The New York herald., 1878-03-24
ROSS VS.. ROSS.


THE WIFE SEEKS DIVORCE ON ALLEGATIONS OF
CRUEL AND INHUMAN TREArMENT--A RICH
MAN WHO NEARLY STARVED HIS FAMILY
suLLEN TEMPER OF A JEALOUS MAN.
PoUGuKEErsIE, March 23, 1878
The OF Ross vs.. Ross came up before Judge
Barnard In the Supreme Court to-day and sent 10
Benjamin Fowler as referee. II Is suit Tor divorce
the ground oi cruel and inhumal treatment Mr.
Parsons of Now York. appeared for the defendant ard
Judge Wheaton and John Nelson for the plaintiff Mrs.
Maria Louisa Ross, tho plaintiff is below middle age
and appeared In court with lady riond who sat oy her
side. She neatly attired in a dark suit and her
manner was very modest and unassuming. Her hus-
band, William Ross, democratic candidate
Tor Asse mbly from this district Mrs. Ross story Is
iul of sad experiences. She was the first witness.
among other things testaed that they were mar
rled March 20, 1852 IN New York city; the first Two
or three mouths alter marriage spent in Pough-
keepse. whom they moved to summer residence on
the edge Of Hyde Park village; they hadn't been
married more than three months before young
who was acquainted with hrs Ross
before her marriage called upon her at the house OF
Mr. Ross mother; this displeased Mr.. Ross aud he
found fault with her, and from that time forth his
Jealousy seemed to grow upon him, and he became
irritable and very suspicious OF ncr once when they
were riding ON the he charged her with being
infatuated with every IN the Car, and said the
gentlemen looking at her; tnis was during the
first year OF their marriage; this condition seemed
to grow upon him stronger aud stronger and one day
he told her she mado his lie perfectly wrelched.
CALLING OPPRESSIVE NAMES.
When he had men at work about the place at Hyde
Park he charged her with being infatuated with them
called her "dead beat" and other names, and went
many persons Of respoctability, giving names; even
charged her with being infatuated with tramps who
approached the house Tor food; one day, seeing u
tramp coming toward the house, he shouted .'Here
hc CHARGED in the presence OF ncr servants
and children. time and again. that she was crimi-
naly intimate with persons; they have
and daughters and he has frequently told her
that only the sou was his cnid. She testified that
sue didn't believe he really meant all he sa d. but did
II TO tantalizs her She had put very few visitors
because she was afraid to have company on bis ac-
count said tnatn charges referred 10 had been
OF daily occurrence Tor years She further testified
that he freq usnlly called her sucker and fraud.
"HE WAS UGLY AND CROSS"
Mary Mulnollana, lormcr servant IN the family in
1876, tined that she cook at the time Mr.
Mrs. Rosa constantly; he came into the kilcuen
the house and scsndailze her mornings; called her
Mr. Ross dead beat" that was constantly going on
from morning I'll nignt; while witness was getting
his breakia Mrs. Ross would turn IDe steak, when
he would shove her away; was always afraid oil
him; he was always 50 ugly and cross; was
AFRAID OF my lie; ne lighting with his family
viii the time. Witness saw Mr. Ross shove Mrs. Ross
against table; never saw HIM but what he was mad
sometimes VIC hadn't anything TO eat; he never ate
with his family In my time; he always ate before any
one in the house, she would give lood 70 her chill
dren and 20 without u HERSELF sometimes Mrs Ross
would get along win a cup Of coffee all day wnes-
ever they had beef steak MI. Ross Always mad the
enderoin ami he ate IN The parior by ninsel.; they
didn't nave but two meals day; she seldom ate
dinner; he tortured her she was always crying.
Judge Wheaton asked II there was not sometimes
a casual nam Oone In the ash puS (Laughterj Wit
said that ha,i the timo the family mad nothing TO
eat Witness for two months never had decent
meal IN the n0use, but she aftsrwsrd quail ned the
statement by saying they once in Z wnIe had bccf
steak roast Dce aud potatoes and butter In her
complaint MrA Ross states that Mr. Ross Is worth
SO, 900 real and personal property.
lhe wltness lurJuer testiiying. stated that Mra
Ross had reason Tor crying all tho time. Oae Ilme
witness the kitchen, and Mr. Ross yelled down
to from sop window, ''Mrs. Ross tribe" IL .
would commence soon AS he got up. Witness al
ways got enough to eat at every place except at Mr.
Ross house, ami said Mr. Ross was always ang,y at
his wife, ana always slaudernR her.
THREATS VIOLENCE
Hattie Hustled, former servant, testified that
wnen Mrs Ross would 20 through the kithen Mr.
never heard HIM speak good-natursdly 10 her or o.
her; lheard hn use obscene language toward her,
aud ono time ne ,old her mat when his
Mr. Ross and his mother and his mothers
maid always dinsd together wInout Mrs. Ross.
The cross-exainnation of Witnesses did not secm TO
the continued uproar IN the house caused by
Mr.. Ross department toward MS wiic he Latter
witness tcsliicd that she never MRS. Ross put
her arms around husband q neck k ny
ncr but she was kind him nevertheless. Witness
dId not Ike Mr. Ross because he charged her with
changing over the enco and Ialkins win men," ne
charged her with steailng butter, but she
did.
LILA Rico, colored servant, testified, among other
things that she heard Mr. Ross call his vii rauu"
and u 'oeat," f" and IL any woman had been cali
her he would say TO ncr. "Now you have becn tickling
her with sIraws; ned aIrt around initiate ner;
he would call her Ga dead beat" &c. he would
laugh her and make tun, say, ''Ha!
Hain this would occur every day;
day witness was looking through glass Goor into
the nall; Mr. and Mr.. Ros, Tho STAIRS, and
heard William Ross, the son, say, mo, IA
ther WON'T see mother hurl; no man VIII stuke u
didn't see Mr. Ross; saw Mrs. Ross aiterward,
an one Lace red though sne had
been struck just before that there anot ther time
between hem.
another day.