The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-03-01
FIT TIN TUKTT TEHEJ
Buffalo Bill" Divorce CASE at
North Platte.
'DID- NOT ATTEMPT TO POISON HIM.
wife of Former Indian Fighter aud
Scout Gives History of Long Mar
ricd Life-CInims She Did Her
Duty and Loves Him StiII.

Cody took the witness stand IN defense
Of her character and good name, which
had been assailed by her husband, w.
f. Cody ."Buffalo Bill'), in his petition
for divorce Mrs. Cody emphatically
denied tlat she had ever attempted to
poison her husband or that she admin
Istered dragons blood" or any other
poison for the purpose Of getting con
troll over him.
The hearing was held behind closed
doors
Mrs. Cody testified that she was mar
ried TO Colonel Cody at ST. Louis forty
years ago. when she was twenty-five
years Of age
"At the. time we were married. she
said, Colonel Cody was employed on
the plains of Kansas us n teamster and
shortly after became engaged as
buffalo hunter for the railroad con
tractors on the Kansas division of the
Union Pacific. He killed thousands of
these animals, which were used by the
graders for meat.
"In 1868 we moved to what was then
Fort Mcpherson. Neb., where Colonel
Cody became scout for the govern
ment. We lived at Fort Mcpherson for
several years. We were poor in those
days and did what could to assist In
supporting the family by taking in sew
Ing. Colonel Cody and did not have
serious trouble during our residence at
Fort Mcpherson The colonel went on
the stage in 1874 and shortly after this
he took us to Rochester, \. Y, where
we lived for four years.
AT the expiration OF this time we
came back to Nebraska and located
here at North Platte In 1893 we pur-
chased our residence here in town.
This was fixed up in good style and |
prepared to welcome my husband home
from England. where he had been tour
ing with his show"
WAS this home coming the occasion
of the big banquet rendered by the
citizens of North Platte to the colonel?'
asked Mr. Halligan.
"Yes, sir"
Mrs. Cody, did you ever administer
drug to Colonel Cody or any liquid
that would injnre him."
mo, sir. never did
You doctored the colonel when he
suffered with minor ailments, did you
not!"
Eyes, sir; | doctored him and gave
him different kinds of medicine for his
troubles when he drank"
Did you ever administer dragons
blood for the purpose of making the
colonel love you more and other women
less 2"
"No, sir, and l don't know what
dragons blood is, never saw and
never heard Of such thing"
did you ever give the colonel any
thing to make him sick?"
mo, sir"
did you ever poison him?"
mo. sir"
Mrs. Cody declared she had never
told Mrs. Boyer, witness for the
plaintiff, or any person that she had
ever drugged her husband to make
him love her or gain control over him
so that he would sign certain papers
for her. She also denied that she had
ever poisoned any of the colonels dogs
intentionally.
IL told the men at the ranch" she
explained, ito put out strychnlne or
other poison for the rats, which were
getting bothersOme, and accidentally
the coloners dogs got some of this
poison. One Of the dogs in particular
of which the colonel was very fond, and
who I liked myself for that reason.
was killed, and felt very bad over ii. ="
Mrs Cody acknowledged that she
had punished her children whenever
they needed IT. and had occasionally
castigated them with small riding
whip.
Mrs. Cody denied that she was ever
intoxicated. as had been testified by
witnesses for the plaintiff. She never
drank liquor except for medicinal pur
poses, she said, and never used profane
or obscene language.
DO you still love Colonel Cody"
asked the attorney.
Yes; he is the father Of my children,
and love him still"
do you desire a reconciliation at
this time?"
"Yes, | do, but l think that the col
onel ought to retract the poisoning ac-
cusation."
Would you be glad to see him
now?'
Eyes, would gladly welcome him
home"
Did you ever complain to Mrs. Boy
err about the conduct Of Colonel COdyT'
mo, sir"
did you ever tell her the names OF
any women with whom you thought
the colonel was intimateY'
mo sir"
Mrs. Cody recited the incidents Of
the funeral trip from Spokane to Roch-
ester, n. u, when they buried their
daughter Arta.
did you at that time or at any
time threaten to denounce Colonel
Cody at the grave of your daughter as
his being her murderer