The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-05-12
IGNORANCE THE PLEA.

custody and control Of X. V. Millard,
Ed Fl. Millard and Paul Millard."
IGNORANCE THE PLEA.
The following is an extract from
letter. written by the defendant to
Miss Aenyon, bearing date Friday, 4
p m., April 2Sth. It wSs written from
Orangeburg by the defendant in jail,
and was mailed to her at st. George:
have heard nothing from the
court house Thursday, but under
stand that the prosecution is going to
try and convict me as criminal on
the ground that the divorce which was
TAINTED my former wife In California
last ~ December would not permit
me IL be married to anybody else for
one year: That Is, until next 4th or
5th of December (seven months in the
future). think they are wrong.
think that l could be married in any
State outside Of California just when
1 please, after the divorce is granted.
If made a mistake that could easily
be rectitied by my waiting until De-
cember 4th or 5th and then securing
license in Georgia and being married
there according to the laws OF GeOr-
gia. did not understand all the lit
tie technlcalities of marriage or divorce
laws in any State. 1 hnew nothing at
all about the laws Of South Carolina.
Never heard one thing about them be-
fore l came down here. All the States
have different laws and what is law
here is not law in Georgia"
He goes on to justify himself In
marrying Miss Kenyon on the ground
that he did not know he was doing
wrong. He discusses the interlocutory
divorce and suggests that they can
wait until after the 4th Of next De-
cember and be remarked and purposes
to arrange for her support in the
| meanwhile
Ills FIRST MARRIAGE.
The following is a portion Of a let
ter written by defendant, addressed to
Miss Kenyon and her mother jointly,
from the Orangeburg Jail at this place
on the Saturday afternoon when he
was first committed to jail:
l see by The State that Sister Mary;
in examining my letters. found one
from my divorced wife, indicating that
|
where else. She was mistaken. When
was II years old l married girl
in Pennington, Illinois. Her peoples
name was Cone. Her name was Louisa
Cone. She had brother named Will.
liam Cone, residing there. Be kind
enough to write to FarmingtoI. llli
nois, and find out all about her. She
was not my wife when I married the
woman whose letter you read. (Here
is given statement as to his first
wifes unfaithfulness.)
II left her and II you will write to
any of the older citizens OF Farming
ton, Illinois, you will be able to know
surely that had no wife when mar
ricd the woman who lives in Califor-
MIA, and who was my lawful wife un-
til divorced December 4th, 1904.
Il have now told you all my history.
There is no one else and nothing more,
and L have nothing to conceal from
you or any one. l think the Presby-
terian minister married me to Miss
Louisa Cone. l got the marriage H.
censc at Lewiston, In Fulton county.
l think you had better send immedi-
atcly and find out all about her. II
there are any questions you or your
lawyer would like to ask 1 will take
pleasure In answering them.
TRIED TO DO RIGHT.
am not criminal. l have tried
to do right. 1 have had strange
history, but have never harmed nor
attempted nor done any act to defile
nor to lead any woman to do wrong.
: have had to endure it and 1t was
more than l could bear. 1 am sorry
to say that many Of our northern SO
clety women are not true to their hus-
bands. feel pretty sure that the well
bread southern lady is one whom
husband can trust.
1 recognize no man as my superior,
when 1t comes to purity Of character.
I am sorry Sister Mary suspicioned
me of being a scoundrel. It's bad for
all OF us, and would have been far bet.
ter TO use more patience and not lump
TO hasty conclusion. If 1 have
been too haSty or have made any mis-.
takes, it was OF my desire to have my
Rebekkah' with me to be my helper
and companion in arranging my man
uscsipt for publication as soon as pos
siblc"
Another letter from Millard tells of
q letter he wrote to the clerk OF court
out In Iowa, asking whether divorce
had ever been granted to Louisa Mil.
lard. 1t is evidently the reply to that
letter that was written on April 25th
by Clerk Stacy from Oiceola Iowa,
which had been copied above, stating
that a divorce was granted Louisa
Millard in 1890 Several letters from
Miss Kenyon to Millard were intro
duced IN evidence, but as they are not
or public character and furnish no
new Information In regard to the
charges against him, they are not re-
produced.