Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-14
seemed wholly Indifferent as to whether he
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visit my wife, She treated me quite coldly on
my arrival. She was quite Indifferent whether
we had house or not, or whether 1 succeeded
In st. Paul or not. told her my distress at
the turn which things had taken in respect to
the purchase of home in st. Paul Iremind.
ed her of her promises made to me on nv re-
moval from Hastings, and the sale of my
property there, that she would herself buy
home in st. Paul, and stated to her that 1 had
relied on those promises as an inducement for
making the change. But she denied every
thing, and told me that she never agreed to
anything of the kind. I was greatly hurt by
this eXhlb itiOn of bad faith on my wifes part
but had to extricate myself from the fnan-
clal embarrassments in which it necessarily
put me, in the best way could. I was sorely
troubled in mind about our financial future,
and SO expressed myself to my wife; but she
seemed entirely Indifferent about our pros
poets, as we'll as about my distress. I saw her
brother Milford about her money. He was as
Indifferent about the matter as she: and
would give me no information as to how much
be owed her, Or when he would pay. After
few days saw him again, to get his final an
swer; and he at last told me that he would pay
in the fall of that year. I then left at once
for Minnesota.
On my return had plans drawn and con-
tracts Jet. When the house was about half
completed the Jay Cooke failure took place.
My wife's brother wrote me that he should not
from time to time that he must pay, for had
obligations to meet.
Fearing that he would not pay, I sold large
quantity of land and other property at half It's
value to enable me to fulfill my engagements
with the contractors on my house. Milford
Harmon sent me one Thousand dollars in No
vember, 1873. insisted that he must send me
more as soon as possible. He finally
sent me 81 600 more day or two beforo Christ
mas 1873. The moneys so sent me by Milford
Harmon were used in building my homestead
in this city. Harmon never paid over any
more of my wife's money to my knowledge.
and about four or five months afterwards be-
came bankrupt, owing over sixty thousand dol
lars and having only nominal assets. He still
owes my wife 3d. 400 and interest, as my wife
made oath iii the bankruptcy proceedings,
2.4O0 of which had been loaned to him since
our marriage, as appeared from statement in
his own handwriting, forwarded to my wife to
use IN making proof Of her claim against him.
Inc remaining portion of the $4, 400 was the
balance due on a promissory note given prior
to our marriage.
To the best of my knowledge my wife, has
never received cent Of the balance due to her
from her brother, nor has she made any effort
whatever to collect the same or to have him pay
any part thereof, although for several years
last past she has informed me he was doing well
at Jackson, Michigan, in the employment of
concern engaged in the manufacture of mill
machinery. have tried repeatedly to induce
the plaintiff to procure from her brother his
promissory note, or some other evidence of the
existence of her claim against him, saying to
her that for the childrens' sake, if not for her
own, she ought to take some steps to secure a
settlement of this claim, or to preserve some
evidence of it's existence at the very least; but
she has never paid any attention to my advice
In regard to the matter, and has always failed
to give me any definite information concerning
the claim, and has never appeared to care
whether any part of it were collected or not.
But she has, on several occasions, told me in
general way that her brother would give new
note at any time; that the claim was perfectly
safe, and that this matter was none of my
business.
She always seemed to be displeased because
had succeeded in collecting the 81, 900 afore
said. She further told me that if the first sum
of 81, 600 had not been sent to st. Paul when it
was sent that she would never have returned to
this city, but would have remained in New
York. where she was then visiting.
Our house was completed in December OF
that year and We moved into it in the
Month of January, 1874.
The house and lot, with some Improvements
made upon the house since the completion,
have cost me over eight thousand dollars.
As the result of my sacrifice of my property
at Hastings and of sacrifices made subse.
quently, to enable me to meet my engage
ments incurred in building our house, my to-
tai assets were diminished to the extent Of
several thousand dollars, and was left wholly
without any productive property, and entirely
dependent for the support of myself and fam
lily upon what remaining capital I had, and
upon my professional earnings in new locali-
ty, But notwithstanding these facts my house.
hold expenses largely increased, the greater
proportion of which I was compelled to paw
from my capital. so that by the year 1877 my
0af q h00 r,0I1 rol, h~1~
the value at which it stood when l left Hast
ings. But in April, 1877, Martin L. Vebber, a
great friend of mine, as well as a client of
mine, and a wealthy man, died at Utica N. Y,
and bequeathed to me two pieces of real estate
in the city of St. Paul. and SIC, 900 in money, as
a result of which I was put in somewhat bet
ter financial condition than was when I left
Hastings. During the last two years my house.
hold expenses have exceeded my professional
income. and have been compelled to draw
upon my capital as the chief means of meeting
the deficiency.
At Christmas, 16T, I presented my wife with
a pair of elegant and expensive ear rings; and
in the year 1878, when I visited my relatives
in England, whom had not seen for many
years, and some of whom. particularly my
mother, were greatly advanced in age and
whom never expected to see again. While I
was absent in Europe my wife sent to me
measurements for costly wearing apparel, such
As silk dresses, etc. Ipurchased the material
for the same and had them made in London
also purchased at the same time for my wife
a long seal skin sacque and muff of the same
material, and quantity Of French flowers and
other articles.
The total expenses of this trip to Europe
were lO34 for wearing apparel and personal
ornaments for my wife and children.
During the entire period which has elapsed
since our marriage my wife has been supplied
with suticiency of stylish, comfortable and
expensive wearing apparel, at my expense.
From the time when my present wife and
myself commenced housekeeping until the
year 1877, We have habitually employed at
least one domestic servant, and, since that
date, we have habitually employed two; also,
during periods of my wife's confinement, we
have employed in addition thereto professional
nurses.
Besides this my daughter Minnie now %
years of age, my son Gent, now 10 years of
age, have constantly lived in our family and
sundry relatives of my wife have made us fire.
quent and protracted visits. s.s-..
Our household has been uniformly supplied
with sufhciency of food and all other articles
necessary for the comfort of ourselves and our
family. -.
In the last few years our household has con-
sisted OF nine persons, besides occasional visit
Ors.
From almost the beginning of our married
life, with intervals very few and very Short
the plaintiff has treated me coldIy, exhibiting
very slight affection or regard for me.
For the first few years I hoped that might
yet gain her affection, but for the last three
years have felt that she had no love and re-
gard for me- and have borne her Entertainment,
insults and annoyances as best could for the
sake OF our children and the avoidance of
scandal. ---..
Prior to our marriage my wife and myself
had met each other only few times, and were
really very little acquainted with each other
when our marriage occurred. Although the
plaintiff GOODNESS of demeanor toward me, and
her lack of interest in my comfort and welfare
apparently increased in spite of all my efforts