The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-10-03
MAIL ORDER LOTHARIO
SHRINkS At EXPOSURE
OF SILLY ENGAGEMENT
South Dakota Banker Finds
His Letters To St. Louis
Girl Annoying.

st Louis, Mo-. Oct. 1.--CourtshiL
by mail Is only the "skimmed milk OF
love" according to Floyd d. Headlee.
O South Dakota banker, against whom
n breach of promise damage suit.
brought by Anna Lacey Ballman, 1916
Ferguson avenue, st. Louis. for
S25.000, Is being tried now in Dead
wood, s. ID.
Headlee is az years old and admits
that he is rather old maidish," be-
cause he does not use tobacco in any
form, according to q series of love let
tiers which were read in the court room
and which were written to Miss Ball
man.
Miss Ballman Is a shopgirl, young
and good looking. AS the letters were
read and her memory travelled back to
the happy days OF expectancy, when
she hoped to change her position for
that OF a bankers wife, her large eyes
brtmmed with tears of disappointment.
A severe grilling by the attorneys for
the defendant awaited the young COM
plainant when she took the stand Sat-
urday morning! The lawyers attempt
ed to show that Headlee broke the en-
gagement when he learned that she
was n divorced woman. "
Girl Shows Bankers Letters.
In answer to this Miss Ballman in
troduced letters written by Headlee
showing that he knew she had been
Divorced In 1907 from BaIlman, a st.
Louis shoe salesman, on charges of
cruelty and non-support.
Hundreds OF letters, some OF which
were written by the banker before he
had seer Miss Ballman, were read to
the jury. Each missiye contained terms
more ~endearing than the other.
The courtship by mail began three
years ago, and after a few notes had
been written, the banker came to st,
Louis to visit his prospective bride.
Alleging that he was wealthy, Headlee
proposed marriage In October, 1909,
Miss Ballman alleges. The young
woman was earning IS a week In a To-
cal department store at that time.
Two days before October 20. 1910. to
which Headlee refers in his letters as
the fatal day" he telegraphed Miss
BaIlman that the wedding would have
TO be postponed on account Of his faith
er's illness.
Engagement IL Called of.
On December 18, 1911, Headlee wrote
the bride-to-be that he would have to
call the wedding of, as his folks
need me, and, besides, / could not think
of taking a girl away from a city for
q hamlet like that in which / live.
Regarding the contemplated honey
MOON, Headlee writes In earlier letters
to his intended bride: I'VE have had
such a ng-distance courtship that our
honeymoon should last all the longer.
No, ] am not going to be a bit Jealous
OF you when you hug daddy. / am
pretty badly struck on Mother Lacy.
Now don't get Jealous"
Unde date line of December %, 1911,
the prospective bridegroom decides to
call all bets of. . .ss.. q.
TT is not right for fellow to keep
a girl waiting half her lifetime on rus
pense. as every year counts for quite
a good deal on the age Of a woman"
he wrote, land / thought 1t best, with
your consent, to call our affair off, for
! think 1t would be a foolish nov to
attempt it while l am located as l am
at present" b..
Tomorrow is Sunday another note
reads, land there will be church in our
little village, so / expect I'll put on
h most pious face ! car and go. They
have turned over the financial part Of
the institution for me to look after
while they are building their sew
church, $ I'll have TO be good
Tells of Great Love.
Relative 70 the depth Of his love for
Miss Ballman, Headlee writes in the
following lmpassioned style: Well, I
should say / do love you a whole lot;
a whole city BLOCK; yes, a whole big
town. In fact, so much I nave no way
Of measuring IL unless I were close to
you and then / would use my arms for
a measure and your lips for q place TO
record the results of my measure
ment." .-.E Id.
HeadIee appeared nervous and BASH
full as his love affair was being aired
for the ~edification OF his banking
friends and fellow church workers.