The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-15
HEART BALM HIGH
Claude N. Ware Is Awarded
$4,000 Today.
Amount Of Damages From
Wealthy Chicago Man.
STOLE AWAY HIS WIFE
S. g. WOrden Made No Defense
in Court.
Verdict Largest of Kind Ever
Given Here.
STOLE AWAY HIS WIFE

Ihe largest verdict ever returned in
the Shawnee district court was
brought in at 11:3O O'Clock today
awarding Claude N. Ware, an express
messenger, $35,O00 damages against S.
G. Worden. of the firm of De Bower
& Elliott, publishers, Of 315 Dearborn
street, Chicago, for the alienation OF
his wife's affections.
The jury was out but a few minutes.
S. G. Worden made no appearance and
sent no attorney. Only a few minutes
were taken in arguing before the jury.
The woman in the case was formerly
Miss Elizabeth NJ. Bunce, one of the
most beautiful girls of Topeka She
lived with her mother and stepfather'
Chas. Thompson, at III West Seven
teenth street At the age of Is, on
March 8, 1901. she married Claude N.
Ware, who was employed by the Uni
ted States Express company. He was
25. They went to Kansas City where
he was transferred and lived thereafter
part of the time in Kansas City and
part of the time in Topeka.
She was described on the witness
stand today as "a vivacious, voluptuouS
woman of wonderful beauty who would
make any mans heart beat quicker"
Such was her appearance when S. q.
Worden, the near-millionaire of Chi
cago, met her in Kansas City in 1908.
Her little girl, Irma- was years old.
The two were introduced by Mrs
Lance, a neighbor and friend of Mrs.
Ware.
Promises of diamonds. fine clothes,
luxury and travel turned the beautiful
woman's thoughts from her husband,
her home and her little girl. Worden,
with his wealth, bought her all these
things and took her on trip around
the world.
Ware Tells His story.
The first intimation Ware received
was this knowledge that his wife had
cast aside her home and all for the
Iuxuries wealth could give her. On the
stand this morning, he told of his dis
covery.
TT was January Is, 1908, return
ed home from work and found my wife
and her trunk gone. A neighbor said
she had received a call from the Savoy
hotel to meet Worden there. 1 went 70
the hotel and found his name on the
register 1 knew then my wife was
in his room. The clerk called him
down. 1 raved, of course, but they
would not let me go to his room so
had to go away
A few days later Ware received
letter from Minneapolis written by
Worden telling him that Bessie (Eiiza-
beth, his wife) was perfectly happy.
In June of 1909, Ware secured a di-
vorce and the custody of his child
During September following, Ware
received ten page letter from Worden
written in Los Angeles. He wrote in
part:
Bessie is very happy and contented.
One reason ] write you is to let you
know she is also respectable. We were
married September 2, 1909, and she has
everything she wants. l have sold my
business here and We are off for trip
to the far east, China and Japan. All
our relations have been honorable and
I shall give my life and all to mako
~I-E Ill
spectacle.
''WhiIe 1 did take Bessie from you.
you will admit that 1 am man in
every sense of the word and will treat
her with the highest affection If you
care to write to her you may address
the letter to me and if its contents are
of a kindly nature, she shall see 1t.
otherwise she will not. We are leav-
ing tonight for Vancouver, British Co
lumbia, from whence we sail for Hong
Kong. We will stop in Manila Decem-
Der IL, at the Orient hotel and letter
would reach us there.
'Forgive us both and remember we
have nothing but kindest regards.
''Sincerely, S. G. WORDEN."
To this was added a short note
from Mrs. Worden stating that every
thing her husband wrote was true and
that she wished him (Ware) every
thing good in life.
There was no indication that Mrs.
her husband or her child until let
ter written by her followed the Los
Angeles letter from Hong Kong. This
was dated December 8. 1909. at the
Astor house. The letter was forward
ed from Topeka, Wares residence at
the time to Clearwater, Florida
where his father had taken him in an
attempt to brace him up. The note
reads:
reach u S. about March or April and
I an coming to see Irma. I hope you
will! condescend to permit me to see
her without hesitancy.
Trusting you and baby are well, I
am, respectfully yours.
MRS. S. G. WORDEN."
Father of Ware Testifes.
Claude Wares father was one of the
few witnesses placed on the stand to-
day. He is DR.. M. Ware of 22S Wa
bash avenue, Oakland, now retired.
Formerly he was the supreme medical
director of the National Aid society
and came to Topeka from South Da-
kota to take UP that work. He testi-
fed that after his wife left him, his
son became despondent and worked
onIv at intervals. He took him to
Florida several times in an effort to
get him to forget his loss and humilia-
fion. His son, he said, could always
get his job back when he wanted to
work because the company knew his
circumstances. Many times his boy
would go to work in the morning but
return to him before noon. he said.
Further DIR. Ware gave testimony
regarding a meeting with Worden in
Topeka, the only time the Chicago
millionaire ever visited the state
This was after the damage suit was
Instituted on July 1880 Mrs. Wor-
den. following her desire to see her
daughter, came to Topeka. The girl
was in the custody of Dr. Ware and