The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-01-07
MAIN STREET" WIFE AND
MOTHER CHARGES NOTED
WRITER STEALS HUSBAND
Nina Wilcox Putnam Gets
Blame for Ruined Home of
Connecticut Woman.
BY FRANK GETTY

IL to persuade me to give up
my husband, so that she could
marry him. When l wouldn't he
went away with her"
Her dainty head held high and
no suspicion Of tear in her clear
brown eyes, Mrs. Ellsworth Bassett
today charged in an exclusive inter
view with the United Press, the
celebrated woman novelist had
practically kidnapped" Bassett,
strapping six foot Connecticut clam
digger and carried him away from
kis home and baby as the writer's
personal representative.
well, Mrs. Putnam may have
her own peculiar ideas of right and
wrong and other women's husbands.
But have my baby boy, and
must carry on" Mrs Bassett said.
In the little town library where
she works each day to support her
self and 3-year-old Adrian. Mrs
Passett expounded her homely New
England Main Street" philosophy
as opposed to that Of modern
woman writer and told how she pro
poses to meet the strange situation.
Said 1t Was Wrong
Mrs. Putnam used to talk to me
about my husband and her ideas OF
how wrong it was for people to live
together as man and wife just be-
cause they were married when they
were no longer in love.
She was very friendly with my
husband last spring, but l had no
suspicion anything was WRONG un-
til after had it put plainly up &C
me that 1 should divorce my hus-
band and had refused-he went with
her to Canada,
THAT was in June she talked 10
me and on the first of July they left
together.
"Since then my husband has not
been back. except to see the boy
Such was Mrs Bassett's story OF
her husbands employment by the
author of chauffeur and personal
business representative"
Works Night and Day.
Since Bassett left their little
frame home, the wife has worked
night and day to support herself.
Each morning and until 2 p. m, she
Is the town librarian. Each after
noon and evening, she works at the
Madison postoffice.
But there is no suggestion OF
martyrdom in her dainty defiant
manner. The unshed tears she
hides behind a set smile and there
was no break in the musical voice
as she explained:
when you live in a small town,
you cant give way. You have to
hold your head up.
Everyone knows your business,
and most everyone's friendly. But
you can't let them see you give
way.
'Of course, the fact OF my hus-
bands leaving me was a blow. We
had never been estranged before he
went away with Mrs. Putnam.
"Then. too, there's the boy. That
makes 1t hard"
Shows No Resentment
Mrs. Bassett showed no more re-
sentiment than sorrow when she
spoke of the affair, however. Con-
cealing her feelings, as she had
schooled herself to do over the long
months since July, she spoke dis.
passionately OF Mrs. Putnam and OF
her husband and now and then
broke into a laugh. But the laugh,
somehow. was painful to hear.
Just at present. 1 don't quite
know what I shall do about IT," she
said.
Il have consulted a lawyer about
sueing for divorce, and he has ad-
vised me not to take any action for
the present, not to give them that
much satisfaction"
There was no trace of anirnus in
Nher tone as she said this.
Il suppose eventually / shall get
a divorce, but just now I'm not even
contemplating action
Mrs. Bassett called attention to
the size Of Madison, little town
Of l.200 inhabitants.
Generally Stay Married
we don't understand these new
PHILOSOPHERS here she said. Here
when we marry we generally stay
so; at least, there's never any sug.
gestion of taking away another
woman's husband like this. But
perhaps I'm not worldly enough"
She said Bassett continued to con-
tribute to the support of their child,
from money paid him as salary by
Mrs. Putnam.
II have to be philosophical about
that, too" she added
Revelations Are Timely
Mrs. Bassett's observation-disclosures
ing one Of the countrys most noted
authors in a domestic triangle, come
at a time when the latter already
is in difficulties as a result of divorce
proceedings she brought recently
against her own husband in Provi-
dence, r. I. After Being granted a
divorce, the decree was withdrawn
pending an investigation of charges
that she had not been a resident Of
Providence as long as her sworn
affidavit stated.
Hence, the author is still Mrs.
Nina Wilcox Putnam Sanderso1e.
with . husband OF her own.