Notes |
- Page One
. 1894 Mar 11, Essexville Public School, Eighth Grade, Charles Felker, Ada Felker & Anna Felker who had no spelling mistakes.
Ref: Bay City Times.
. 1885 Feb 3 - Bay City. Scholars promoted to high school: Anna L Felker.
Ref: Bay City Times.
. 1904 Feb 11, Thrus. Testimony Heard in the Felker-McDonagh Breach of Promise Case
Prosecution's Witness was on the stand Wed. afternoon & this morning - Miss Felker's Story.
The $20,000 breach of promise suit brought by Ann Felker against Thomas McDonagh, boy of Taymouth. Although Anna Felker is the virtual complainant, the suit is brought in the name of her mother, Mrs. Levi Felker, Anna at the time of the suit being a minor. Wed. afternoon Miss Felker was immediately placed on the stand & outlined the story of her relations with McDonagh. Miss Felker is 21 years of age, a brunette, with hair almost black, brown eyes & a blush always on her cheeks. She is tall, slightly built & dressed in black.
In response to questioning she sated she was born in Essexville, Oct 29, 1882. In 1894 the family moved to Bay city. Livered there until Mar 1900, when her father bought a farm & moved into Taymouth twp. near Burt. While in Bay City she attended the public schools & was in her graduating year in the high school at the time of the family removal. She became acquainted with Mr. McDonagh shortly after moving to Taymouth, meeting him a a KOTM party at Burt; was introduced to him by her uncle Samuel Meyers, a farmer in that locality.
McDonagh lived only a mile from her father's home. She dances several times that evening. McDonagh said he was glad there were some new neighbors in town & that he could be expected over soon to make a neighborly call. Met again 3 days after at Burt where she had walked over to do some trading. Met McD in postoffice & rode home with him. Got home about 4:30, talked of the dance. Two weeks later he came to call at the house on Sun. PM. She was just starting for her uncle's house for a pail of water at that time & McD went with her. Stayed perhaps a hour & half.
She stated she used to see McD every day on his way to Bur, he called nest, the latter part of June, with buggy, set in front yard with the rest of family; talked mainly about the crops. She walked to gate with him. McD told her there was to be a party in the neighborhood. He called for her that night of the party, but her mother would not let her go so he left.
She shortly afterwards went to Bay city to visit her sister & he met her by chance at the depot & took her tome about 6:30 PM. Several days afterwards sister & herself met McD & friend in a buggy near the house. Both got in & rode to the Felker home; men hitched & came in; McD stayed for supper. On departing said he would come again & was liable to drop in most any time. He quit coming to the house shortly afterwards; met him thereafter at her aunt's house a mile or so away on an average of twice a week; Attended several parties at Burt & neighborhood together & frequently went riding The reason he discontinued his visits was that the 2 of them had been to Burt together one evening & came home about 11 o'clock & were sitting in the buggy. Her mother asked McD if he did not known enough to keep reasonable hours, that she was not used to having her girls out at all hours of the night. Mad got mad & told witness that when her mother saw him there again she would know it.
After that they always met at her aunt's house 2 or 3 times a week. Went to parties. Never went with anyone else in that time. Tues. apr 30, 1902 she was at her aunt's house. He drove by & asked her where she was to be that night & said he would come up. Family remained up until about 9 pm. then went to bed leaving the house. She showed him photographs she had received in a letter from a young man in Toledo that day; McD didn't appear to like. Stated home about 10:30, When he got to her aunt's gate he stepped in front of her & said,"Anna, are you going to marry me or that fellow in Toledo?" She told him she was going to marry him. "Then he put his arm around my neck & kissed me" for the first time. When they got to the gate he asked her if she love him & told her if she did she should answer with a kiss. She kissed him. He put his arms around her & kissed her & left. She saw him go by next.
He didn't time to the house until May 5 & told her he was going to Burt if she wanted to go along. They drove around until 9 pm without stopping anywhere. Finally they approached a new house he was building & he wanted her to go in & he was living in the house at the time. She wouldn't go. He told her she belonged to him now & do as he said. She said she wouldn't. He asked her if that was the way she was going to act when they were marred. "Maybee. He drove up to the house against her protest hitched the horse & lifted her in his arms & carried into the house. Witness refused at this point to proceed with the recital. The Attorney asked her if she was a mother & that the child was born Feb 9, 1903 & that Thomas McDonagh was the father of the child.
