Case ID: ohio-ch_1/html/0148-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "By the Court.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

SARAH LANGSTAFF v. JOHN LANGSTAFF.
    Divorce — adultery deduced from circumstances — house of ill fame — alimony.
    Where a husband is absent from home, and found before sunrise in the morning in bed in the house of a woman of ill fame, with the woman sitting upon the side of the bed with her clothes loosely thrown on, connected with the fact of their being no other bed in the room, of his frequenting the house, and staying there all night, it was held sufficient evidence of adultery.
    Divorce. Cause — adultery with Jane Oliver, Sally Bingham* Hope Kimberly, and others, unknown.
    It appeared in evidence, that these parties were married in Massachusetts, in 1815. That he had been frequently at houses of ill fame, and with women reputed common strumpets, and was sometimes on the bed with them. One witness testified that he went into a house, a part of which was occupied by Hope Kimberly, a woman of bad fame, early one morning before sunrise, where he found the defendant in bed, and Mrs. Kimberly sitting by the side of it, with her clothes loosely thrown on. There was no other bed in the room, and the defendant did not live there. Another witness said, that he lived near Mrs. Kimberly about three years; he had seen the defendant there almost every day, so frequently that the witness supposed he lived there. Saw him go there frequently at night, and come away early in the morning. Mrs. Kimberly has the reputation of keeping strumpets, and the defendant that of keeping her, as his mistress. It was proven that he had generally provided for his wife, until a year or two since, when he left her without provision, and went to work in Pittsburgh. While he was gone, she sold some of the furniture, paid some of his debts, broke up housekeeping, and has since lived separate from him, with a good reputation, earning her own living.
   By the Court.

It seems that this defendant has abandoned his family and character, and taken up with the strumpet, Mrs. Kimberly; and although we have no direct or positive evidence of adultery, we have that which leaves no doubt of his guilt. His conduct cannot be reconciled with innocence. We decree a divorce, and that the defendant pay the complainant ‡500 for alimony, and the costs; and in default, that she have execution for the amount, with interest.