Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-09-26
CLAUsES vs.. CEAusES.

~ COmNtUlnhut-1uog HelekoIl
Grants Otto CIausen q Divorce.
This forenoon the Clausen vs.. Clausen
divorce came to a sudden conclusion be-
fore the Circuit Court, Judge Heiskell,
presiding. General Horrigan appeared
in court as counsel for Mrs. Mary NJ.
Clausen and offered the following aida.
Wit as an answer to the petition Of com
plainant, Otto Clausen:
l, Mary NJ. Clausen, aged nineteen
years, wife of Otto Clausen and defend.
ant in the above named cause, do make
the following statement: That | was
married to my husband, Otto Clausen, as
stated in the petition for divorce, on the
Oath Of December, 1876; that / was de-
livered Of a child (temale) on the 3lst OF
July, 1877; that | did not know nv hus-
band, Otto Clausen. carnally previous 10
our said maria D and that the child
born on the 3lst of July, 1871 Of which
! was delivered, ives mol b. gotten by the
said Otto Clausen; that be was not the
father of the i'd child, but that one G.
A. Lefhngwell, whom | knew previous to
my said marriage, is the father OF the
said child, begotten by him previous to
my marriage with the id Olausen, aud
that my condition was unknown at the
time Of marriage to said Otto Clausen;
and | have every r son to believe, and
do state, that he was not aware Of the
wrong / had committed until the birth Of
the child. Mrs. MARY CLAUsEN.
When the above answer was received
aud read, Mr.. VIM. Carroll, counsel for
c. A. LefingWell, arose and asked to read
a certain paper, which was granted, and
Mr.. Carroll read a document signed by
Mr., Lefiugwell, in which be denied most
positively that he was the father of the
child mentioned, and alleged that he was
able to introduce proof to that effect.
The following letter from Mr.. Otto
Clau.sen to G. A. Lefingwell was also
read:
MENPHIs. Tenn, August 2. 1877.
@. A. LErFINGwELL- City
SIR-0, seducer, as you are, may the
God that is now above us curse you, and
let you suffer all the pain ! have suffered
till the last day; amen. Ny wife, after
seven months marriage, has borne a girl,
strong and healthy-ten pounds-day
before yesterday, and has acknowledged
you, Mr.. G. A. Lefingwell, to be the
father. Oh, | have been wild, and if not
for the sake Of her, you would have been
a dead man now. She pleaded for your
life, although you do not deserve it. Now,
to facts. | have loved and adored my
wife, and hate to lie we her, but if you do
not come to my terms in full, then | shall
sue for q divorce aud leave the revenge
to a father, whose child has been ruined
for life. OF course, we cannot remain
in Memphis, and shall, in a short time,
leave. That takes money. Now, | want
from you FIVE thousand dollars, and |
will give the child my name, educate her,
etc aud let her 90 for my own, for Mary's
sake. Now, there is no toolishness about
anything. | want you to understand
what have said | mean. | must have
the money before FIVE o'clock this even.
ing, or else-a fathers revenge may be
equal to a husbands. | want you Ia
send me word by the bearer whether you
will or not comply With it,
OTTo CLAUsEN.
Address care 1873 Poplar, cor. Fourth.
P. S.-If you would beware in future
years aver to mention anything abouI
that, | swear to God I'll take revenge.
Judge Heiskell held that these papers
we're immaterisl, and Mr.. L~efingwel
could not be permitted to introduce evi
dence tending to attack the character o
the defendant, Mary NJ. Clausen, witt
reference to acts committed by her pre-
vious to her marriage, but if any cglln
sion could be shown to have existed be
tween Otto Clsusen and Mary M. Clau
sen, proof could be introduced. Tit
attorneys Of Mr.. Lefingwell answered
that they could show collision, and the
following witnesses we're placed on thu
stand: G. A. %Lefingwell, James Mar
shall, E. Marshall. They testified tbar
they knew nothing of their W knowl
edge as to any collision between Clau
sen and wife, aud then Judge HeiskelI
would not allow the investigation to 20
any further, or as to any other matter
aud the case closed. Judge HeiskelI
ordered the following decree of divorce
to be entered Of record:
Otto Glausen VS.. Mary N. Clausen;
BE it remembered that this cause came
on to be heard and determined before
the Hon, c. W. Heiskell, Judge Of the
Circuit Court OF Shelby county, on this
26th day of September, 1877; on the bill
Judgment pro confesso proof on file and
the oral testimony introduced at the
hearing Of the cause, nd it appearing ia
the court that the complainant is entitled
to the relief sought, it lis therefore de-
creed hat the bonds Of matrimony
hitherto subsisting between the com
pl4inant aud the defendant b. and the
same are hereby dissolved.
A. FalIer e. Co. have Just re.
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