The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-04-26

spread interest, and which pre-
sents some of the most remark
able ever laid before court, ha,
just been begun by Mrs. Clairett'
Burleigh, against Charles r
Bunker for $4,000 for breach Of
promise.
Bunker is a wealthy business
man and Mrs. Burleigh has LIVED
with him for seventeen years as
his wife and is the mother of two
of his children.
She Is woman of education and
refinement, who has been received
in the best social circles.
In an interview that may be
justly termed a veritable human
document, Mrs. Burleigh-Bunkel
declares that she picked him ur
when he was cart peddler In the
street without penny and shaved
to help him make his fortune. The
moral she points is: Don't trust
mems promises. She warns WON.
Ell that their only insurance
against wrong is not to accept
their frail promises to wed.
A graduate of the state norma
school of New Hampshire, 9
school teacher and later the wife
of George w. Burleigh, of the
prominent Burleigh family of that
state, the distressed woman cannot
tell how she came to take up .hei
life with Bunker. Sometimes
she says, she thinks he mesmer.
lied her. She was divorced from
Burleigh.
Bunker introduced her every
where. she says, as his wife, ant
she signed legal papers as such
She had credit at all of the bis
stores as Mrs. Bunker, and fol
years all that money could buy
the man promising and promising
to make her his wife.
| Deaf to Her Appeals.
! With her four children, of which
Bunker is the father, and two 9th
er children from her marriag,
with Burleigh reaching the age O.
understanding, the woman becam,
desperate. She pleaded with Bunk
er to marry her and then get {
divorce, she says, so that the chill
dren might be legalized. But hi
refused, and she was forced t.
seek the courts for redress.
Il was forced to bring this sui
after having tried every other way
of getting Mr.. Bunker to do the
right thing" said Mrs. Burleigh
Il entreated him.
1t seems so strange as / look
back over 1t that even l canno
understand it. For myself I wa!
willing and still am willing to en-.
dure anything, but when it came
to the point of my children starv.
ing and wanting for the mere
necessities of life, and that man
laughing at my appeals for help,
knew that the critical point had
come. ! realized that I must de
something, even though that ster
were a desperate one and nearly
killed me in the doing.
Helped to Amass Riches.
Il helped Mr.. Bunker to make
the money that he now refuses me
even a cent Of. I was used to ev
cry luxury.
"Mr. Bunker has no education
He was only a common street ped
dler when 1 first knew him.
worked day and night to help hin
make money, and this is the return
l get when a prettier face ant
more stylish figure attracts hi
eye
"In 1887 I got divorce from
Mr.. Burleigh on the grounds o
desertion and cruelty. with tn,
custody of the two children.
| After divorcing Mr.. Burleigh
worked in the millinery depart
ment of the big Labonte establish
ment at Manchester at salary O
$40 a week, which was excellen
in those days.
infatuated by PeddIer.
On my way to dinner uset
to pass a peddler's cart. The ped
dler's name was Charles E. Bunk
er. He didn't have a cent to hi
name. How l ever got mixed III
with him is more than I can tel
now. l was infatuated. Some
times I almost believe / was mes
merized. l was then about twenty
three years old, and Mr.. Bunke,
was about the same age.
Our friendship progressed rap
idly. He proposed marriage anc
promised 1t faithfully. About tina
time l went west to California
where my mother and brothel
were. l took my two children
with me. While out there m,
daughter Hazel was born. Bunk
er led me to believe that our mar
rage would take place as soon a.
he could get his affairs fixed up
He wrote for me to come east, and