The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-10-08


the handing down decision by the su-
perior Court in the divorce suits Of An
gustus Hartje against his wife, Mary
Scott Hartje. sensational evidence was
filed in Philadelphia on Saturday with
the Superior Court by Hartje, which
caused the Superior Court judges TO hold
back the decision.
It is understood that the entire court
agreed in the finding. and that it upheld
the lower court, which refused 10 grant
a divorce TO Harue. The new evidence,
it is said, may result in an entirely new
decision, and cause the Superior Court
to al least grant a new trial 20 the
millionaire paper manufacturer The new
evidence consists mainly Of letters al
legged 10 have been written by Mrs.
Hartjes two sisters. Helen and Ida. 10
Howard Lappe. 10 whom Ida was en-
gagged 10 be married. and with whom she
eloped TO Youngstown. only TO be brought
back by her father before the ceremony
was performed.
II is alleged by Hartje that he pur-
chased these letters from Lappe, whose
attentions 10 Miss Ida have ceased.
AIr. Hartje said tonight:
NO matter what the Superior Court Of
Pennsylvania may do with my divorce
case. I feel that I am now indicated be-
fore the world The letters from Mrs.
Hartje's sister 70 Lappe prove my case.
I have nothing 10 say about a man who
viii sell the letters received from his
former sweetheart, for that is what he
did
There may have been circumstances
which induced him 20 90 as he did. but
the fact remains that we have the letters.
which materially help to prove our case.
and we own them, because we bought
them"
1Ir Hartje also admitted that a sister
Of Mrs. Hartje had offered 70 testify
against Mrs HarLe, if given so much
money.
Another Nadine Letter.
There is also sensational letter al
legged TO have been written 10 Tom
Nadine by Mrs. Hartje, in which are
startling statements regarding the illness
Of Hartje, which leads 10 the belief that
an attempt was made 10 poison him.
Probably the most sensational evidence
Is contained in the letters from Ida and
Helen Scott. IN which IL appears. the new
evidence declares. they actually Matched
Up a scheme TO blackmail their own
father, compelling him 70 give them
money OF they would refuse 10 testify FOR
their sister and testify instead for Hartje,
thus telling the truth as the letters init
mate. The scheme Of blackmaH Is alleged
TO have been carried 10 the extent Of
threatening the attorneys for Mrs. Mary
Scott Hartje. as her letter to Lappe
signed Helen" tells Of how y. NJ. r"
Attorney John NJ Freeman. had been
I frightened when they walked into the
Office. and how some person had been
brought TO time"
Another sensational letter from Ida" IS
submitted IN which, it IS alleged, she tells
/ Lappe that they viii not now so 70 Mr..
Hartie with their testimony, since papa
( has fixed it Up. the inference being that
the girls had been promised the money.
which they wrote they would demand as
the price of their silence.
| Nor is il denied by J. F. Scott. father
2 Of Mrs HarJje and Ida and Helen Scott
I that his sixteen-year-old daughter Ida did
demand Of him monthly allowance, not
4 only for herself, but for Howard W
I Lappe. the young man she expected 70
marry.
Mr. scott silent.
! Mr. Scott Will not talk Of this phase OF
the affair. but said. regarding Mr.. Hartje:
/ Il am not surprised at anything Mr.
/ Hartje does. or says. A man who would
! hire seven attorneys 10 defend a negro
would do anything"
/ Mrs. Scott tonight said she could not
! speak of the letters because she did not
/ know whether her daughters had written
/ them
Miss Helen Scott refuses TO be seen,
! and Ida Scott is at. boarding school in
/ New Jersey.
/ In the statement submitted 70 the Su-
perior Court, there are copies of letters
alleged to have been written by Mrs.
| Hartje 10 Tom" Nadine, when both
/ were in Europe. in 1850.
/ Mr.. Hartje asserts tonight that his
wife tried to poison him in Paris. and
cites, in defense Of his assertion, let
ter purporting to have been written 10
/ Nadine by Mrs. Hsrtje, from London. IN
/ part. this letter reads;
Dear Tom: While I was out yester-
/ day Mary l. was in the room alone with
papa. He seemed well all day. and had
| Just taken one OF his large pills, wnen he
| tainted and fell to the floor. Men came
| from the Office and he worked in a spasm
/ for three hours. We all thought every
minute was his last The doctor came
ana said 1t was just from his nerves. He
was very sick all night. but seems bet
| ter to-day The doctor got a nurse. anJ
| he will be in bed a week or so. He waa
nearly dead. and he was cold al ove-.
Now II anything should happen I will
go home IN two weeks I am not sure
4 you viii get this, or I would write the
true feeling of my heart this minute.
am living on your promise, try again.