The New York herald., 1877-01-11
A BROKEN HOME.
Another Divorce Scandal in
High Life.
THE NICHOLS FAMILY JARS
Alterations Of Husbands Cruelty and
a Wife's Shame.

Another sad story Of domestic nclicty. OF broken
and desolate home and again parties belong to the
40 called plutocracy OF New York anu Connecticut
and have the highest associations in the Church, IN So
c,etv and the business world. The Nichols divorce
case now beng tried in Bridgeport, Conn, has ex
cited \ profound interest throughout tho Nutmeg
State and in this city Brooklyn where several OF
she parties reside and where all are well KNOWN MIS-
Georgisna Nichols was married at seventeen ana Is
now lady apparently little over iorty' sman IN
stature with dark hair and eyes, sallow com
plcxon and small. delicate features. She dresses
in deep black and listens TO the testimony adduced Dy
her husbands witnesses. which Is SO terrible an
arraignmcnt OF her wiely virtue, win scorhiui IN
tercs with contenptuous curl OF her lips which she
tries IN VAN behind dainty handkerchief
Ever and anon she heavcs painful sigh, as though
the bitterness of the exposure was 100 cruel Tor her to
bear even moment longer. Her husband. William =.
Nichols the son OF esteemed clergyman, Is a
wealthy real estate dealer whose Office Is at NO
Pine street. in this city He is rather tall, slim man.
with sharp, pointed, Ncphstophelan cast OF coun-
tenance, a trim little mssache ana curly har. MT
Thomas c. Lyman, who is alleged to be the cause OF
tho husbands unhappiness and the object OF the
lady's passionate but unlawful DEVOTION is wealthy
brewer, formerly residing al No. 10 Gallatn place.
Brooklyn, but now at NO. " cst rHty -sc'cHlu
street and having brewery at No. 55l West Thirty
third street. in this city. Mr.. Lyman is described as
man OF attractive appearance and of ways peculiarly
fascinating to the ra sex, but has not yet appeared
at the trial He will probably be put upon the stand
by Mrs Nichols counsel to attest her innocence and
his own.
rHE HISTORY THE CASE
So much for the principal characters. The history
OF the case is highly interesting. About year ago
Mrs Georgiana Nichols, who then resided with her
Eve children in Brooklyn, brought suit against her
husband for limited divorce, in the City Court OF
Brooklvu on the ground OF cruel and nhuman treat
ment It Will be observed that the wife
ara,pst whom such shocking disclosures have
been made IN this trial thus herself opened tho legal
proceedings lie answered denying all her allegations
of cruelty with lamb-ke moekness and brought
counter suit against for divorce the ground OF
adultery which, he alleged. she had committed Win
LYMAN. Already these cross suits had produced
wide nuttcr society, Mr. Lyman being at one time
prominent member OF the Atlantic Club in Brooklyn
and we'll known in yachting circles, and having
charming vile and several children. But this was not
enough. Mr.. Nichols, who, strange to say, had con-
doned his wiics alleged nfdcty until she began SUING
for a divorce, supplemented his answer and cross SUIT
with action against Lyman for crim con-, IN which
he laid his damages at the respectable of 100000
Mr. W
bows aud tho result OF that abduction, and his forced
surrender of the child to its mother, will still be re-
membered by readers OF the HERALD.
THE PRESENT
Subsequently, Mrs Nichols removed to Southport,
Conn., where her mother, a wealthy old lady OF high
responsibility, resides, and where she has many friends
who sympathize with her. Here she brought suit or
absolute divorce on tue ground OF intolcrable cruelty
on the part OF husband. The law OF Connecticut
admits of absolute divorce on this ground, while that
of this State only admits OF limited divorce and hence
her action in bringing the suit IN Connecticut The
Superior Court OF Fairfield county, where the suit was
brought c,errcd the case 10 the Hon Lafayette s.
