The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-05-25

SATURDAY,. ......... ny
From the Louisville C""r'cr.
,,,. xr~nn~ MAMA woman hiSo's
from a Mar sssc Never Nav.
-. a,,,,,,,,ar case Of mistaken ident't!
We; to fight in the Chahcery court
WAS p,. 80 s;nce. which involved M lnno-
s.o ',,.,, In suit for divorce, placing MN
s &c ' rns;tion to answer to petisson Tor
III arat;on a rincatio ptafrtmoaan, -tifoin
s'.p.,an whom he never saw or heard OF
MIL summoned by Marshal Billy Hastings
,o mt in an appearance st the court.
fnhn II. Burg aud Elizabeth Weaver were
married In this city on the 18th OF NoSeni-
her. 1869. and after living together ior Wv, Wv,
months the disseminated and linta'ih'nl m"
hand took up his bed and "aihs e.,, 1t" ",t;,
making his abode in another part o. t .. ,,;i,.
and has Stunned all contaci WIZ M o.,
from, that time to the present. ~, at.
GREW tired of waiting for her eonrrs" ~.
ssantae and on the 3lst OF July. 1871, slie
ell ,'n,;t;on for divorce in the Chancrly
Cnnrt on the grounds that aftcr n1,s ~ III
e,e,her for the length Of time named 1onn ~;
Eurn witlsut cause or provocatioii, anu
,,;,bo,,t her previous knowledge OF MS lli-
tcntion. left her and gone to parts uhkifoMi,
and that he had been absent over Twelve
months without signifying any lntehtioh o.
returning. She also stated thar the irait vi
their marriage was boy, no" aoooe WV
r.ars of noe for whom its father had never
done ANYTHING in the way OF support Inc
;nIicatiops were that the husband and father
had abandoned both mother and child, ana
she asked for decree OF divorce, putting the
cose in the hands Of Boone Il Boone, attof-
news. who placed 1t in court, and after tie
un,al preliminary steps the marshal was IN
structed to serve process upon Johh IL.
Burg. ...o
Tine willing officer looked into the direc-
tory. and finding the name OF John Bcrg, q
mechanic ut Longs chair factory, started OUT
IA perform the duties OF bis office. lie had
no difficulty in finding his man, and pro
ceeded at once with the usual gravity anu
mir of business that attach to such duties, 10
reading over copy OF the summons ana
then place 1t in the hands OF Berg.
Now, John Berg happened to bea German
fcllow-citizen who was not very latlliiiar WIFI
the English language, and while thcSe pro-
ctedings were going on STOOD STOCK sun anu
staring wonderingly at his visitor, ms eye,
fixed on the mouth of the Marshal, who rcau
with such rapidity that the bewildered irl-
low hadn't time to ponder over the meaning
Of one word before u dozen others were
wbistling through his brain, all miNrd up :"
that ONLY the sound Of the officers voice anu
MOI the words fell upon his ear. lh's silence
(which the German persisted IN iroin llh
tir.) was naturally enough mistaken by the
Marshal for assent TO and recognition al the
RIGHT in all that was done by The officer, ana
he made quick work OF it by folding up the
Daper and placing it in the defendant
hands. at the same time warning the Sald
Rrre, TO make answer within the time speci-
fed. This the initiated German understood
10 be a command from III authority that ap-
handed an expression at Willingness, ana
for the first time he opened ll| mottth ami
said "yali!'
That was enough. The duty had been
performed. The fiithlesS husband had been
summoned to answer thu petition orditorcr'
and had signifed that he would be on hahd'
The usual processes OF law were tiieii
taken. Intermediates to plaintiffs witnesses
were filed; depaSitsons of plaintitls Wit
ncsscs taken 10y the commissioner, and re-
turned TO the clerks office; the case was sub
united, and the plaintiffs brief Tiled Noreln-
Der 9Th, 1871 and on November 10Th de-
cree was granted in favor of plaintiff that she
might have the divorce asked and the custody
of her child, the said defendant, John Ii.
Burg, to pay costs. Due notice was given
TO Mrs Burg of her release from the bonds
of matrimOny, restoring to her again her
maiden name. Through all this Mr.. Burg
failed to make his appearance and answer III
any way or shape.
Six months had passed since the divorce
WAS granted, when a few days ago, among
other business at tue court, was made out
bill of costs against the defendant, ana, on
motion of the counsel for plaintiff, L rule
was issued requiring defendant TO pay the
fee. and costs in the suit. Papers were again
placed in the hands of the deputy marshal,
aud another visit was made to MeSsrs. Longs
factory.
Arriving there, the officer, rs before,
straightway told the object of his visit, at
the same time thrlistiDg document into the
hand of Berg. To his surprise, the willing,
good-natured "yah" was not given this
time but instead, the mans colmtenance
assumed Il look of confusion and anger, and,
with 4 violent shake OF his head, indicative
OF great diSpleasure. he broke forth:
"Was in der III dis means! lch bin
nicht married. Ich not likes dis. Somepo-
dies makes tronhleS, and makes elm fool alli
you. Dot name iSh not mcin. My friend,
YOU better go away init you now, ana gilS
dot doddcr man. He plays some drlekS dot
ways"
The deputy began to smell mice, bit his
lips, and for moment relapsed into refiec-
tive mood. A CLEAN of light seemed to flash
over his face, and his eyes twinkled with Il
look half amused and half yeXed. He re-
membcred that the original process WAS in
the name of John II. Burg. The man to
whom he had been paying these legal visits
was John Berg. He had no more to say, but
quietly departed, and, upon the rule for the
payment of fees and costs by defendant, the
return was made to court rs follows:
"Since the Judgment herein / have dis
covered that | served the summons in this
case OH another person named John Berg,
and not the defendant in this suit
(Signed) "W. Is. HASTINGS, D. NJ
Notwithstanding this perpleXed condition
of things, Mrs. Burg has her divorce regu-
hrly executed, aud now rcjoices i'll the name
of Miss Weaver. as in days past: What the
real, original, genuine John II. Burg Will IL"