The Contract Wife Who Would Not Be Shaken Off

PORT TOWNSEND, Aug. 31.—[Special.]—Florence Bucklin Byers, the contract wife of Frederic L. Macondray, the Chilean consul to this state, now temporarily sojourning in California with his parents, who are very wealthy, returned from San Francisco tonight. She went south to see Macondray and insist upon him fulfilling the contract whereby he agreed to marry her. Miss Byers, who persists in her desire to be called Mrs. Macondray, consented to furnish the following statement of her domestic troubles to a correspondent of the P-I:

"Yes, I am Fred Macondray's lawful wife. He first met me here three years ago in a music hall, and for several months pestered me with protestations of love and offers of marriage. Realizing the social position which his family occupies in California, I repelled his advances and warned him of my social condition and occupation. He persisted in pleading his love and proposed that we live together as man and wife until such time as his family affairs would permit of our marriage being consummated. That was two years ago. I dearly loved him because he had plenty of money, and I basked in the sunshine of happiness, living and obeying as a true wife should. We frequently traveled about the Northwest, he registering me at hotels as Mrs. Macondray. Soon the demon of jealousy came between us, and without cause on my part, I assure you. On several occasions he brutally assaulted me, blacking and bruising my face and body, which remained discolored for days. I have several lady friends who were witnesses of those inhuman attacks. Then he would repent and beg forgiveness, and I foolishly acquiesced. It was after one of these vicious attacks that I left him, believing he was trifling with my affections. To prove his sincerity he sat down and wrote and delivered to me this contract and placed upon my finger this marriage ring. Here is a copy of the marriage contract.

"PORT TOWNSEND, Oct. 29, 1891.

"Contract: On and after this date I, Frederic L. Macondray, and I, Florence Bucklin Byers, do hereby mutually agree to live as man and wife and to hold all that we have or may hereafter make as our property, personal or otherwise, as belonging to both. It is also agreed that when in California we are to be married according to the laws of the state of California there in force. This contract is to be considered until said marriage shall be performed as binding as the laws of the state of California shall make it.

"FREDERIC L. MACONDRAY, "FLORENCE BUCKLIN BYERS."

"The gradual suspension of the shipping industry and his fondness for sending money like a prince caused him to draw heavily on his family in San Francisco for funds. He went to California and wired me to follow. In San Francisco he suggested that I visit my mother, to whom he had me previously write that he had married me, and he and his brother purchased a ticket and gave me $100 to go to my home in Kansas City. From that time he neglected to write or send money to me, and I was compelled to borrow funds to get back to Port Townsend, where I met him and we renewed our relations. His family refused to supply him with any more money, and I offered to release him from his obligations. He emphatically declined the proposition, and wrote me several letters to that effect. Then he went off and got intoxicated and beat me. He then returned to California. I went to San Francisco four weeks ago to give him an opportunity to fulfill his contract, and sent a letter to him at Menlo Park, which fell into his mother's hands. I sought in vain to see him and discuss matters, and then I decided to place the matter in a lawyer's hands. I propose to compel Mr. Macondray to live up to that contract or I'll sue him for divorce, which suit I have instructed my attorneys to institute. My attorneys have filed the necessary papers to prevent him from disposing of his property interest in his father's estate. Besides, his family is very wealthy and Fred Macondray will regret the day he trifled with my affections. Here are a number of his letters, which bear out my assertions."

Mrs. Macondray has the appearance of a cultivated woman of refined breeding, amply able to take care of her own interests. She is an unusually pretty brunette with roguish black eyes. She says she will leave for San Francisco in a few weeks to prosecute her divorce case. Mr. Macondray possesses a large interest in one or two tugboats on Puget Sound. Macondray's friends who are familiar with her history aver that she is an adventuress who has taken this procedure to extort money from his people. They also characterize as false her charges that he has brutally assaulted her, and assert that while she was living with him her conduct was unchaste and she was unfaithful.