Foster one of the Judges court the tes
tmony and report his findings both as to her action
for cruelty and his counter SUIT for divorce ON the
ground of adultery.
INTERESTING COURT SCENES.
The hearinp of the cause began on December Z and
is held IN the Common Council Main street IN
Brldpeport, This is long but somewhat narrow room
with dais upper end. Strange to say, the ven
srabe whitehaircd Judge does not occupy the chair
on this das, but prefers to SIT below at the head oi
long table 1anked each side hy n little army oil
lawyers The chair and desk on the platform are oc-
cuped by overcoats, hats and shawls which
lie about IN picturesque confusion. On the right hand
o. the learned Judge SIT Mrs. Nichols lawyers, I. f.
Doolittc, OF New Haven; Mr. Hasey, OF Norwich and
Gooawin stoddart of Bridgeport on his LETT Mr..
Nichols lawyers. Judge William Fullerton, OF New
York; G. 7. Chds, OF Stamford W. X. scclyc, of
Bridgeport and D. T. Walden, OF New York.
Behind her lawyers sis Mrs Nichols, who
s oil course the subject of much curiosity. She is
surrounded by large number OF women, VINO all nave
the stamp OF High Church respectablty upon theu
Several OF them dgni1ed old marons VINO peer
through their spectacles with expression OF shocKed
amazement at the wicked witnesses led out by judge
Emil
upled with at the recital OF srandalous dis
closures against Mrs Nichols who Is q devOut member
of the Episcopal Church and attended Dr. Morgan s
church while in this city Besides Mrs. NICHOLS, hcr
daughters ana her mother enlist much attention Tho
eldest daughter girl apparently about eighteen or
plpeteen has all Ihe sweet freshness and bloom OF
youth and The of her cheeks and her coqucttsh
little hat in striking contrast with the dark,
aged faces and The matrony oacK hoous
round her The presence of this daughter
carries with it a painful warning to parents What spec
tacle cruel and more dcmorazng can be imagined
than that OF innocent maiden dragged away from
school the ietd atmosphere OF the divorce cour ana
compelled only to testify against her own iather
and TO arragn him for cruelty and nhumanity, but
also to listen the story OF her revcrcdmohers ourn-
ing shame as detailed by numerous wltnesscsr When
ever Mrs chols lawyers gain point Tor her she and
her friends smile IN exultalion
On The other side OF tho court room sits Mr. Nichols
beh his lawyers, diligently taking notes OF the tcs-
tmony and 'onally cyeire askance her TO whom
b. has peen welded for twenty years VINO rs the
mother OF HIS FIVE loved children aud upon whose So
ciai destruction ho is now bent The bearing OF tho
testimony naturally very slow Judge ful-
leriO
p Pope of New York, Is the only one TO take short.
hand notes and the rural lawyers Tor the prosecution
n,l struggle slowly along themselves III ranscrioihB
ths tesiimony Hence the witnesses have to make a
halt alter every sentence and wait III the scratchin ng
of the pens has ceased and meanwhile Mrs. Nichols
s,rhs ipatenty and her husband hods repeated con-
suatons with hts lawyers, whiethc remainder oil mo
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS lawyers. gossips ana morbid
scandallovers who crowd the roon-arc ON inc tp'oo
oi eager expectation
NICHOLS AS PAINTED ny MS WIFE
The prosecution was opened with Tie testimony OF
nd thfee O.
spcct,ycIy eighteen, sixteen aud Twelve VINO ali test-
6ed TO The barbarous lnhumanty OF their lather.
Thcv fully bore out the picture which their mother
h.d drawn OF her husband, as man IN a con.
slant volcanic state oil anger aud profanity Dcmntlon
MautaIinL according 10 Mrs. siehos' eompaln''
Her compliant states that lie assaulted her. threatened
hcr with pistol called her foul names ana once even
srhn.d nor nm .rnfcrna ncnd of hell" refused 10 pro-
v,an new Tor her church, &c. The last mentioned