A Seattle Divorce Trial Turned a Woman’s Private Life Into a Public Spectacle

The now-famous Steel divorce case continued its course through Superior Court, and when court adjourned last evening it seemed as far from the end as ever. Testimony continued to attract a crowd of spectators, and throughout the trial Steel and his wife were determined and deliberate. Mrs. Steel was placed on the stand yesterday in rebuttal, and she made an energetic effort to deny the charges made by her husband against her chastity. From the tenor of her evidence one would almost imagine she was now defendant instead of plaintiff.

The witnesses examined in rebuttal were James Norris, E. W. Carlin, Thomas Boyum and Mary Boyum, James Smith, Mrs. Jane Sullivan, Fred Hickling, Mary Smith, John Schram and others. Mr. Norris said he had known Mrs. Steel since 1888 but knew nothing wrong concerning her. E. W. Carlin swore he had been acquainted with Mr. Dugan for forty or fifty years, and had known Mrs. Steel since he went to room at her house. He related that his acquaintance with Mr. Dugan was close and they were frequently together. He was asked: “Did you ever see anything improper in the relations of Mrs. Steel and Mr. Dugan?” “No,” he answered, “I never did. She was always a motherly woman. I believe if any one should endeavor to take liberties with her he would find himself back up the wrong stump!”

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Boyum, who reside at 2012 Sixth Street, were called to impeach the testimony of Mr. Steel, who swore that on May 6, 1893, he had seen Mrs. Steel and Mr. Dugan at the Boyum house together. Mr. Boyum testified that on May 6 neither Mr. Dugan nor Mrs. Steel was at his house; in fact they had never been there. On cross-examination he admitted that they might have been. Mrs. Boyum swore that Mr. Steel was mistaken as to Mrs. Steel and Mr. Dugan being at her house.

James Smith, a civil engineer, and John Schram, the well-known hardware man, and Mrs. Jane Sullivan testified as to Mrs. Steel’s reputation for chastity. Fred Hickling gave evidence pertaining to a door through which Mrs. Steel had alleged her husband entered.

When Mrs. Steel was called in rebuttal, for several hours she was put through a rigid course of cross-questioning, and at the time of adjourning court she was still on the stand. One of the witnesses had testified that Mr. Dugan had visited Mrs. Steel in 1887, but she claimed not to have made his acquaintance till 1888. She denied having had any trouble with Mrs. J. J. Collins, the Black woman who testified she saw her sitting in Mr. Dugan’s lap. She admitted having told Mrs. Collins not to call unless sent for, the reason being that the woman was colored.

“So you don’t like colored people?” the attorney said.

“I think they are all right in their places,” was the answer.

Cross-examination then developed the fact that Mrs. Steel had called on Mrs. Collins, although the latter had never called in return. Mrs. Steel admitted that she called on Mrs. Collins last month. Evidence continued:

“Did you talk about the case when you last called on Mrs. Collins?”

“She talked about it first.”

“Did you ask her not to come into court?”

“Yes.”

“Did she say she had seen you in Dugan’s lap?”

“No. I never heard of it until she came into court and told the story.”

“Were you ever guilty of adultery with Dugan?”

“No, sir. Nor no other man.”

The cross-examination was very full and covered many details. Mrs. Steel gave evidence of tiring and frequently refreshed herself from a glass of water which the bailiff kept filled near her elbow. At 6 o’clock, her examination not being concluded, court took a recess until 10 o’clock this morning.