The Republican journal., 1875-10-21
Matrimonial Troubles.

OF q divorce case, the aggravating cause of
which, or a portion of which, has its scenes
laid in the Penobscot region Strange to
say, the chief sinner is clergyman. The
report says
ON the 1th of May, 1874, Ellen NJ. Sewall filed
libel for divorce in the Supreme Court against
Charles IL. Sew;lll long a member of the New
England Methodist Episcopal Church, well
known IN this vicinity, talented, and tor Il long
tlme beloved and respected. The petition
prayed for divorce, aimony, and the custody
"i an infant child and also that money might
be paid into court for the support of the libel,
liant and child while the suit pending, and
10 dcr;y the expenses of the suit; and also
praying that defendants interest III the prop
crty OF the late Moses Il. Sewall might be at
tached to the amount of 100000. 1t was alleged
That the parties, Charles I'll. SeWall and Ellen
VI. Marks, were married at Mlddletown, n. L..
in June. 1861 and that libelant has always con-
Quoted herself as faithful and ylrtuOus wife,
but that the ibelee, at Catskill n. Y, and at
Fox Island, Maine, and other places, between
July, 1872, and the date of the libel, committed
adultery with one Kate Russell
The answer OF the defendant was filed by his
counsel, Charles Robinson, Jr., in September
-, and was plea in Abatement claiming that
the court had no jurisdiction, on the ground
that neither Ellen NJ. nor Charles ii. Sewal
We're or had been residents of the state during
libelIants bill = she residing in Middetown,
y. v, and he being resident of the state of
Maine.
Recently the lbelee dismissed his counsel,
ana upon the counsel for the libellant, Morse,
stone. Il Grenough, moving for a hearing, it
WAS assigned by Judge Wells of the Supreme
Court for yesterday. subsequently, and in the
meantime, the clerical offender engaged new
counsel, Gen. b, +. Butler, and that gentleman
appeared i'll court on Tuesday morning asking
Il poatponcment, which was denied. On that
day the llbelant filed paper joining issue with
lihellec on the question of abatement, and yes
lerday Il three hours hearing was given on the
case by Judge Wells. At this hearing Hon. f.
f.. Barney appeared for the libellee instead of
Gen. Butler, and pleaded that he knew little
about the ease, having Just been called into it,
WAS unprepnred for hearing and that his
client had sent him a note saying he could not
be present on account of illness. The court.
however, decided to proceed with the hearing
far enough to ascertain what the case WAS.
The ease of Mrs. Sewall was conducted by X.
NJ. Morse, Jr Esq, who in his opening charac-
trlIIed this as one of the most remarkable cases
Ut marital Inildellty, not to say fragrant lmpOsl-
ION upon the courts ever perpetrated. The
llhcllet, he sad, was pastor OF a church III ia
ln;lica Plain, and the libeant was the daughter
ot i prominent clergyman OF New York. In
The winter of 1872 She learned of her husbands
tour To the Catskllls and Niagara Falls i'll com
pany with woman, and subsequently filed a
lib for divorce, and left her husband and went
t. the home of her father. Her husband then
proposed a separate maintenance, and provided
Tor The same by mortgage and note, but had
failed To meet the agreed obligations. lie had
since written atfectionatc letters to his wife and
daughter, all dated at Boston. But it had been
a>crltaned that he had been going from place
to place in Maine with the same woman with
whom he committed adultery i'll 1872, and i'll
the meantime filed Il bill of divorce in Knox
county, Me, alleging that he had been resi-
dent Of the state of Maine for a year, and that
The whereabouts of his wife were to him I'M
known The libel wa. published in the Cam
den Herald, and he obtained his decree Of di-
yorce. Counsel also alleged that personal
notice OF her libel had been served upon him.
Rev Mr.. Marks, father of Mrs Sewall,
testified to an interview with defendant,
in which the latter was charged with hay
ing been travelling and sleeping with
hate Russell He replied that he did not
deny it,
ON the eross-eXamina1ion the only new points
developed We're that witness had heard chat Sc
wall had ordered his wife to leave the house
PRIOR 10 her final departure for her fathers:
that he knew OF libel for divorce being filed,
and that the suit was stopped after the mort
gage deed was made, which was dated Feb. -,
1873.
Beneath the beautiful hills of Camden, and
overlooking a splendid view OF the western
portion of PenObscot bay, stands the Ocean
House. The landlord of that hotel was called
a,awituess, and testified that on Auc 20 INA
in February. 1874 and lime of tho samo Ios,
charles II. sewall came to his honSa w}t Ia a
woman, stopped few days each time, in ad-
and fTat thr Kyrrnnd ('h1rn, NH 5,o IN, oo"'
The Gbellant, Mrs FIIen n Se s,,. Inv Vs.
aIIdtothe stand and cave an in+nre'tim', wa, wa"
travail Of her bIIsh.nJs .lleand rrn,e s. p ha,.
testimony il anpears that at1er her ratnrn bon1d
from her soinIi,m nt her t,tha,l in ~ NV
tiunI - ji,ty n J'hn,,i,r;,i, :, III 49, 9lit