The sun., 1879-05-21
CROSS LIBELS FOR DIVORCE.
norm CHARGING EXTREME CRUELTY
AND BRUIAL TREA IMENT.
Tho Constant state ef Warfare In which nr.
David Thnyer Of Boston and his wire Lived
for Nineteen Ysars-bhocking HeveIations


for Nineteen Ysnrs-shocking Revelations
BosToN. May 20.--Dr. David Thayer has
for many years been one OF the most promi-
mont and popular homeopathic physicians In
New England He has had an extensive prac-
tico in some Of the first families o. this city
been n conspicuous figure in Republican city
politics. and had the confidence and respect OF
n large and influential circle Of friends. The
developments in the hearing OF a libel for di-
vorcc by his wife made yesterday before Judge
Endicou Of the supreme Court. indicate that
the domestic relations Of the Doctor have been
decidedly unpleasant
Mrs. Susan G. Thayer petitions for divorce
from tho Doctor on the ground OF extreme
cruelty. The libel sets forth that she WAS mar
ried on May It,. 1850. and lived with tho Doctor
until Jan. 81. 1873; that he treated her with ex-
trcme cruelty on Aug 10. 1874. and divers other
times that on Jan. 81, 1878. and on previous
occasions he treated her cruelty and nbusvcly {;
that on Aug. 10. 1874. he treated her with ex-
treme cruelty. and struck. choked and threat
onod her with weapons.
Tho husband filed cross libel charging the
wife with extreme cruelty in August, 1872
striking him and pulling him by the hair OF the
hoad: that on Nov II. 1872 while at his Office.
she struck at him with n pair OF surgeon s
scissors. threatening to Kill him. and said that
she would not rest quiet until ho was in his
coffin. and that she would kill him morally
mcntalv. and physically. and that she would
yet see him beggar; that on Jan. %. 1875. she
Lhreatencd him with hntchct. and that on
March 26. 1878, she struck him on the head
with a cane. doing serious injury
MI. f. +. Hodges appeared as counsel Tor the
libellant. and eN.Gov. William CASTOR and G. +.
Mcleod for the libelec.
Mrs Thaycr testified that the Doctor had
many times put her, out OF her sleeping apart
ment; In III" middle OF August 1870. she
called nt the Doctors oflcc in the company OF
the la,ter's nephew. She said TO her husband
the Doctor appronched her with one hand
not to insult me-" lie then caught her by the
hair. aud dragged her into a bath room saying
he WIS going TO Kill her. He caught her by the
mouth and made it bleed. Her hip was SO p, IN
that hor husband had gone far enough.
her time had come. and not to interfere.
The Doctor soon 1Ies,eted. and she was taken
up stairs by Ellen Finley and Morn, girls In the
house. On another occasion the Doctor went TO
her room with a rawhldo and threatened to
beat her into obedience Anothertime the Doc
tor tried to choke her. and otherwise TO NAL,
treat her. whercupon she cried out PolceV'
Soon afterward the door bell rang. and the
Doctor went up stairs. One OF the girls went to
the door and found two policemen there. who
We're told at the Doctors request. that the
screams they had heard did not come from his
house. Another time be refused to give her
money until she should learn how to behave
herself One Saturday evening as was her
custom, she went out marketing. and ON heT
return the Doctor wanted to know what she
had purchased. and got exceedingly angry
For months previous TO her abandoning the
Doctor he did not speak to her except when he
was In anger
his house he refused to sit at tho same
table with her. when she came TO the table
he would take his plate and food and 90 e
the kitchen 10 finish his meal, She owned all
the furniture that WAS in tho house, and paid
for the same with her own money ,Wnen about
TO go she packed her trunks and got things
ready to move. and was told by the Doctor that
she would have 10 be out by certain timc. as
another party was about TO occupy the house
The day she was 10 have her furniture taken
away her brother employed two men To aid
in the work. The Doctor caught these men
by their collars and prevented them from
demanded from her the keys To her trunks and
she refusing to give them up until her brother
came. her husband smashed the trunks with Il
hatchet. The Doctor said 70 her; Once loved
you. Your mother ought TO have cut the flesh
from your bones when you were born Befor,
marriage sho had given money 10 the Doc
tor tor investment. and at one time consent
ed to loan MIN some OF the money for hi,
her wedding tour she lent him 800. and agair
lent him 500 ut Halifax. Altogether she hac
would amount 20 about 10000.
such is the wifes story.
ON ss-examination by Mr.. CASTOR, Mrs
Thnyer testified that she never told the Doctor
that she would dance on his grave. She once
armed herself with carving knife to protec
herself from an assault 10y him.. She once as
saulted him with a cane. She had called him I
devil and a villain. She once had armed horsel
with hntchet 10 protect herself She had no
repeatedly threatened 10 kill him. The Doctor
had said TO her that he was afraid sh'
would kill him. She heard that the Docto
told physicians that he was afraid she woul,
poison him she did not think tho Doctor wa
afraid OF her. as he had said that " he was no
the devil he meant. She and the Doctor begaI
TO live unhappily the very first year OF thei
She supposed no thought So because his con
science troubled him, Once she had taken
stove litter in her hand e protect herself -.
or stove litter. or any other weapon in her han,
except for her own protection.
testified that in 1874 the Doctor told him that h
had ordered his wife TO strip herself as he WA
his design. because she made such q noise rs /
attract crowd about the door. Witness cor
roborated the wite's testimony relative TO IN
Doctors tearing her mouth with his fingers g.
as to make II bleed. At the time the Docto
prevented the two men from removing Mrs
him. and told him " It was none OF his d
business" The next day the Doctor SCENE
On cross-exami nation. Mr. Bartlett testine
that he never had occasion to remove Mr'
mitted an assault on the Doctor Once he hear
the Doctor call Mr.. Speare to come and remov
the wifo's hands from his coat tails. He ha
heard the wife call the Doctor " scoundrel
and Il d-d villain" Both husband and VIII
then usually damned one another. The be
lnsolent to her husband rs was his I
her. Once tho Doctor took some OF hi
nieces and nephews and Mrs Tom ri-Joh
Elliott, the " Volcano Woman" who il som
relative Of his down 10 his summer resdcnc
at Buzzard's Bay. aud did not invite his wife
Sine WAS displeased with the proceedings. an
angry with witness for going. and had an al
tercatiOn with him lwitnessl about II.
Many other Witnesses testified that the hua
band and wife damned each other frequently
and otherwise lived in a perpetual quarrel.
DR.. David Thayer, tho libclloe testified n
follows; ! am nearly GO years OF age. nj
present wife was n widow when | married hcl
have never struck Mrs. Thayer under an
circumstances. The trouble began within
month after our marriage. III presented III
slightest Objection TO any wish OF hers that wa
the signal Tor violence This trouble has con
unued through "A course OF nineteen years
She called me Il " miserable d-d scOundrel.
and similar names. and las abused me abou
things OF whlch hnew nothing. She was yer
prOfane in her threats when she came ut m
with the sharp pointed surgeons shears
Many. many times have l been obliged
lock myself up 20 get rest or to go
some hotel to sleep. Many and many tim
She has come behind me and caught me 10y th
hair and drawn me backward. She has locke
both her hands in my hair. placed her knees o
my chest and endeayorud to throw me down
One morning she came at me with n carvin
knife. with very proiane threats. She attack1
me twice with the surgeons scissors II wa
her habit to seize any weapon that WI