The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-05
A MOTHERS HEART BROKEN.
DRTVEN INSANE ny THE ross or HER
EONDLY LOVED CHILD.
Tragic End OF Divorce Suit against John
Church, .I-., the Music ID aicr-Ihc WIFE
Dies from the Effect of the shock.

Dies from the Effect Of the shock.
fsos, The hssfqa H,ruH
CfNCfSNATI, Jan. AIRS. John Church,
wife Of John Chmch. Jr.. tho well known music
dealer of this city and New York, diod hero on
New Years Day. She and her husband had
parted. tho wife taking ono child and Mr..
Church the other. tho eldest. daughter 10
years OF age, with the agreement. II il claimed.
that the wife waa to see tho daughter often.
Church soon sent her to Boston. where no for
merly resided. and her mother seldom saw her.
This was sad blow to tho mother. who was
very affcctionate. She WIS taken i'll with pneu-
monia u few days ago. and during her sickness
expressed "a very fervent desire to see her child.
Finally the father sent 10 Boston for his daugh
tor. and she came. arriving on Christmas Day.
She was taken by him to the house where Mrs.
Church lay III. and. without seeing her left the
child, agreeing, according to the abatement Of
the nurse. that tho child should SEQ her TWO
hours every dav.
At the end Of that time. on the first day. the
After waiting two days the mother became al
most distracted at the absence Of her child. ana
by TO ind out Why She was " not sent and was
told that the child had been sent back u Bos-
ton. On being told Of this. tho unfortunate
mother, who had waited In agony OF suspense
for her fathers return became insane. Her
time was spent between pteous calls for little
EIith and the hcHping OF curesSrH upon an
Imaginary child. craving the bcdclothcs in a
bundle t. her breast. and alldressin NJ them In "A
most touch hing way as her dear Filth. During
her sane intervals, which were very few. and
brief. she sun cred terribly. complaining OF her
brcnst and calling loudly Tor her child. She
grew rapidly weaker. not seemingly from the
serious. but from tho cfrsets. i is believed. OF
thr shock causet by The sg,paration, and. on
ctemrht over the mattr' hnl' tlnugh MT
Church has formerly stood well In Clncinnati,
the , igelins IL Scry much as"inst him. Il, is
Russell. n brotbrr-n- law. His store WIS closed
20 day in respect to the death of his wife,. HIS
attorney explains that the removal OF Filth
from the mousse whore her mother was was
necessary. owing to legal points IN the divorce
case stu pending. Mrs. church WA very
cictv. being Il niece Of the celebrated Thomas
Corwn. the famous orator ana politician.
F'oa ne t,,sonnas Engnlo.
John Church. Jr.. came TO this city in 1859.
His eldest child was n boy. named COrwin
Church. who died in 1878 Edith il the second.
and II u years Of age.
By the terms Of this agr,cment. Filth WIS
gwen 10 the custody of the father. and Alice. the
further stipulated that the wife WIS to receive
from the husband an income Of 81 800 per year;
Alice s5g until she arrived AT the NJ" of
years. $3.50 the next year. and 81 900 per
annum until tho age OF 10. Under
this agreement tho parties hvcd until last
spring. when Mrs. Church brought suit for
divorce and aiimony. and for the custody OF the
remaining child Edith. Alice having died In
the mean time. The husband mover flied Pc
ttion for divorce. hut SIMPLY defended the suit
brought by his wife. and IN defense set up the
agreement above referred Ia. The case was to
hay" hcen tried ON drp tons and for the past
sin weeks the papers have been In course Of
preparation. They were not finished. and will
now. OF course. never he. the plaintiff = terti-
mony. how, YER is all In.
on the 10Th Of Last December Mr.. Church was
informed that his wife WIS dangerously III. He
Immediately, and without request from his
lfA lNtaF fffrN ITALIA a e..
como to this city She was res ng with rela-
tives in Little Compton, II. !: Two days after
this the physician attending Mrs. Church stated
That she WAS not 30 ~ ~ was ut first expected
Nevertheless. the order for the child's visit wis
not countermanded by Mr.. Church. and the
mother and child were temporarily united. I'M
der a written agreement drawn up by the coun-
sci Of the husband and endorsed by the wife.
which was. in substance. that while here the
any, any Of ' the friends q Mr. Churc3 whom M
he might choose. II was neither re-;
qucstcd nor understood that she should
make her home with her mother. Filth ar
rived on Christmas morning. and after break
fast was taken to.the COrwln residence. at 10
o'c.ock-an hour earlier than stated before.
Church having made arrangements 10 pnss tho
htt'r part OF Christmas day with friends IN
chiffon. lac notified thc torwins lhat he would
return for Filth ~ O'Clock that same after
noon. Al the time named ne drove To- the house
and WAS received al the door hy Elith. who
placed in her fathers hand a letter from Mrs.
IN, sn.uini. az tha rhfid with any fri.u,i. ar NJ
any other plnc" than 1T COrwin's would he com
silerrd % violation Of the agreement. Mi.
CNur. D. Nry naturally. was surprised at this,
AMI fot TINT ~ everything u thr premises had
been done by him in good fnith. ami tnut. his
actions being received m tins spirit, wd~ eIuiv-
alent to a notice that an ntt'mlt would log made
~ prejudice him and his custody oi the child in
the proceedings which had been brought
against hlm and inasmu'h a. he was Informed
by Mrs. Churrh's physician that the condition
oi the wife wis improving. he took the child
away and that same night went with her to
Boston. This step would never have been
tahen by Mr.. Church had any other request
been mad" by any member OF the family or
their friends. The carefully Wordad letter Of
Mrs. Churrhs attorney - what prcciptatcd tho
taking away ~ the child.
So far has Mr.. Church boon from desiring 70
keep Edith from her mother. although 10y the
agreement ne was to have her exclusively. that
before the suit WAS brought and IN the cndra-
vor 10 avoid IT, he Oif'rrd Mrs. Church the Gus
toby Of Eilth for eight months IN every year
unaer conditions not lcrogtorytO Mrs. Chur h.
but with which she could not persuade herself