The Washington times., 1905-10-18
BURBANK DIVORCED
BY FILIPINO WIFE
Wins Decree From Army
Lieutenant.
ENGAGED TO KANSAS GIRL
Matrimonial Ventures of Sidney S. Bur
bank Lead to His Trial by
CourI-Martial.
ENGAGED TO KANSAS GIRL

MANILA. Oct. 1S.-Conceptionl Velas-
cuez Burbank, the Filipino wife of
First Lieut.. Sidney S. Burbank, Sixth
Iniantry' mas been granted a divorce
from her husband, on the grounds of
oeseruon ana non-support, by the court
Oh nrst instance at Iloilo. Judge Bates,
presioins In the case, has granted all
mohy lor the support of the wife. and
given her the custody of her child.
So far as the law is concerned p,,r-
bank is free to marry Miss Matte r.
Stone. of Leavenworth. the daughter of
state senator. and Kansas belle. The
lieutenant is now being tried by court
Harual Tor conduct unbecoming an
officer and gentleman"
burbank was in the Philippines in 1901
and 1902 with his regiment. There ne
met. wooed and married Concepcion Vel
asquez They lived together as man
ana wife, and child was born to them
on ms return to the United States
Burbank promised his island bride to
return 10 her lie failed to do SO
mS'eao, f,f ne wooed Miss Stone. beauti-
Ing. s'aho-
Uncle Sans Aid.
They were engaged. and the news
reached the far-off Philippines. The
httle brown wife heard it. and asked
Uncle Sans aid.
burbank alleged blackmail, but Uncle
sam, grim and stern. investigated. In
uoiio the little wife. seeing the dis
loyalty Of her husband. sued for
divorce. 1t has been granted, and a
similar case. pending In Kansas, will
be dropped.
Miss Stone believes In the officer, and
has remained loyal to hir, throughout
the legal troubles
When word, in some way, reached the
F1hpino girl that Burbank was engaged
70 one OF his own people. she appealed
causing such row that, In view of
her claim that she was Burbanks legal
wife, the officer thought it best to bring
In answer TO this suit. the girl sent to
LeaVenworth paper purporting to be
p, q record OF ner civil marriage with
erly certified to-
Burbank's Statement.
Burbank's friends contend that there
never was marriage. Burbank admits
that his relations with the girl were Of
e domestic nature. but that it was we'll
unaerstqod between them that there
was 10 De no claim upon him. He as
serts that the girl was egged on to per-
secute him by a local Filipino justice,
whose brother his command had killed
In battle, and who wished to be re-
venged; that otherwise she never
would have been heard from. The lieu
tenant repudiates the child
In the crOSS-suft filed at I<eaven-
worth oy Conception Vasquez, in which
she asked for $50 a month alimony,
several very tender letters to her from
he called her his wife and declared
that he would soon return to her. Bur
bank admitted writing the letters, but
said that he had done so to prevent the
g1rl fom creating a scene as he was
leaving on the transport.
Lieutenant's Love Letters.
Among the exhibits are letters writ
en- by Lieutenant Burbank In the
Spanish language TO the woman They
are translated. and will be offered as
evidence TO show that the couple were
married as the woman claims One of
the translated letters. written as he was
about to depart for home, reads as fol-
lows:
MY Dear Wife Of My Heart-I will
never forget you. and all the time I
am thinking about you. / am very sor-
rowfui here without you, and am
sible now, because tomorrow or the day
after We are going away. Ny child, do
not come here Good-by. because 1 shall
come back to see you as sure as there
is a God in heaven. Today Felipe was
mere. and he will tell you ali what /
told him.
II wrote you the other day, telling you
not to come here because IL will be very
painful for. you to arrive here at night
ana l would be aboard OF the steamer ut
that time. and not able to see you OH
chill of my heart, do not think of me.
beca use my separation will be very pain
ful 10 YOU: but L cannot help IL.
Separation Was Painful.
IF had money of my own, l would
have retired from the army. even to-
morrow. But within five months more
l will be with you. and we will not be
separated again.
'Hqod-by, my lovely wife of my soul
i always remember you. and never will
] forget you, and l will be counting the
days TIL / come back to see you.
have received your kind kisses and hugs
and return your kisses and hugs also,
and that 1 will never forget you and
VII always think OF you all the time.
Your husband that loves you very much.
These letters were sent TO the War
Department by the woman. and when
Lieutenant Burbank was called on to
expiaic them he did so in this language:
NJ NY & only purpose - intent in writing
possible or probable scene, which the
said Conception Vasquez might have
made by coming to the transport at the
time Of sailing"
The girls suit was finally suspended
at Leavenworth and another action was
opened in the Philippines wi.s--t= = ;...s
just been adjudicated The showing of
the facts I'm the matter created such
scandal that the War Department was
forced 20 act in behalf of the girl. pre-,
suminR her badly treated. and so well
did II assist her that Burbank COM
planned that the department was counsel
for the plaintiff General Carter. at
Manila. ordered court-martial, which
was suspended on instructions from
Washington.
Taft Takes a Hand.
When Secretary Taft was recently in
the Philippines ne made a personal in
vestigation of the matter. with the re-