The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-01
"Hung Around" Grass Widow
Till Wife Interfered.
SAYS SHE TOLD MRS. GAGE
Witness i'm Alienation Suit
Holds Her Own.
Lawyers Find Ready Wit and
Cunning Battling.

Ih6r6 Was spice ana pepper III the
district court today. when Mrs. Mar
tina Shafer not only related incidents
of Susan F'ilbert's f1irtations and rela-
tions with William Gage, but said the
grass widow all but stole the atten-
tions of her own husband. 1t was
Mrs. Shafer who furnished an enter
tanning hour for the crowd in the court
room when lawyers for the defense
rufled her temper and irritated her
already unfriendly feeling for Mrs.
Filbert.
From Mrs. Shafer's lips came
stories of how William Gage left his
wife alone on the farm, while he went
to town each Saturday with the. wild
ow. They always rode in single
buggy, the witness said, and sat right
close together. Once Mrs. Shafer saw
Gage hugging the woman.
That was not all. Repeated objec-
tions fro1Ti attorneys for the defense
mystitied and puzzled the witness and
she lost her temper. SO she politely
told all she knew about Cages strand
ed affections, for the loss of which
Mrs. Gage seeks to recover $4,000.
Mrs. Shafer is quite stout She has a
ready stock of natural wit and cum
ming and these assets were used to
good advantage in the cross fires with
the lawyers.
her Me4lOfy - OOOO'
Just when it seemed that Mrs. Sha-
fer had told all she knew, the witness
took fresh start. She had told of
seeing Gage and the grass widow at
Vinewood park at IL o'clock at night.
In her story she had related incidents
of the frequent trips which the couple
made to Topeka and Big Springs. Her
memory was also good concerning the
numerous visits that Gage made to the
Filbert home and of his attentions for
the woman.
did you ever talk with Mrs. F'ilbert
about Gage?" was asked.
Yes, 1 certainly did" replied the
witness Il told her she ought to send
him home and she said, old Saily don't
need him guess and Gage kept right |
on staying"
Ever talk with Gage about his re-
Iations with the woman?" counsel
asked.
He Confessed, She Says.
t'Well. he said to me a year ago last
spring that he knew enough about the
woman to write a book. Said he had
stayed with her more or less off and on
for four years and told me about their |
relations. He seemed sort of jealous |
of her cousin. Told me he had seen |
him sitting on her lap and hugging her /
and Gage didn't seem to like that a
Bit
After the woman had covered tie de- /
tails of Cages confession of intimacy
with the grass widow, the witness was /
turned over to the defense for cross eX- |
animation.
Don't like Mrs F'ilbert very well" "'
asked ]. B. Larimer for the defendant |
No, I don't" snapped the witness,
as she emphatically slapped the arm |
of her chair, and I guess you wouldn't |
like her much either if you were in my |
place"
Jealous of her are you?"
mo, not just exactly that. But /
thought my man was hanging around !
there a little too much, too. So I put a |
stop to it,
She Saved Her Husband. !
Was Shafer paying considerable at
tention to Mrs. F'ilbert?''
Cant just say as to that, but he I
would have been if I hadn't brought q |
halt. always kept my eyes open, as I
pickle with Bill Gage
You told Mrs. Gage what you heard, /
of course?" -
You bet I did. guess some of it
would keep. but / gave it to her the
first time 1 saw her"
Didn't you prevail on Mrs Gage to T
bring this suit?''
No, sir, not bit of it, and the wit |
ness eyes snapped fire ''If it had been
my affair. would have done something /
else besides bring a suit
How much trouble did you ever have
W.T. Mith A.! Mrs; Fibert concerning your hus-
Cant say that we ever had much of |
any trouble But we would have had |
trouble if my man hadn't stopped going !
there"
Her Testimony Sensational.
For an hour Mrs. Shafer continued 70 |
send to the lawyers answers in the same |
tone questions were asked. Once she re-
ferred to the defendant as a thing" but |
the court removed this term from the /
jury. Other bits of the witness evidence |
was deftly taken from the record but +
her testimony was the most sensa tionaf /
that the plaintiff offered in the trial OF /
the case.
Cy Vurseau. sweetheart of the defend
ants pretty young daughter told of his
frequent visits to the Filbert home. He /
woman but Mrs. Gage was never with
her husband Nurseau had not the least
idea how long Gage stayed if he went I
home at all. At 10 and II O'clock when
the witness reluctantly bid his sweetheart +
goodnight, Gage was still in the home /
and showed not the least tendency to |
evacuate.
Went Hunting With Him.
Other neighbors told of seeing Gage and |
the widow frequently together and were /
often seen going to town in Mrs. Filbe-t's
single buggy. 1t was also related that
Der to hunt walnuts, that they ate their
meals together in Mrs. Filbert'S home
and Gage seemed happy and contented /
in the presence of the widow
This afternoon the plaintiff announced |
their completion of their evidence. About |
a dozen witnesses win be used this. after I
noon by the defense to refute the stories /
of the complainant in her action for s. 0OG |
damages for the loss of her husbands af- I
fectionS
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