A White Wife’s Love
September 2, 1899
Summary
A white woman leaves her husband and runs off with her “colored paramour” to escape to the North.
Transcription
Suit for a Divorce.
One of the most remarkable cases of infatuation occurred here yesterday, when Mrs. Georgia L. Borneman, the pretty young wife of Charles F. Borneman (white) proprietor of the Newport News Bakery ran off with George Waddell, a brown-skin colored man who had formerly been employed by her husband.
Discharged Him.
It seems that Mr. Borneman discharged Waddell, and this brought matters to a focus. She decided to leave him and in company with her colored paramour go north.
Close observers have noticed the intimacy existing between Waddell and Mrs. Borneman for some time. Mr. Borneman is said to have followed his erring wife as far as Baltimore, but only caught sight of her at a distance.
It is thought that they went to Philadelphia. The madame took with her all of her jewelry and a considerable sum of money.
The Two Little Ones.
She left behind her here two small children, one of which is a baby. The husband took the matter philosophically and proceeded to employ a lawyer to institute a suit for a divorce. He will have no trouble to obtain it.
The town has been considerably stirred up over the affair and the woman is more roundly abused than is the colored man.
White Men Wrathy.
Several white men have expressed a desire to take part in hanging her. She would not charge Waddell with attempted assault, but plainly showed her appreciation of her dusky lover.
One of the most remarkable cases of infatuation occurred here yesterday, when Mrs. Georgia L. Borneman, the pretty young wife of Charles F. Borneman (white) proprietor of the Newport News Bakery ran off with George Waddell, a brown-skin colored man who had formerly been employed by her husband.
Discharged Him.
It seems that Mr. Borneman discharged Waddell, and this brought matters to a focus. She decided to leave him and in company with her colored paramour go north.
Close observers have noticed the intimacy existing between Waddell and Mrs. Borneman for some time. Mr. Borneman is said to have followed his erring wife as far as Baltimore, but only caught sight of her at a distance.
It is thought that they went to Philadelphia. The madame took with her all of her jewelry and a considerable sum of money.
The Two Little Ones.
She left behind her here two small children, one of which is a baby. The husband took the matter philosophically and proceeded to employ a lawyer to institute a suit for a divorce. He will have no trouble to obtain it.
The town has been considerably stirred up over the affair and the woman is more roundly abused than is the colored man.
White Men Wrathy.
Several white men have expressed a desire to take part in hanging her. She would not charge Waddell with attempted assault, but plainly showed her appreciation of her dusky lover.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Elias Sturim
Citation
“A White Wife’s Love,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed April 27, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1707.