The Detroit times., 1908-12-10
spy IN TREE LOOKS
FOR EVIDENCE IN
DIVORCE CASE
MAN WATCHES FIFTH AVENUE
HOME FROM ELM IN CENTRAL
PARk-LAReE FORTUNE is AT
STAKE.

NEW YORK, Dec. 10.-Back OF the
decree or divorce handed down In
favor OF William c. Roberts. the
wealthy president OF the Bates Num-
boring Machine Company. Manhattan
and Brooklyn. lies, as disclosed by
the testimony. one OF the most inter-
esling stories OF Its kind In court an
mails.
The characters include men of mil
lions. a Coffee King" and officers OF
Mr.. Roberts company, the last act,
ing as sleuths.
The scenes are. first. trees In Gen.
trail Park. in the tops OF which high
officer in the Bates Numbering Ma
chine Company perched almost all
night 10 spy on Mrs. Roberts In her
magnificent home at the corner or
Fifth-ave. and Sixty-eighth-st.: second
Mrs. Roberts bedroom, under the bed
in which this same oficer OF the Rob-
er.s company hid at night: third.
notorious house in West Thirty eighth
ct. in which Senator Thomas c. Platt.
gazing at q woman's slipper. was sur
prised by his wife. the former Mrs
Janeway.
The utmost secrecy had been OBJ
served by the Robertses in connection
with their divorce proceedings. Only
for the fact that Mr.. Roberts disput-
ed the bill OF detective agency he
had employed to obtain evidence,
nothing, perhaps. ever would have
been heard of them outside court cir
cles. AS 1t was. the detectives sued
Mr.. Roberts. Their action drew az
the cat out OF the bag.
Identity 10 Hidden.
BY special arrangement between
the lawyers for Mr.. Roberts and those
acting for his wife, Agnes McFaul
Roberts, the identity OF the cores
pondent was hidden in the divorce
papers under the fictitious name OF
Count Schmidt" This count, how
ever, is known TO have been million
aire coffee man. The other cores
pondents, It is also known, include a
physician we'll known in Fifth-ave. cir
cles, and a millionaire ship builder
Under the interlocutory decree
handed down in White Plains by SUI
preme Court Justice Arthur ). Tomp-
kins, the custody of the only child OF
the Robertses. a boy seven years old,
was awarded TO the father.
From the testimony adduced before
Referee ADram A. Demarest, who rec
commended that decree be granted.
1t was revealed that the Robertses
were married In Normandy. suburb
OF ST. Louis, March s, 1897. They
moved TO this city, where they took
up their abode eventually at No.
East Slxty-eighth-st.
Last September Mr. Roberts appears
to have Recommendations and EN-
Moved detectives to watch his Wife.
Papers were served on her. and then
she and he separated, he going 10 the
home OF George s. Hice, treasurer OF
his company, the Bates Numbering
Machine, and she taking up her resi-
dence In the Hotel Majestic.
In the meantime, however, Mr.. Rob-
erts had become impatient over the
manner in which the detectives were
obtaining evidence. He enlisted the
able services OF his office STAN.
Mr.. Hice at night climbed trees In
Central Park and gazed into Mrs. Rob-
erts' room, and John Barnes, another
employe. Swallowed Mrs. Roberts
whenever she left the house. Hice
also did some shadowing, and. accord
ing to the testimony. he followed Mrs.
Roberts to a house In West Thirty
eighth-st.. made famous by the Sena-
tor Plat episodes.
Rolled Down stairs.
Mr.. Hice swore that he had seen
Mrs. Roberts go In that house on sew
eral different occasions; that he had
waited outside once forty minutes, and
hat she did not come out again. That
was in the merry mo:sh OF May, TOO.
He inquired Of the police and learned
the character of the house.
The keeper OF the house swore that
Mrs. Roberts had been there to call
IN an elderly gentleman. who had rent
ed a room by the year. and who had
.old her that Mrs. Roberts was his
wife.
Mr.. Hice, 1t also appears, had hid
len under Mrs. Roberts bed on one
and had almost been caught
,y her. So narrow a shave was II for
him that II Is alleged he had to roll
down the stairs TO escape.
Mrs. Roberts maid and an elevator
Doy also gave testimony adverse to
Mrs. Roberts. After hearing all the
'acts the referee recommended de-
,ree OF divorce. That accordingly was
granted yesterday by Judge Temp