After May 4 witness & defendant continued to meet about twice a week either at her house or her aunt's about once a week. Detailed conversations held between then as to how the house should be finished & furnished. Told McDonagh of her condition about July 1 & suggested that they he married. He said that the house was not finished. Nor could they be married in August. She should go away for a while & would be married when she came back. In October witness went to Saginaw, taking a room at 2016 S. Weadock. Defendant called on her there. He suggested they to see a doctor, she refused. He wanted her to go to Detroit. Went to Ann Arbor Dec 4. did not see defendant again.
Court reconvened Thursday with letters purporting to have written by defendant to witness while she was in Ann Arbour. The letters were addressed to Mrs Anna Savage while in the hospital there & were unsigned & undated. One of the envelopes bore the printed address of Thomas McDonagh & attempt having been made to erase the same.All of the letters were written in stilled, terse style, with cautions to be careful of what she said & who she confined in. One told her not to write so many times, that Green the postmaster, would get on. One had an enclosure of money in. Another stated that he could send any money until he reached Saginaw as he was afraid that the people in the town would be next.
Attorney Snow in cross examination questioned the witness closely, was really the first time they met not Feb 1900, rather than Feb 1901? Snow attempted to show why witness that a close friendship in 1900 between herself & Thomas O'Keefe, a neighbor. This was denied & said they were merely acquaintances.
Ref: Sagnaw News & an abbreviated version appeared in the Bay City Times, Feb 12. 1904.
. 1904 Feb 12, Fri. - Miss Felker Still on Stand - Cross-examination attempted to bring to light apparently 2 facts, first that witness went with other young men other than the defendant at times she stated on direct examination that she was keeping company with McDonagh alone; secondly, that defendant was not at any time paying witness the marked attention implied. Attorney Snow asked if it was true in the same year she was engaged to Wm. Nice & later to Clarence Barnett in the neighborhood. Witness emphatically denied the assertion. After her engagement to McDonagan she was accepting the attention of a certain Frank Polzin of the neighborhood, going for buggy riding with him in Saginaw. She came to Saginaw that day to do some trading that she had accidentally met Polzin's sister on the street, that the 2 girls attended the circus together. She knew Mrs Dorwood & daughter Mary & stayed at the Dorwood house some 5 weeks during Jan. & Feb 1902. Witness stated she did not know he came to see Mary particularly any more than herself. Witness stated she had heard rumors that defendant was engage to Mary Dorwood for years; first heard rumor in summer of 1901, she asked him & he replied "Anna, I know I go to Dorwood's a great deal, but I was never engaged to her, & so simply as a matter of policy & convenience." She had a talk with Mary Dorwood on the matter & Mary told her she didn't care how much witness went with Tomso long as she Miss Dowood didn't come in second".
Case of Anna Felker vs.Thomas B McDonagh was adjourned until Monday at 2 pm. because of the fact that those interested in the case desired to leave for their homes in Taymouth this afternoon, that being the only train until tomorrow afternoon.
. 1904 Feb. 13 - Effort of Defense is to show that Miss Felker went with others - Hearing at Saginaw, Anna Felker, the complainant, formerly of Essexville continues on the stand. Abbreviated report as above Feb. 12th.
. 1904, Feb 18 - Case resumed. Samuel Miner, uncle of the complaining witness, whose home is only a quarter of a mile from the Felker home, testified as to the meeting frequently of the the two as his home. Mrs. Gustave Reinhart of Bay City, sister of the plaintiff, corroborated the testimony of her sister as to the attention McDonaugh paid her & fixed some dates the 2 were together, Anna received no other men during 1901 & 1902.
. 1904 Feb 19, Fri. - Witness Mrs. Helen Perry Barr denied that Miss Felker was present with Mr. Reinhardt. Witness Mrs. Frank McNally of Taymouth visited the new McDonagh house & saw no furniture except an old stove. Witness Vincent Liddecot of Burt showed a sale of furniture to Mr. McDonagh on June 11, 1902. Witness Mrs. Lillie Carl, 548 S. Ninth St. told of the circus day incident. Miss Felker was present for supper with Frank, & Rose Polzin, went down town for the parade with Anna, Frank, Rose Polzin & his mother. After the show they went to American House & got a rig & drove to his home. Witness saw the witness do nothing unladylike at the circus. Witness Mrs Sarah H Crosby, a resident of Taymouth for 21 years said Miss Felker was a member of Maccabees & she testified as to Miss Felker's reputation & said it was bad, she never heard any one say anything good about.
