The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-20
THE sPRAGUE CASE.
THE WIFE OF THE GOVERNOR AP-
PLIES FOR A DIVORCE,
Alleging Adultery. cruelty. Improyi.
denee, Intoxicatlon. and Numerous
Other Naughty Things on the
Part OF Her Husband-what
the Governor Has to Say.

t Providence, R. l., Dec. ls.-Messrs. E.
H. Hazard and O. Il. Parkhurst, counsel
fer Mrs. Kate Chase sprague, fled her pc
tition for divorce in the Supreme Court,
OF Washington county, this State, this
noon.
It represents that she Is domiciled in.
habitant Of Rhode Island, and was mar.
ried to VIM. A. sprague on November 12,
1883, at Washington, and has ever since
kept and performed on her part all the OBJ.
legations OF the marriage covenant, but the
said William sprsgue hss violated the
same In this:
"That he has committed adultery with
divers women at divers places and times
since the said marriage, to-wlt: With one
Mary Eliza Wall, alias Mary Eliza Ander.
son, at divers times in each and every
year from the year 1854 to the year 1879,
in the city OF Providence, in said State,
and elsewhere, and especially at Nan.
tucket Besch, in the State OF Massachu-
sets; in the year 1873, with one Elizabeth
r. McCune, formerly Elizabeth R. Ring,
at South Kingstown Aforesaid, in each
year from the year 1877 to the year 1880;
with one Harriet Brown, in the year 1859,
at Washington, In the District OF Colum.
bia; with one Maggie EngliRh, in South
kipgstown and elsewhere, in the years
1855 aud 1867; with one Fannie Adams, in
March, 1876, at Providence Aforesaid, at
the house OF one Ann N. Bsllou, common
ly called Maria Ballou, said house being
house OF prostitution in Providence afore-
Il aH.A Il al La.
whose names are unknown to your peti.
toner at Washington and Providence
Aforesaid, and at Alexandris, in the State
State OF Pennsylvania, and at New York
the years 1868 and 1873.
He Is also charged with extreme cruelty
and habltual intoxication; with having
once laid violent hands on her, and ut an.
other time tried to throw her from an up
stairs window. Il is also alleged that he
has neglected and refused to provide the
necessities OF life for her and her children.
The petition continues:
"That said Sprsgue has been guilty Of
other gross misbehRvior and wickedness,
repugnant to and in violation OF the mar
riage covenant. In this: that he has re.
peatedly applied the vilest and most op-
probrious epithets to your petitioner, both
alone and in the presence OF others; that
he has threatened to kill her; that he has
broken aud destroyed the furniture in
their house, at one time collecting bedding
and furniture in the nighttime and max
ing bonfire OF the same; that he haa
often said To- his children that he was not
their father, and that they were not his
children; that he has repeatedly falsely ac-
cused your petitioner oil gross improprie-
ties with other men, sometimes one man,
sometimes another that he has intercepted
and returned letters addressed to your Pc
titioner by her counsel"
"That having made 1t impossible for
your petitioner to remain at Canonchet,
said Sprsgue has occupied said house as
place OF resort oil persons of vicious rep
uEstion and bad character, consorting with
them in revelry and drunkenness, and has
allowed the only son ot.your petitioner,
said William Sprasue, Jr., to copsort and
associate with persons Of bad character,
and to become addicted to bad habits and
idleness, Withholding from him all educa-
tional advantages, thereby tending to cor
rupt his morals and vitiating his future
life.
"Whereiore your petitioner prays for
the causes aforesaid that she may be d.
vorced from the said William sprague, and
that the bond OF matrimony now existing
between your petitioner and said William
Sprague may be dissolved, and that the
custody OF their four children, issue Of said
marriage, to.wit: William Sprsgue, Jr,
aged fifteen years; Ethel spraIue, aged
eleven years; Katherine Chase Sprague,
aged nine years, and Portia sprague, aged
seven years, may be awarded to your Pc
titioner, and that she may be allowed reas'
enable alimony out Of the estate oi,said
Sprague; and that she may be permitted
to resume her maiden name, Katherine
Chase, and for such other further order or
decree herein rs TO Your Honots shall
seem meet and Just.
Gov. sprague, in an interview, denied
all these charges, and asserted that 1t was
his belief that the divorce proceedings
were instituted at the suggestion OF Sen
stor Conkling on one side and Trustee
ChaiIee on the other. Senator Conkling,
he said, wished TO clear his political skirts
30 that he could retain his hold on Gar
Geld g Administration while Chatfe sought
to discredit anything the Governor might
have to say with respect to the equity bill
filed last Monday, and was endeavoring TO
divert attention from his own misdoings.
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