Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-04-19

Mrs. Rebecca Potter, wife OF David Potter OF
Gardiner, failing to obtain a warrant in her own
city, came to Augusta, and procured warrant
for the arrest of her husband on the charge of as
sault and battery. The trial took place yesterday
ia the municipal court in this city,
Rebecca is a woman Ger whose head has passed
the suns and gales and squalls Especially the
squalls) of perhaps e. y.eve summers. She is a
spare, tall woman, with a determined, resolute
look, fiery eye, and a muscular apparently
one of the sort of women who become naturally
the family regulator. She held up IN court her
left arm, which she said had been broken three
years ago, her husband pushing her down stairs.
1t is limited, on the other hand, that the lady her,
self got drunk and fell down stairs, without any
assistance from her husband.
1t seems that on Thursday last, Mr.. Potter, who
is President of the Gardiner Reform Club, on get
ting ready to come to Augusta, discovered that his
pants needed mendng in two places, on the hip
and in the leg. He naturally asked his wife to
sew up the rips. She did sew up one, but left the
other, which he was obliged TO pin up. On Friday
(the next day. Mr.. Potter with another reformer,
was going to Bowdoinham to attend a temperance
meeting, and he called her attention renewedly to
the condition Of his pants. She said that she had
sewed them up; but she hadn't, and Potter knew
it. SO he rolled the pants up and took them to his
brothers wife, who did the job. She gave him
fair warning that if he went "she would never
sew another stitch in the world for him; so now !"
But he went, in spite of the terrible penalty.
But this was not the end OF trouble, or of Mr..
Potters domestic calamities. Fixing himself up
again, on Saturday, he discovered that button
was missing from his shirt. He wanted his dear
wife just to sew that button on, but she wouldn't
she mad taken the pledge of total abstinence, and
wasn't going to touch needle SO David went
into the other part of the house, where lived Mrs
Talbot, who was about to do the friendly act Of
sewing on button for a distressed neighbor, when
she confronted by Mrs. Potter, who had fol-
lowed her husband in. "Ill not speak to you
again, if YOU do that" OF course the neghbor
desisted, not wishing to have any trouble with
such rear neghbors. He then took the shirt and
went to another eighbors where the job was
done. He then went home to change his clothes.
As he passing into the bed room, bis affection
ate wife was standing by the sink. She held in
her hand a savage implement SO much dreaded
during these housekeeping days. wet mop cloth,
or she says, dish CLOTH. There was an inter
change of words-not very affectionate and loving
in tone sentiment-fnally she up with the wet
cloth, thoroughly saturated with sosp suds, and
''let him have it across the face. II any one
supposes that wet mop or dish cloth acts as a
soothing syrup, they are immensely mistaken. \
good deal Of unnecessary talk followed. She says
that David grabbed hold of her lame arm, or
struck her. she couldn't tell which. The son, who
was in another room come out, and poured oil
upon The troubled waters. though Mrs. Potter was
anxious that some one should go for the police.
Mr.. Potter testified in court that he didn't touch
his wife the occasion referred to- Snd SO
thought the court and others, who heard the testi
mony.
The judge therefore ordered that Mr. Potter be
discharged.
Without doubt Mr. Potter has had more or less
trouble in his family; while he was drinking
man this was to be expected but since he reformed
he has been true to his pledge and true to his
family, and has the entire confidence Of the good
people of Gardiner. lie has shown himself a
power for good among the men who have been
debased by reason Of rum.