Dr. Geo W Pierce, of Burt knew McDonagh for 10 years, On May 30, 1902 McD was driving with him on the road near Verne when they met Miss Felker, Mr. Dorwood & another young man & stopped to talk for a moment. McD said that Miss F's general reputation was bad. Pierce knew of the engagement between Miss Dorwood & Mr McDonagh. Witness Ed E Adams, son of ex Sheriff, stated that at a surprise party Anna & her sister Ada were there. Reputation of Miss F discussed & it was not good. Witness Supervisor Geo Watson of Albee received gossip about Miss F. at the barn raising in April.
Attorney Snow continued efforts to break down the story of Miss F. reputation for chastity was bad, that there was no furniture in the new McDonagh house on May 4, 1902. Witness Mrs. Mary McDonagh denied pointblank that Anna Felker & Mary Dorwood had visited the new house May 31, 1902 & Henry McDonagh testimony merely a reaffirmation of his wife's. The next witness, Al Green, postmaster at Burt visited while working & saw no furniture in the house. He said Miss Felker's reputation was bad & he had heard it in the postoffice & other places. "Burt is a gossipy town, it is, where you talk about your neighbors."
James Darling testified that although he told Miss Felker that her presence was objectionable to his wife's people, that he & his wife would drive her home after she returned from Bay City if she wanted them, but she did not arrive.
Ref: Saginaw News.
. 1904 Feb 27, Sat. - A BROKEN HEART - Valued at $500 by a Saginaw Jury. After being out all night the jury in the $20,000 breach of promise case brought by Miss Anna Felker against Thomas B McDonagh, a prominent Saginaw county politician, returned a verdict this morning in favor of Miss Felker for $500.
Ref: Jackson Citizen & Flint Journal 29.2.1904.
Transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - -
- Page Two:
1905 Jan 25 - Supreme Court Denies McDonagh release on Criminal Charge Against Him Before Jude Beach in Saginaw Co. circuit court. Thomas B McDonagh has 3 cases commenced at the instigation of Anna Felker. McD. was defeat in the capias case, judgment in the sum of $500. A suit of breech of promise is pending and Mr. McD has also been arrested on a charge of illegitimate parentage. The question hinged on whether the case came under of seduction of or basted. Judge Beach held it was a case for seduction and consequently the bastardy case could follow. Ref: Saginaw News.
1905 Feb 15 - A large number of people are attending the trial.
1905 Jan 16 - Wed. afternoon, while on the witness tanned, the compiling witness had a bad attack of heart failure. She had been undergoing a very strong cross-examination at the hands of E A Snow for the defense, when she collapsed. Dr. E F Crane was summoned and after applying restorative Miss Felker was removed on a stretch to the residence of the sheriff at the county jail where she still lies too wast to be moved. Dr. Cane certified his patient was too ill to appear.
1905 Feb 18 - Fri. afternoon it was deem advisable to remove Miss Anna Felker from the county jail to the Saginaw General hospital.
1905 Feb 27 - Miss Ann F. has recovered sufficiently from heart failure she suffered some days ago while on the witness stand to leave the hospital. She is expected to resume the case on Monday.
1905 Mar 7 - Arrangements had bee made for the cur, Jury, attorneys & stenographer to visit the Crowley house where Miss Felker lies too ill to appear in court. The defense objected. (Various adjournments due to her ill health.)
1905 Mar 29 - Felker-McDonagh case was only last week finished after a long trial. It commenced on the 13th month. First the complaining witness collapsed on the stand and her physician expresses doubts as to her ever recovering her former health. Junor Sylvester was taken ill with pneumonia and removed to his home. Now comes the death of Juror Moxley who was overtaken with nausea before the jury retired
1905 May 12 - Judge Beach, Thursday sentenced Thomas B McDonagh who was found guilty by jury some time ago of being a father of the illegitimate child of Anna Felker to pay $2 a week for the support of child until its 15 years of age. He is also required to file a fond of $1,000 with superintendent of the poor to insure compliance with the order of the court.
1905 Jun 15 - Orders have bee filed in the suits of Anna Felker Vs. Thomas B McDonagh and Henry McDonagh, Frank McNally and Mary McDonagh, that latter 3 garnishee defendants that they appear before Judge, June 10 and depose under oath at property they have in their possession belong to Thomas B McDonagh. - Adjourned to June 26th.
Ref: Sagnaw Journal.
1907 Jan 25 - Burt, Miss Margaret Felker, aged 19, has caused the arrest of Geo. Spencer, age 16, on a serious charge. His father is in poor circumstances but friends furnished bail for the boy's examination Jan 28. Margaret Felker is a sister of Miss Ann Felker who figured a breach of promise suit against Thomas B McDonagh 3 years ago.
Ref: Flint Journal. - - -
|