Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-12-02
From the Philadelphia Ledger Of the 2sth ult'
THE FANNY kEMBLE BUTLER DIVORCE
CASE.

From the Philadelphia Ledger of the 2sth ult.
THE FANNY kEMBLE BUTLER DIVORCE
CASE.
The case Of Pierce Butler VS.. Francis Ann
Butler, a libel for divorce from the bonds OF
matrimony, came up yesterday before the
Court of Common Pleas Judges King, Camp
bell and Kelly being upon the bench Inc
libel was filed by the husband, alleging will
full desertion by the wife from his habl'a'ion'
which assertion was averred to have peen
persi,ted in for more than two years. 10
this an answer, covering many pages OF pa
ner. has been put in by the respondent. She
denies having wilfully deserted the habita-
,;on of her husband, but she AYERS TO his
treatment of her, which has beeh cruel and
intended TO make life burdensome, and such
as to Justify her in removing from his house
The answer denies generally the fact OF will
full and malicious dcsertion as charged in the
libel, and AYERS that she was forced to With
draw in consequence of his unlawful and
wrongful conduct. 1t then AYERS that her ao-
uuent assent And lastly, that his treatment
was cruel and rude, and such as TO make lie
burdensome 10 her. and which justified her
removing from his house. The answer then
poes on to state facts and circumstances upon
which the traverses and denial are founded
1t appears that the parties were married on
the 7th of Jannary, 1894 and have TWO chii-
dren. both girls the eldest of whom Is now
thirteen wears of age. 1t states that the par
ties had lived unhappily together Tor some
wears previous to October, 1912, at which
time they agreed 10 separate as far as all the
RIGHTS and duties of husband and wife were
concerned though they still resided under
the same roof but in separate apartments
Mrs. B. was TO have separate maintenance
of $1,000 per year; the children's educa'loh
TO be superntended by the father, and 'he
mother allowed to see them. They were
placed under the control of a governess.-
Matters remained this way until octoper,
1s43, when in consequence of painful rumors
affecting her husband she felt that she had
entirely lost the love which she could never
regain. Of the truth of those rumors she had
no proof, but she spoke of them to her hus'
band and felt assured by the circumstance
that there was no further hope OF regalnlnS
his affection. She still remained in his
house, hoping to be able TO preserve her au-
thoriy over her children and maintain TO-
wards them a mothers care. She heard,
however, that Mr.. Butler was about taking
means 10 remove the children TO another
house, and she wrote TO him asking to have
the privilege of going with them, proposing
to bury the occurrences of the past in obli-
won. His answer proposed TO allow her that
privilege upon certain conditions, TO consider
which he gave her two days. The conditions
were so repugnant TO her feelings that she
hesiated as to accepting them until the two
days had passed, but an accident happening
TO one of the children, which she thought de-
manded all a mothers care; in consequence
she determined to accede to his conditions
She AYERS that on this being communicated
TO him, he refused 10 accede to it, averring
that the "two days. having passed without
her accepting the proposition, she had
''abandoned'' her children. Matters remain
ed this way until the children were removed
to the other house, and the respondent being
denied the priviledge OF going with them,
she felt there was no other course left 10 her
than to remove TO a boarding house, which
she accordingly did in December
Whilst here, the visits of her children,
which at first were daily, became less fire.
quent, and finally ceased altogether. Her
allowance, under the agreement of separa-
ton, was irregularly paid, and she AYERS that
every means was taken by the father TO
prejudice her children agant her.
Whilst boarding in Chestnut street. she re-
ceived letter from her sister in England, in
which she was informed that Mr.. Butler had
written TO her, and signfed his willingness
to receive her into the house again, on the
same footing as before, if she would agree to
certain conditions She accordingly wrote
to the Rev. w. II. Furness on the subject,
who wrote TO Mr.. Butler. Some correspon-
dence ensued, and it was finally agreed by
Mr. B. 10 receive her back, provided she
agreed to certain conditions, which we've re-
duced to writing. These condition were
such as she scruple1 much at asserting to,
but finally did so. They We're principally
that she should abstain from any reference 10
the occurrences of the past-that she would
not speak of Mr.. Butler, or write concerninr
him or his affairs to any one-aud particularly
that she would have no intercourse, in word
or action, with the 'Sedgwick family" and
would be henceforth 10 them as if they
were entire strangers, and she had never
known them She was not to hold inter-
course with any person whom Mr.. B. disap-
proved OF, and if she wished to withdraw
from her agreements, was to give him notice.
These conditions she finally concluded 10
sign, and on the 81 of March, 1S45 went to
D,,,I ~