Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-23
IS SHE HIS WIFE?

ID OAAL 1AAlC w II
Or, - II 80
Progress of the BrinckIey Divorce
Case-0pening OF the Testimony for
the Defense-Clarenes B. Hunf, of
Memphis, and the Defendast ON the
stand.
New York Herald, Maya ~
The Brinckley divorce trial was re-
sumed yesterday morning, at 10 o'clock,
before Judge Van Brunt and a jury.
Messrs. W. A Beach and II. G. Brown
appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr.. w.
II. Anthem for the defense The court
room was crowded as usual.
Mr.. w. H. Anthem opened the case
for the defense. He said he would
show that the plaintiff was introduced
to the defendant simply for the purpose
of a meretriclous relation, and this he
would show by the testimony OF an I'M
impeachable witness. The latter told
the plaintiff that the defendant was
rich and could well provide for her,
while his 1.-THE witness money was all
gone. The testimony would also show
to what places she led him and what
really took place at the house of Mrs.
Beams. 1t would show that he was not
afraid of his father and could have
married whom hepleased. He would
not defend the wrong which the defen-
dant committed against society by
passing this woman off as his wife in
order to obtain access to respectable
hotels, but point out how he had suf-
fered for this wrong, how he had been
prosecuted by this woman for ten long
years He would show that the plain
tiff herself told Judge Lea, of Tennes-
see, and others, that she repudiated
the very idea of being the wife of the
defendant. She proclaimed herself as
a free-lover of the boldest description,
and even assumed the guise of rich
widow from Louisiana atvarious places.
AT st. Paul, Mimi, she actually con-
tracted marriage relation. This was
not true, noble wife. This wasone of
the women, as they were described in
Holy Writ, whose house lis the path
way to hell that leadeth down to The
chamber of death!''
Clarence B. Hunt was the first wit
ness for the defence, a middle-sized,
sallow-complexioned, gray-eyed, brown
haired man, with shining diamond pin
in his breast.
New York Times Report.
He testified that he was born in
Memphis, where he still lives, and does
business as member Of the firm of Mos
by, Hunt & Co., wholesale grocers and
commission merchants. He had known
the defendant, Mr.. Brinckley, from
boyhood, when they were playmates to-
gether, and had been acquainted with
the plaintiff since 1855. Then he met her
in Iuka Springs, where she was visit
ing. Mr.. HINT met plaintiff again
in New York in the spring of 1864. He
testified further that he called upon
her and told her that Mr.. Brinckley
wanted to ''cateh him girl" that he
was a nice, wealthy gentleman who
would support her handsomely. Mr..
Hunt said that he had spent all his
money and would soon return to Mem
phis She would be very foolish, he
added, if she permitted such a good
chance to slip by.
Gen. Anthem here offered a note
which had been written by the plaintiff
to Mr.. Hunt, but Mr.. Beach objected
to its admission as evidence.
After some deliberation, Judge Van
Brunt decided that the note should be
admitted, and Mr.. Beach noted an ex-
ception. In the letter, which Mr. Hunt
testified was in the plaintiffs hand
writing, she speaks of going to Europe
and of many years probable separa-
ton. She asks him not to divulge what
he knows concerning her connection
with Mr. Brinckley, and bids him
"good-by," after asking him to destroy
the note Mr.. Hunt testified to the
plaintiff and defendant going to live In
a house in Fifteenth street, and to their
taking the name of Lawson. Nothing
was said about marriage, and they
laughed at the trick which they had
played upon Mrs. Beams. He called
upon them at the st. James, where
they were living under the name of
Mr.. and Mrs. Lawson; and there, he
further testified, the plaintiff said that
Mr.. Brinckley was not well, was spit
ting blood, and had become repugnant
to her. In a subsequent interview, In
Memphis, she told Mr.. Hunt that If he
regarded himself as a friend of Mr..
Bripckley's, he would advise him to
agree to her terms Mr.. Hunt replied
that he had understood that Mr..
Brinckley had agreed to give her
house and lot and 800 month. She
then said that 800 month would not
paw her dress-maker. She wanted one
of Mr.. Brinckley's blocks of buildings.
Mr.. Hunt also testified that she asked
him to testify in her favor when upon
the stand at her trial.
Hugh L. Brinckley, the defendant,
testified that he lived IN Arkansas, but
was a native of Memphis, and had
lived there the greater portion of his
life. He stated that his connection
with the plaintiff had been entirely
meretricious, and that he had never
proposed to her to become his wife, nor
had the subject of marriage ever been
mentioned between them. They had
taken the name of Lawson, which was
his middle name, because he did not
wish to be troubled by the usual dis
comforts of third-rate boarding houses.
He branded all the previous testimony,
in regard to the offer of marriage, the
ring and the cross stories, as utterly
false, and without a word of truth.
A L L. ,.1