The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-11-16
KEPT HIS CASH.
GAVE 1T TO INTENDED no amg A
DIvoROh.
An Aged Man Who Wanted .ome
One to Love, but Found
It Expensive.

Hiram p. Holmes, Of West Hurley
Ulster County. New York, begun ar
aosion in the Supreme Court against
Cornelius Du Mond, o politician, tt
recover $500 which, he says, he paid
Mrs. Slater upon condition that abe
get divorce and marry him. He al
loges conspiracy and false pretences.
Holmes is sixty.seven years old and
wtdower. While in sesIoh of q hou8s.
keeper o year ago, he says, he was
urged to SEQ Mrs. Slater, who, he was
told, was unmarried and whose real
name was Graoie Ellsworth. He SAYS
1t WAS proposed that II Mrs, Saltel
would marry and care, for him he
should leave her OIL, 900 at hiH death.
Ho accepted.
Then he received o letter from g ra.
ole saying that she was married. She
wanted $500 TO get divorce Holmes
says he paid the money to Du Mond.
who passed 1T on to Mrs. Slater. La.
tor, he says, the woman declared she
would bring no divorce action, never
intended TO bring 1T and that she and
her husband had the money whore he
could never find 1t.
Mrs. Slater says she is protected by
che following agreement, which Hol.
mes entered into:
This agreement, entered into this
2nd day OF January, 1905, between III.
Z. Holmes and Graoie Ellsworth Sla.
ter: do hereby make her preaent
Of $780, which is to be hor own, TO
spend or do with 90 abe may aee fi6,
she promising to become my house.
keeper and companion. also agree
to furnish her With money for nioS
clothes and other necessary expenses,
and, providing we are both satisfied,
L promise to give her $500 more, and
If she remains with mo throughout
life promise ber after my death, all
that I own. In case Of any dissatis
faction, then I demand this agree.
ment and nothing more, she to keep
the $500, but make no further de
mands."
She won't to work for Holmes on
January Ia, and within five minutes,
'he says, discovered that the aged
nan possessed more than q platonic
fl otion Toe nor. Blu. she admits abs
agreed to marry him, provided she oh
aimed divorce. She st!ll ia willing
TO carry out her contract, che declat.
eB.
Previous to the agreemen there
was much correspondence. Holm eR's
first letter to Oracle was addressed SO
Kind Lady" II am all alone" he
wrote, "snd am tired Of doing my
own cooking. I am good and kind
man, no bad habits, living Christian
life. / will further say that IL you
wish to make o change and be trus
and faithful to me, Will make over
to you Ovsr 81 900 In cash after get
SS,s 8 tes aiAt,- if, u,s.4ss,.s n y g gl,
Gtaoie replied that she wss sass
prlsed." But she continued. 1T would
seom awful nioo To have q nioa cosy
home Of your own and some ono to
love you. AS for cooking or baking
you can ask my Mlssus. She tells me
1 am AL, and think myself I am
very good at it,"
Mrs. Slater osn neither read nor
write, and the letter was written by
Du Mond at her diot&tion.
Holmes got down to busibess In his
next letter, which is addressed to My
Deaf Lady Friend" and continues:
You say before you will consent to
come / must promise to give over to
you $500. When I told you what yon
will get when get through with 1t,
certainly cannot draw out my money
to give to any one to spend before ~oy
eyes. 1t is my honest dollars that /
have saved. You say your age is
5wenty.nine. You wanted to know
my age. J. am twenty two yesys oldsr
Tin his complaint he sveSrs to being
sixty-seven years old.) My age does
not hurt me. 1 feel just as good aa Il
[ was twenty years.
why, dear lazy, am very tender
over wife; do anything to please
her. The ono lost almost killed me
and II can accomplish getting anoth
or one, why would almost think yor
were an angel Of heaven come unto
me-"
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