The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-16
LOVE LETTERS.
Many of Captain Taggart's Epis-
ties to His Wife
Are Produced in Court by AttOr-
ney for Defense.
THEY ARE APOLOGETIC
And Ask Forgiveness for Wrongs
Not Mentioned.
He Denies Having Torn Her
Clothes to Tatters.
THEY ARE APOLOGETIC

Wooster, o., Aug. 16.-The outcome
of domestic troubles of Captain Tag
gart and his wife may have been
solved by the production in court of
the love letters of Captain Taggart,
written to his wife during the time
he was confined in the hospital at Fort
| Leavenworth. Some of the letters
were written while Captain Taggart
was i'll. The letters were not intro
duced as evidence only as they were
submitted to Captain Taggart in the
form of extracts. Along the line of
cross examination he was asked by
Mr.. Smyser to affirm or deny the facts
as set forth over his signature. The
witness was obliged to admit that
every letter was written by his hand
| but asserted that the terrible circum-
stances which surrounded him at the
Fort Leavenworth hospital account
for the strangely pleading and peni-
tent tone in which the letters were
written.
Two letters written at Fort Leaven-
worth, one dated November 1, the
other November %, 1903, were shown
| to Captain Taggart. He admitted
writing the letters. Some endearing
terms were used to his wife. In one
| letter the captain wrote:
Il never knew what it was to be
unhappy in all those years. I could
see an all-day affection which made
my home heaven on earth.'
He Begged Forgiveness.
In another he said: eff all the
saints had come below to say some
thing would come between us,
\ wouldn't have believed it, 1 humbIv
pray to God that he and you will for
give me for the part I have taken in
all this
81 wrote that" he answered, while
on a sick bed"
| September 2S. Did you write that?''
Not all of it,
I'm speaking of Chick did you
write that the malicious things that
absolute faith tnat everybody was as
innocent as you?''
Did you also write, and now ask
you to make the paths come together.
am the one to start over again and
all ! wish you to do is to show me the
way. I have faith in your hard COM
/ mon sense, the sense that will take you
and me and Culver and Tiddles
through life together -
| t'If it is in that letter 1 wrote it,"
sand Taggart.
did you also write, Il want to get
down on my knees and plead as no one
has ever done for your forgiveness and
s.I wrote it if it's there"
| "I knew of my awful conduct
which made you go to California and L
must make proper amends for your
coming. If ever a man has been pun
ished for his rash act by all the tor
lures by day and night, I have suffered
them ALL Did you write that?''
| ST did,
Letters Were Apologize.
| Attorney SmySer read to Captain
Taggart many selections from letters
written to his wife while on a sick bed
at Leavenworth. The letters had
very humiliating tone and were apollo
getic in tone
Passages from one of these read,
| "Please let me ask your pardon for
my awful conduct. As I look for the
paper to write this letter, the picture
of our dead baby comes before me. I
see the little mound and the flowers
you placed there when last we stood
together at the grave-side of our lost
darling. You have been Inundated
and wronged enough. Please tell me
you will never let your name and mine
| be dragged publicly before court
martial. Do think of one thing. You
may have told Colonel Miner that I
put you out of doors nearly naked.
Don't let that be said of US. You
know you was not outside, and before
| it is too late, please correct it. My
charges are probably being made out
| of it. If that is in them, look ahead
to an awful future and am an outcast
from the world. You must do this
before it is too late, then 1 will say,
! God bless you,' and you can go to San
| if you can't forgive me. You may say
| to Colonel Miner that my trouble is
drink and ask him to put me on the
pledge"
| This letter referred almost entirely
to the occurrences of the night when
Mrs. Taggart is alleged to have passed
her time with Fortescue at the home
of Captain Poore.
Admits He Slapped Her.
Captain Taggart admits that he
slapped Mrs. Taggart on that night but
SAYS his violence went no farther. At
this functure the clothing alleged to
have been torn from the form of Mrs.
lTaggart on the night of separation was
produced. The exhibition was a bunch
of rags. 1t bore no resemblance to a
| dress with the exceptions that a few
buttons were visible among the shreds.
| One wrist band was intact but there
was no other evidence of what kind of
/ a garment it had been. When the
bunch of torn clothing was unrolled
| Captain Taggart said:
/ ssThat buRdle was forgery. 1t is
lfalse," he shouted. 81 never did such
| a terrible thing.
In Justice to Captain Taggart, it
must be remembered that the evidence
contained in the letters submitted in
court was written when he said he had
been taken violently from his chill
weakened him both mentally and
physically. He testifes that When he
left the Fort Leavenworth hospital he
weighed less than hundred pounds -
/ Charges Filed in Washington.
Washington, Aug. 16.-It is now
stated at the war department that
charges were filed there last April
against Major Taggart. who is suing
his wife for. divorce in Ohio, but no
action has been taken on the charges,
lnor will anything be done until the
Termination of the present suit. The
lcharges relate to matters out of which