask you
not to associate with Mrs. Poor?''
He did, but he did not mean it."
Did you not promise him that you
would not associate with her?"
"I did not"
when you moved to Fort Leaven-
worth did you not tell the captain that
you hoped Mrs. Poor would not insist
on being intimate with you?'f
Il did not"
Did you think she was a good wo-
man?''
IAN ordinarily good woman
'She was your boon companion at
Fort Leavenworth was she not?''
mo more than other ladies'"
Mr.. Stirling stood up and pointed his
finger at Mrs. Taggart, then he shout
Mrs. Taggart is it not fact that
YOU knew Mrs. Poor to be vile VIC
man and that she was the one IN whom
you confided and that it was beneath
her roof that you went to meet the
port yourself improperly with at your
/ husbands home2"
mo sir. that is false
"You met Fortescue there often did
lyou not?''
II met him there
"You met him there against your
husbands wishes 2?
i NO"