The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-10
Tells How Ratcliffes
Took Away His Bride
After Ceremony.
BARES SECRETS ON
WITNESS STAND
Mrs. Walker in Court as Groom
t ellis Jury of Their Long
Friendship-C allied From
Honeymoon, at boswell, by
Telegram Saying Mrs.
Radcliffe Was Dying.

Before a crowded courtroom, Thomas
Grant Walker, plaintiff in the $4,000
suit for damages against H. T., Rat
clffe and other members of the Rat
cliffe family for alienation Of his wife's
affections, yesterday recited in the Law
and Equity Court the story OF his love
for Elizabeth Ratcliffe. and of how. by
| means OF Il false telegram and an al
legged conspiracy on tho part of her
family, she was torn from his side ten
hours after they were married
| Mrs. Walker, the bride. becomingly
attired. sat near the front of the room
and listened intently to her husbands
account of their courtship her appar-
ent love for him and her desire that
| they be married without her family's
knowledge.
The Courtship and Wedding.
Walker told his story we'll. He told
| how he had been looked upon by the
Ratciiifes almost as member of the
| family. and OF how they reserved a
place for him at the table on Sunday
night, after he had considered himself
as an accepted suitor. And then he
told of tho talks and walks he and his
wife had together in their days OF
conctship. then of the sudden decision
that they be married on April 25. OF the
ceremony, tho start on the honeymoon,
and the sudden recall by telegram say
! Ing that Mrs Ratcliffe was dying. Ha
! duNiSeu returning. MrS. walker WAS
| taken to her home, and he was never
able to see her again except when third
persons were present, until he went to
| her In Pittsburgh. where he veinly en-
deavored to have her return to him.
| Correspondence between them was
put in evidence. 1t showed that they
| considered themselves as sweethearts
and that for q Song time before there
was understanding between them
that they wero to be married.
Wcndcnburg Opens Case.
Only three witnesses were examined
| yesterday-the Rev. j. Calvin Stewart !
i ID. D., who married them; the husband
and Mrs Martha Bauer n sister of the
groom. There are several moro wit
nesses to be examined by the PLAINTIFFS
side. and as 1t is said that numerous
witnesses arc to be examined by the
defendants, the case may occupy sew
eral days. L. o. Wendenburg and 7.
Gray Haddon represent Walker. and
G. V. Meredith and Mcdonald Wexford
| represent the Ratcliffes. The jury is
| composed of James w. Winston. A. ".
Shea, II. u. Ebel II. II. Walden, II. Theo-
dore Ellyson. John a. Afeanly and Bar
ney Frischkorn.
In his opening statement, Mr.. Wen
denburg outlined the charges OF con-
spiracy on the part OF the Ratcliffe
family to ALLEVIATE the affections OF Mrs.
| Walker, which he said he would prove,
detailed the circumstances leading up
TO the marriage and the later and un-
toward denouement of the romance.
and said that he would prove that Mrs.
Ratclife's anger was so great when she
heard of the marriage that she said
"she could cut his lreart (the groom's)
out" He said that the telegram say
ing that Mrs. Ratcliffe was dying and
the subsequent reports OF her illness
were false. He declared that Mrs.
Walker insisted that the marriage be
IL, ,lf rnth thor
| would prevent the ceremony.
Meredith Speaks for Defense,
! Replying. Mr. Meredith said that the
Ratcliffe family had never been taken
into the confidence OF Walker as to his
marrying intentions; that Walker mover
asked for the young woman's hand.
and that the family learned afterwards
| that an elopemenr had been contem-
lated. lie said that Mrs. Ratcliffc had
been made i'll by the news that her
| daughter had married Walker, and
tainted when she heard it over the tele-
| phone.
/ DR. Stewart. the first witness. testi-
fed to performing the ceremony. He
/; said that he married the couple on
| April 25 In the presence of some of
Walkers family and Mrs. Stewart. Mr..
Wendenburg asked him If he thought
| the bride looked happy. but Mr.. Mere
dith objected. on the grounds that DIR.
| Stewart was not an expert on tho
| happiness OF other people. To the
! changed question DR.. Stewart replied
| that there was nothing unusual in her
appearance. After the wedding. he
said, the bride asked for the telephone.
and that she telephoned to her mother.
telling of the marriage.
| Walker on~thc stand.
| The groom was next placed on the
stand He had perfect command OF
himself. He gave his age as thirty
two, and said that his wife was
twenty-five years old. He said that
he was engaged in the commission
business with his father, as a silent
partner. He told OF other positions
he had held, and was formerly an
engineer on tho Richmond, Frcdericks-
burg and Potomac Railroad. He said
| that he had known Betty" tho name
he used always in referring to his
WIFE six or eight years, and that they
had been engaged about ten months
He was received ut her home he said.
and on Sunday had supper with the
Ratcliffes as a member OF tho family
! But, at her relation that her family
objected to his coming often, ho
cut his visits down to three days a
iweek. AS to her expressed affection
| for him, no told OF the loverlike in-
| timaeies between them. how they met at
| llunchtimc and dined together. and OF
| how She always cautioned him to call
her up every night over the telephone.
Called Her Every Night.
Sometimes he would toll her that he
and she would cry and say, 'yesss
you are" Then. IL ne did fail to call
| her up sha would scoid him t1,s nexs
] day and tell him she hadn't been able
| to sleep. When talk OF marriage finaI-s
ly becan,e moro serious, she told him Il