The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-09-01
NO MATRIMONIAL BUREAU
WITH slDEBoARp ATTACHED
The Propriety Of the kimono as a
Society Dress Demonstrated
in Court.
SHE SENT CLOTHES TO BILLY
Drank Cocktails But Knows Nothinq
OF the Exhiliration of the Sc
ductive HighbalI.

ductive HighbalI.
Wooster, Ohio, Aug. 29.-Mrs. Tag
gart was given somewhat of a scare
late this afternoon, when she was
turned over to Attorney Sterling for
cross-examination. During the last
half-hour of today session of the di-
vorce case counsel for Major Taggart
asked her as to her knowledge of per-
jury and its penalty. She evaded the
question cleverly.
On direct examination this morning
Mrs. Taggart denied that she was ever
drunk, but admitted that she took
whiskey straight when she drank; she
denied any improper relations with
General Miner, Lieut.. Fortesque or
Capt. Simmons, and said she did not
entertain young women to get them
married to army officers, incidentally
getting the latter so drunk that they
would propose, as witnesses for her
husband have alleged.
After dinner Judge Smyser spoke of
what he called the Van Duzen incident
To this Mrs Taggart replied that Mrs.
Van Duzen and Lieut.. Fortesque, a
nephew of President Roosevelt, had
called to invite her to a dance. She
was dressing, and she slipped on a
kimono and met her guests in the
captains den. The kimono was pro-
duced, beautiful yellow silk gar
ment Mrs. Vose, for the edifcation OF
the court, put on the dress.
Capt Taggart, Mrs. Taggart said, had
purchased the kimono for her at Ma
gasaki, Japan.
She admitted sending suit of clothes
to Billy, and had her name on the out
side of the package.
The matrimonial cyclone, as 1t was
called by Smyser, was then brought
up. Mrs. Taggart, at great length, told
of the beating given her by the cap
tain on returning from the function at
Poores. She said he grabbed her BY
the hair and throat, tore off nearly all
her clothing, dragged her to the door,
threw her out and said: "You can go to
the gutter, where you belong"
HE then pulled me back, choked me
again, threw me down and kicked me
up the stairs, saying: Oh you, I'll
fix YOU
'Taggart went into another room got
revolver, came back and said, 'D-n
you, I'll fix you He had pulled out
my hair. My body was black and blue
all over and there were two large
bruises on my shoulders"
Mrs. Taggart, on taking the stand,
was trifle paler than yesterday. She
wore the same gown as on Monday
and an air of self-possession dominated
her every action.
Judge Smyser first asked her num-
Der of minor questions as to her life at
the Haller home in Wooster. She was
asked as to Perry Ropes story about
buying beer for herself and the boys
at Koch's cafe. She denied the Incl
dent and declared that nothing OF the
sort had ever happened.
Smyser then began questioning her
rs to the life at Fort Leavenworth.
Il rarely drank. have drunk cock
tails, but seldom. never drank a |
highball, When drank whiskey,
which was infrequently, took 1t
straight, and but little," she testified.
She said as TO Capt Taggart's drink
ing that he would imagine things.
Liquor went to his head, she said, and
made him jealous. His drinking in
creased somewhat during their ,tay at
Fort Leavenworth.
The cotillion at Fort Leayenworth
was then gone into. She told of the
guests and those in receiving line, the
going down to supper, and then to the
cotillion, which began at IL o'clock.
after the party broke up" she said,
"a few of us remained in the hall, and
Capt Taggart took some down to the
house to have some champagne"
The party was a success, she said.
She had brought the champagne from
Chicago. and 1t was charged to her
mother.
Mrs. Taggart told of the incident in
which Capt Taggart is alleged to have
told Lieut.. Fortesque not to visit their
home. They had come from a party
and the ladies asked Fortesque to take
of his hat and join them. but he said
be was on the water wagon" and
would go on. Capt. Taggart said he