The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-02
SORROWS OF A MOTHER.
Mrs. Trumpy's Long Fight for Possess
sion of Her Boy.
A SAD HI TO Y.
She Charges Her Husband With Cruelty,
Violence and Adultery.

Tho Lennox House, at Greenwich, Conn.,, was oecu-
pied yesterday afternoon ny Judge Elisha Carpenter
OF Hartford. IN hoaripg the Trumpy divorce case,
which mas been In tho Connections since 1874
The following Is a briei history on tho cssc:-
Ia August 1859. Benjamin r. Trumpy married Mary
the daughter OF Mr.. Sanford Mead we'll TODD farmer
. OF GreeoWch The couple uniisd In the Lass
canned place, but soon after the ceremony came Ia
this city. From here thcy returned Grssn
wicb. In 1874 the wife left the husband
on the ground of great and long continued cruelty
Acts OF cruelty were particularly charged u
have boon committed Two weeks previous the birth
OF their youngest child. There had boon four chtL
drcn Two Of them twins, who died, and others-
Sanford and Benjamin f., Jr. Colonel H. W. r. Hoys
counsel for Mrs. Trumpy, in tho fall Of 1874 aled
petition for absolute divorce. Mrs Trumpy pos.
session OF her two children. but shortly after
Christmas Day Trumpy with hts brother-i Law, H.
NJ. Bailey, and others, forced way into the house Of
Alexander Mead, Mrs. Trumpys brother, and took
away Benjamin f., Jr.. tho elder boy. In 1875 tue
case WAS tried In Bridgeport Mrs. Trumpy charged
her husband with habitual drunkenness and
intolcrabIe cruelty. Ho made simple
denial. Tho case dismissed. In the summer Of
tho Same year Colonel Hoyt and George H. wasrous.
Of Norwak, aiod ssecoud petition with tho old
".
torncy Oimsead, OF Norwalk, thsreupou retained
by Trumpy. On the 23i OF May, 1877, tho case came
up before Judge Carpenter, In Greenwich. Mrs.
Trumpy was The nrst witness called sne testified 10
her tntoxicaton acts OF cruelty and brutal
treatment during the first part OF their married life:
she said he broke his promise not to drink although
that promise had gained her hand. He even
intoxicated during their bridal trip. whea
QUO OF the twins was dead, ara before
other died, he wrote an obituary notice Of
both for tho newspapers II wasa good advsr
tiscment Tor his business. On their Green
When Mr. Mead died, soon after, and lcft her 81 600
her husband was di,pleascd because she loaned 10
70 her no Before
est mud Was born. Judge Carpenter argsd upon both
sides the wisdom OF reconciliaton, account tho
children. Mrs. Trumpy did not tho Oh rges.
and he consented 10 have absolute divorce granted
her. He was to have tue Oldest child, who however,
was to remain with his mother ono-third OF year,
Tho youngest was 70 be entirely under the control OF
tho mother.
The dccrce was passed in June, 1877. Mrs. Trumpy
went 10 the honso Of Mr.. Bailey. her husbands
brotherin law, and asked tho promised possession Of
the elder boy. Benjamin f., Jr She was rspulsed
with IN suits For three years he had been with
his mother, and she had only seen long
time during all that time. Whom be was taken sick
hts mother was kept In ignorance OF The iaet be.
tween tho 10Th OF Juno aud the Goth Of september,
1877, she visited Baicy's house about twenty OF
thirty times got Of hor child, but each
time was met with rebukes and Al the eamo
s"nord who was WITH his mother :. tSe hoU,:,
Of her brother Alexander Mead. Tho Inst
eIl, os oy mrs aS%py 10 Sc. nsr oldest boy was
husband. Is SAID, that there of
ing 70 tne house as she couldn't hay. her child any
nled petition In tho Superior Cour, which alleged
the insults and rsprcachcs heaped upon the wife and
asked the Court 70 change tho order 30 that the
mother could the custody Of both the children.
On the loan Of December. 1877, hAbeas corpus wss
nlc4 and Z writ akKug the custody Of Benjamin r.
| Trumpy.Jr. The matter rested In court tor lew
days. during which a hesrng had, and shon
Irumry MED counter petition aud application los
III January. 1878, Judge $ D. Bea,dsly, before
| Elisha Carpenter who Is Judge OF Tho Supreme
Court OF Errors 10 hear and report oil sac factA
Tue nrst hearing was mud on the Sd and 4th of Feb
ruary last, at the Lennox House. In greenwich. Il
was adjourned 10 she 18th of June, and also tho
recelved by MIRA Trumpy ana the unntnsss OF Mr.
Trumpy to take charge OF the children. as shown ~
children On the last day Two Witnesses testified that
Trumpy had committed adultery with n mulatte
woman In his employ. The Witnesses were Aioxsn-
der Mead anu tho woman herself Fannie Grosu.
Alexander Mead destined that on the Atm or July,
1873, he camo homo iatc there had been company;
key the outside door Fannie opened the doorand
walked away Trumpy followed her into the dining
room; there witness heard Fannie exclaim, '1ct
go-et me Co. or will call Mr. Mead; witness took
of his Shoes ana went down stairs; he heard rrumpv
exclain. "Mnke less noise. hear some walkingf
Witness wished TO tell this the nrst divorce case
but not permitted 10 do so; he never said any.
thing TO the principals as TO his knowledge Of the
adultery ne was positive That adultery had been com
mittca.
Spears but that she had married ard lived In Hang
root; che lived In Mesds family Ia 1873; lived thoro
for one year and nine months; sue remembered
Trumpy meeting her ono night IN the dining room.
after eleven o'clock the 4th Of uly oS
the gardener 10 and was returning wnon met by
fyumpy who put his about her; she start ed for
the kitchen door, but was pulled back by him; sbo
told him TO let her he cautioned hsr TO Keep still
and not mako SO much noisc he said no wpuiont
let her GO; replied she would call Mr. Mead sha
told him TO 70 up to his vile; he accomplished hts
purpose, ana tod him she'd tell his vile next
morning; no asked her not to; no wis under tho
fuencc oil liquor.
The case was tncu adjourned until yesterday. ~
twelve O'Clock Alexander Mead and Fannie Green.
the coiorea woman, we're cross-exainincd. They tod
tho story related. With fcw fuller rx-
plapaiions they did vary from thor first stato-
mcntA The muiatto under tnirty ve years Of age.
Sbc neat looking and was quite attractive look.
ing girl whom u Moad's She came from the
South. She sworc yesterday that Trumpy the
first she was criminaiiy ultimate with She
is married TO a hard working colored mnB.
Thomas G. Rtch, New York lawyer, by consent OF
counsel, testified to the exemplary character OF
Trumpy; witness mad seen him attends church 10
STANFORD for period OF two years.
Joseph Is. Hustccd testified To driving up night
from tue village with rrumpy, who was intoxicated,
ana talked about his (rrmupy'rl children; he tod
witness that they were sick aud that n they were
gong to dic no didn't see Why they not per.
mittec to die; Tint " pets needed mrs Trumpy
could 70 ana cultivate some kittens that IN
the stable. Abraham Henderson testified 10 getting
intoxicated quito often with Trumpy. Colonel Hoys
closes his case to-day.