The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-26
A MILLIONAIRE In COURT.
HhRRTET ". BERDELL'S SUR FOR
DIyORCE AND ALIMONY.
Her uuabnnd's Counter suit Clerks OF Load
ina Hotels on tho Witness Stand-Somo
Presents Of Fruits, FIowcrs, md NJ oney.

Her Hu-bnnd's Counter suit Clerks Of Load
ina Hotels on tho Witness Sandstone
Presents Of Fruits, Flowers, aud Money.
NEwDURGH, April 25.-The suit OF Harriet
II Derd I'll for divorce and aim ony against Robert
II. Bsrdell. President Of tho Erie Railway,
was called to-day before Judge barnard. TIE
court room was thronged. Judge Fullerton np-
peared for Mrs. Berdel Near the plaintiff sat
her brother, Mrs. Murray, aud Mrs. Parkhutst.
who has also instituted a suit against Mr. Der
doll. Mrs. Beriell was attired In black. She Ia
a handsome woman, has gray hair, and wears
eve glasses. Mr.. Derdell Is a stout-built, full
featured man OF about nfty, and his hair and
whlskers arc nearly white. Jury having been
impaneed, MIR. Fullerton opened for the plain
tn. lie said that In 1875 Mr.. Berdell 0rst became
acquainted with the woman with whom he Is
alleged to have cohabited-a low, vulgar female
OF Paterson, N. J. During the intimacy the de-
fendant wrote letters to this woman, sent her
kilograms. mode appointments, and gave her
fruit ana flowers.
Mr. Fullerton read the deposition of John p.
Pounds, Paterson hack driver, to the enect
that he h d KIN )wn Mr.. Berdel two years, and
became acquainted with him through Pater-
son women named Frank Rcdncr. tD whom ne
delivered messages, fruits ana flowers Tor the
defendant. lie had taken Mr.. u 'rdell TO lie d.
ner's house, and also other mon atviriOus times.
Kedner's reputation for chastity was very bad
In cross-examin tion Pounds had admittad that
benjamin Il. sage, buokkeoper and cashier for
the defendant from 1871 to 1915. testified that
lived in Goshen, Orange county, from whtcn
place lie generally came to New lo.k every
niorninE, so,ne back - the evening. He had
er times. Defendant mad written letters to
Redner. The witness identified telegram.
The defendant had received n telegram from
Redner; :" Not home When telegram received.
Snal come this p. M.2'
In cross-cxlmination the witness showed con-
ait dor tlti IN Al Il fntt
KOmer Gillis, clerk Of the 81. James Hotel,
sw ore that the defendant began to visit the
house In October, 1870 and was accompanied by
woman whom he called Mrs. Berdell He
Identified Kedner who was in court, as the wo'
man.
James u. Haley, clerk at the Grand Hotel, tes-
titled that the deiendant occupied "A rom there
Win a woman on the night Of May ,loio. aud
registered us X. ii. Berdell and wife, Goshen.
y y" Eli Steckel, IN ch rye Of the rooms AZ
the II. Dents stated that MIR. Berdeil registered
MY.
Joseph Masterson, detective. swore that he
had tracked MIR Berdeli and Redn TO the 81.
! Denis. The witness was ACCOMPANIED bv Horace
Is .rnard. half brother OF Mrs Berdell. they
| looked through the fanllght Into tue room oc'
| cupied by the defendant.
| Mr. Tracy, for the defence, charged that Mrs.
Berdel ana others had cOnspred against the
| defendant; that enc had received the attentions
| Of Wisner Murray while her husband was away,
and had left htr husbands house, taking her
| childfen, valuable jewels, and thousands OF dol
lars In money. He asked the Court To dismiss
| the complaint, on the ground that no evidence
| had been adducsd to substantiate the claim for
allmony and divorce. The motion was denied.
Joseph Foley. hall boy at the st. Denis swore
that the detective could not have seen into the
| defend ant room, owing to the condition Of the
| fanlight.
Mary Frank Rcdner testified that her mother
kept nrst-cisss hotel In Paterson. About a
| year ago she was introduced to the defendant al
| the St. Denis by u Mrs Conrad; the defendant
| had never been at her house, and only sent her
grapes and flowers once when her mother was
sick. They met accidentally in New York, and
| he asked her TO take breakfast with him; They
went 20 = room to wash She always paid back
| money loaned to her by the defendant.