The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-05
MRS. TAGGART'S STORY
Her Father Is q Porter at the La
fayette Hotel, Chicago.

Chicago. Aug. 5.-Grace Viola Tag
CART, the Chicago woman from whom
Major Gilmore T. Taggart of the
United States army is seeking a di-
of John Manville, a hotel porter in a
West Madison street lodging house,
and not the daughter of Charles Gull
yer, the wealthy board of trade ope-
rator. She was adopted by Culver
with her sister when Manville entered
the federal army forty-four years ago.
Il have never made any secret of
my daughters adoption" said Man
$40 West Madison street. Mrs. Gull
yer, who is my sister, wanted the two
girls because she had no children. My
wife and gave them up cheerfully
because we knew the Culvers could
give them better advantages than we
could"
Knew Father as "UncIe john"
While Manville was a soldier and
later a North Dakota farmer, his two
daughters were reared in luxury,
thinking that Mr.. and Mrs Culver
were their parents. Manville was
known as "Uncle John" and seldom
went to the Culver home.
MY wife and 1 moved around often
and we didn't see much of the girls
while they were young said Manvjlle
fayette house. 1--WE had three boys to
look after. SO we were never lonesome
for children. When we came to Chi
cago and visited the Culvers the chill
dren called their mother 'auntie' and
me uncle Mrs. Culver was addressed
as mother and Culver, as father.
las the Culvers had legally adopted
the two girls we never objected. It was
the wish of their foster parents, so
that was all there was to it, 1 think
Grace knew she was an adopted daugh-
ter of the Culvers. She was 4 years old
when she went to live with her aunt
Mrs. Taggart IS, Not 35.
Manville's statement regarding Mrs.
Taggart's age is of interest, as she has
posed as a woman of 35. He said he
entered the army in 1861, and, as that
was A years ago, his daughter must
now be 48 years of age. She married
Taggart in 1890.
THE story that Grace and her sister
have disowned me is not true contin-
ued Manville. "They write to me
| regularly. I have visited Grace since
her marriage. Only last week 1 had a
| letter from MIS-. Shields, Grace's sister,
saying that if I wanted to go to Wooster
for the divorce trial she would send
me the money. The girls have always
| treated me kindly. Their mother died
in Dakota eight years ago.
IT knew nothing of the Taggarts
domestic troubles until I read of them
in the papers. Grace never complained
of her husband to me. knew that the
charges Taggart has made against
GRACE are 1dlSe. one was d ROOQ girl
and could not have become a bad wo-
man.
Defends Daughter From Charges.
"Taggart's assertion that his wife has
squandered $35, 900 of his salary during
the last ten years is ridiculous. If
Grace spent that amount of money, it
was her own, given by her foster par
ents- Taggart never gave Grace a
| cent"
rs it true that Maj. Taggart was
kept in ignorance of your daughters
adoption by the Culvers until after his
marriage?" Manville was asked.
IT don't know" he replied. II wasn't
at the wedding. 1 was in North Da-
kota, and was not told of the marriage
until after it had taken place. When
met Taggart 1 was introduced as Grace's
uncle, but that was not unusual
Besides her father, Mrs. Taggart has
two brothers named ManVille. One lives
in Chicago and the other in Cleveland.
Her father has been the porter at the
Lafayette house for four years.