The north Mississippi herald., 1922-02-10
GOV. RUSSELL SUED
FOR 100000 BY GIRL
ALLEGING SEDUCTION
Miss Frances Birkhead Claims
She was Stenographer in
Gov. Russell's Office, That
Her Characer Was Ruined
And She Was About to Be-
come a Mother

A suit for $4,000 damages was fl
ed in the United States circuit court
TINS morning against Governor Lee NJ.
Russell by Miss Frances C. Birkhead,
now residing in New Orleans.
The suit is bassed on alleged Sc
duction, plaintiff alleging that prior
to July, 1918, she was a woman of
chaste character employed as a ste
nographer in the city of jackson; that
Lee M. Russell was then Lieut-Gov-
ernor of Mississippi; that during the
month of October in that year she be-
came pregnant.
The bill of complaint sets forth that
Russells influence was so predomin-
ant as to cause her "to yield to him
and engage with him in sexual inter-
course, under the influence and per-
suasiveness of his assurance that it
was all right, and that no harm
would come thereof"
A second count in the bill of COM
plant sets forth that as the result of
seduction and abortion, plaintiffs s
health has been totally wrecked and
ruined, and she has suffered untold
pain and anguish, for which she asks
additional $4,000 damages.
The suit is the elimination of a
sensation that has been brewing for
several months. Last summer Miss
Birkhead was in Jackson for about
two weeks, armed with a revolver,
and told several persons that she in
tended to shoot Gov. Russell on sight.
Within few minutes after the suit
was filed Gov. Russell telephoned to
the Office of the clerk of the United
States District Court and asked for
information on the subject.
The attorneys for Miss Birkhead
are T. R. Foster of Vicksburg and
Campbell & Campbell of Yazoo City.
He told me he had been married
for several years, that his wife had
no children, that he was not happy
with her and that he was then trying
to get DIVORCE" Miss Birkhead says
in her statement. "He assured me
that as soon as he could get his di-
vorce he would marry me-"
Miss Birkhead-being she says
innocent, unsopisticated and totally
lacking in worldly WISDOM" began to
fall in love with Mr.. Russell. The
alleged betrayal is given as the i'm
mediate sequel.
81 have frequently heard of a
scheme to bring a suit of this char
acter against me-" Governor Lee M.
Russell, Of Mississippi, declared to
a reporter last week, when asked
about a report that a damage suit
charging seduction was to be brought
against him. "The charges that are
made in that connection are a DAM
nable lie, and an attempt by my ene-
mics to blacken my character" the
governor continued.
SHE SAYS GOVERNOR UNHAPPY
AT HOME
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 6.-Govern-
or Lee M. Russell of Mississippi, was
made defendant in a 100000 dam
age suit filed in the United States
district court at Jackson, Miss, to-
day by Thomas Foster, of Vicksburg,
attorney for Miss Francis c. Birkhead,
of New Orleans, who charges the chief
executive of Mississippi with seduc-
ton under promise of marriage, ac-
cording to a special dispatch received
by the New Orleans Item from staff
representative in Jackson.
In her bill of particulars, Miss
Birkhead declares her reputation,
character and health were ruined as
a result of Governor Russell's alleged
misconduct. The bill is divided into
two counts, each asking a $4,000
award from the court.
Count No. is based upon seduc-
tion only. After briefly narrating
how she came under the "predomin-
ant influence" of the defendant at a
time when he was a candidate for
governor and how she was persuaded
to "yield to his will" the bill adds
"That as result of the said seduction
plaintiffs reputation and character
were ruined, and she was caused to
loose her employment; healh ;her
health was ruined to great damage
in the sum Of $4,000.
Count No. has as its basis an
operation which, it alleges, was per-
formed at the institution of Govern
or Russell. GAS a result Of said sop
eraton," the complaint, says, the
plaintiffs health was totally wrecked
and ruined. She suffered untold pain
and anguish; and she is now an in
valid, and will be such the remaining
part of her life.
Miss Birkhead declares in sworn
statement she started work in June,
1918, in the draft department of the
adjutant generals Office in Jackson,
and that it was there she first met
the defendent at that time Lieutenant
Governor Of the State. Later, she
says, he persuaded her to accept en-
ployment in his Office as stenographer
and that soon after accepting such
Employment he began to talk ano,