The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-08

Mrs. Richards, who was less than 81,
was very small and sprightly. She had
been taken to Tennessee from Virginia
when she was ~ years old, and at II
was married to Richards. Immediately
after the marriage Robards took her to
his home In Kentucky.
They had troubles from the start.
Richards was hard. despotic and in
tensely jealous. II his wife spoke to
another man he became furious. He
was particularly Jealous Of a neighbor
named Short. His mother and all his
family sympathized with the young
wife. whose conduct, they said, was
above reproach. This served only to in
furiate Richards, and in the third year
OF their marriage he discarded her.
The girl wife returned to her mother.
a few months later Richards begged for
giveness. The pair become reconciled
and they were living with Mrs. Donel-
son when Andrew Jackson went there
to board.
Richards was handsome and british.
Jackson was long and lean. but singu-
larry attractive. Richards became in
sanely jealous Of him. Jackson tried to
reason with him, but 1t was no use.
They had an alteration and Jackson
proposed a duel. Richards had no de-
sire for a pistol fight and Jackson left
the Donelson house and boarded else.
where.
Thereupon Richards again discarded
his wife and went to Kentucky. In 1890
he instituted a suit for divorce on the
ground that his wife had deserted him
and was living with another man. Ken
lucky was then part OF Virginia. Tn
der the Virginia law it was necessary
In order to obtain a divorce for the
Legislature to pass an act authorizing
one OF the parties to bring suit. en-
powering the court to empanel the jury
and take testimony. and. finally. il the
court and jury thought the evidence
sufficient. permitting them to annul the
marriage.
Early in 1891 the Legislature OF Vir-
ginia passed an act on the plea OF Ro-
bards. 1t was In four sections. The
first section authorized Richards to sue
and specified that the writ should be
published eight consecutive weeks in
the Kentucky Gazette. Sections two
and three provided for commissioners
to take dispositions. Section four pro-
vlded for the trial.
Richards didn't have the evidence on
which to proceed and he let the mat
ter lapse. Meanwhile jackson and
Mrs. Richards read the announcement as
published In the KcR+Ecky Gazette.
They were in love and were eager to
marry. They assumed that Richards
was pushing the case and they thought
"A divorce had been granted.
In. November. 1891. they went to
Natchez. Miss. and were married. They
returned to Nashville and lived as man
and wife until December. 1898. Then
they were astounded at the news that
the Circuit Court OF Mercer county,
kentucky. had just granted a divorce
to Richards and that the proof was that
Mrs. Richards had been living in adul-
terry with jackson since their alleged
marriage two years before in Natchex.
Mrs. jackson went back to her mother.
remained with her for a month and then
In January. 1874. she and Jackson were
married the second time. The gossip
that the case entailed changed Mrs.
Jackson's whole view Of life. From "A
bright. fun loving young woman she be-
came a grave, reserved matron.
jackson took all the blame on himself.
He. as lawyer knew the law. He