Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-02-08
This Constitutes Six n :, Allow-
ance to Bryan's DA
COMING TO AMERICA A
For Ghildren's Sake, Artist WillA
Divorce on Such Charges. v
BUT HE STANDS BY HIS WIFE
Asserts she Has Been Induced 60 Act
by Undue influence and Hopes
TO Win Even Against
odds In Nebraska.

CHICAGO, Feb. lin a special cable
from Paris. the Chicago. Examiner says:
William H. Leavitt, the artist, saw for
the first time today the charges made
against him by his wife, Ruth Bryan
Leavitt in her suit for divorce as outlined
in dispatches from Lincoln. Neb Leavitt
therein Is described as an improvident bo-
hemian. and It Is said that Bryan found
Ruth and the children in absolute want
in Denver.
The description of Leavitt as a bohemian
amuses his friends in Paris. Ever since
his marriage he has Kept up a studio at
Newport, where his wife refused to live,
fearing that her residence in the city of
mnlionaires might lnjure her fathers po-
litical chances for the presidency. In Paris
he moves In the best social and artistic
circles.
Calls Her Charges Lies.
He said today:
Every one OF the charges given out
FROM Lincoln is lle and Ruth's letters
to me and her fathers prove it now. l
intend to contest this suit and they may be
sure that / will fight to the end. One
thing I must say is that ] don't think the
suit was brought by Ruth of her own free
will There is an undue influence on the
part of others. I understand perfectly well
that | am going into fight in which the
odds are against me. for the suit is to
fbe brought In Nebraska.
For lawyer, Ruth has her uncle, Tom
Allen, who is chairman of the democratic
state committee. and his partner, Talbot,
who holds a high position on the republi-
can side. But I shall get justice in the
end.
II see that they have dropped the charge
of inn haf iQ
that II would not stand for moment in
the face of the evidence have. The charge
of non-support is another baseless lie.
Says He Sent Money Regularly.
ut is a lie, too, that Mr.. Bryan ever
found Ruth In want in Denver She has
always had money from me. and on Janu-
airy 81 I sent as usual her six months al
lowsnce draft on the Franco-American
Bank Of Paris for t2.50o The Lincoln
statement says they do not know my ad-
dress. so they had to serve notice by pub
iioatIon. This Is another falsehood. Ruth
wrote me weekly. Bryan wrote, and even
Allen had my address when he wrote me
asking to consent to a snapshot divorce.
My witnesses from Denver and New Or
leans will give a very different account
of this matter.
81 say nothing against Ruth. Until
spoke 10 the SUNDAY COIItSlloii-
dent have never said word in reply
10 all the rumors and allegations but
shall not stand for any more. For the
sake OF my son and daughter, and for my
own sake, I cannot permit this unjust
divorce to be granted on grounds both
false and slanderous."
starts for America "wednesday.
Leavtt would have left Paris by Satur-
days steamer. had he not been forced to
stay over few days to complete arrange
ments COR the French salon in America,
OF which he is president. Five hundred
pictures of leading French painters will
be shipped next week and the French salon
in America opens March in Washington
In the meanwhile Leavitt's big canvas,
''The Last supper" has been packed for
shipment to England. 1t will he exhibited
at the Walker art gallery in Liverpool
and afterward In the municipal galleries
at Glasgow. Belfast, Manchester. Dublin
and other cities before being taken to New
York.
Ieavitt will attend the opening OF his
exhibition in Liverpool, Tuesday, and then
sail the next day for New York, where
after conference with his lawyers. he
Will go direct to Lincoln. Neb