, 1880-12-19
THE SPRAGUES.
Hrs. Kate Chase sprague's Bill for Di-
vorce from Her Ex-Governor.
He Is Charged With Repcated Acts Of
Marital Intldelity and Cruelty.
4 once Bright and Happy Home'Aad a
Living He'll.
Full Text of the Petition for Legal
Separation =

Full Text of the Petition for Legal
Separation. =
8pee&al Dt&pateh to The Chicago 1tbune-
PROVIDENCE, r. L, Dec 18.-This after
noon petition was filed with the Clerk OF
the Supreme Court OF Washington County
by Katherine Chase Sprague, through her
counsel, praying for divorce from William
Sprague- Following are the material aAe-
cations of
Katherine Chase spraguc. Of South KtnRs-
fully represents that she is do1ntcilcd inhablt-
art Of the State Of Hh,de Island: ana ms re-
sided therein for one ycar next peIor9 nttus
Sptseue s. ] on the % leth DAY ct November. 1868, at
WASHINGTON. D. c., and has ever since kept an
the obligations OF tho marriage covenant; covenant;
tne same in this that he has Committed adultery
with divers women and at divers places s,tice
Baid ma1rtngc,-to-wit: with one Mary E1lxn
in each and every year from the yenr 1851 to ne
year is39, In the City Of Providence; In said
State, and elsewhere. and especially at Nantasket
Rfts one neaiS E1a6esa l. Mecue formerly Eliza
beth RhInge, at South Kingstown, each
year from the rear lsn TO the e. ssae ear
MaeRie has M Englisa, in south Ktnestown and else
where in the years 1sS anu ~; M1n "ne a. sha
house @ Of # prostitution: with one Minnie Wilson,
Il s sd At dGess n9pss oar u ewd woe
whose uan,es are not known to pitiIoner: at
Washington and Providence a11resaid; and ,a at
rs rs a. and Se~ 1ses: a9fh ,fai said spraeue las
been guilty Of cx,cme cruelty y.1s,;n t9xasds sd
enui1ed her with great violence, and especially
at The bousc known as ~Canonchet," in South
Kingston. in 1871 in that be entered ner room b az At
& window in the upper story: and attempted 70
throw her thcrcfron; that In ls.9 he forcloly
laid hands on her. and thrcatcneo 70 atn k,m ner'
ness: that since the early part OF 1873 ne ms
neglected and refused-bctng Of sufficient abtii-
TO do sto Rogae and i91
Then follows brief sketch Of Sprague's
business difficulties. 1t is claimed that
Sorague could hare employment from the
Trustee OF his business interests, but he re-
fuses to do anything to support his family.
The bill continues, saying:
That satd spraxue has been guilty Of other
KrOes iu.sbchuvior and wlckedncss In violation
OF the marriage covenant In this that ne mas fc-
Peatedy applied The slest and @ moss pd - 9h
presence Of others: that he has threatened
70 kill her: that be has broken up up
hou house, u at one tine collecting the bedding
Ind furniture In the night time and making
bonhrs Of the same; that he has has,, often said 9 to
rl,cy were not his children; he has repeatedly
falsely accused petitioner Of gross impropriettcs
with Others. sometimes one man, sometimes
letters addressed TO her By her counsel; that In
August, 1872, while petitioner and Sprague wero
at Canonchet he refused TO allow her friends,
Including her legal adviser, TO see her; that he
al that time refused to permit petitioner
to leave the house to 20 anywhere
with her said children: and sought to imprison
her and them therein; that from 1855 to 1873
6psaguc frequently attempted to hare criminal
intercourse with female dome*tics and guests In
TIE causing tee% 70 sai9 le9yS the hS M
decent advances to femaae servants and other
violations OF decency. which had increased In
dence at gou'h a Ktnaeio an 1 unsaitao abode
for petitioner and her children. Petitioner did.
IN February. 1871, with the assent Of Sprague.
son Willie toin9 then absent in Europe In 1872
permission IRON Zacbnriah Chafee. Trustee OF
firms, who was possessed of Cnnonchet as n por-
ton OF property included in trust. to occupy the
house with her children during the summer
months; that Spruguc urged tllut }'y so doing it
would be o< material pecuniary benefit to him
tn adjusting his affairs win big creditors;
that On hsf way a to G9onche6
came to Watch Hill grossly intoxicated:
that he was violent and offensive and with q
stick menaccd and assaulted the attendant OF
the children. On the arrival OF petitioner at
Canonchet. by virtue Of permission OF tho Trus-
ZEE: sprague presented himself at IT. that l piace
aring, and at length assumed authority over and
control of the premises Finally it became I'M
possible for petitioner to remain longer, as
Enr1v1n c1uSaf1 tn fnnr fOr hpr nnFEnnD
safety and that Of her children. and even her
1fe- He threatened to carry away her chill
escape from indIgnity and danger. your petit
toner ly the aid Of friends wns enabled to tiy
moro than two years last past Spraeue has in
every possible way sought to annoy and disturb
petitioner. and to make her life wretchcd: that
has pcrsfstently refused to deliver to her her
rearing anparel. and that Of her children. and
fother and frcnds. as and i''a portraits 'oi Of
petitioner, or to the Sheriff Of The County of
Washington holdtuE writs ut replevin for the
same. and has resisted the officer. and has pre-
property is situated by closing and barring tho
doors OF tue house. and hns threatened personal
violence to any person attempting to take pos
session OF said property Or any property Of Your
petitioner there situated: thur having nude it
impossible for petitioner to roxnnin ut Cnnonchet
said SprAgue has occupied the huusc Is place
of resort for persons Of vicious reputation
and bad character. consorting with them
in rctelry md drunkenness and has allowed
the only son Of petitioner and said William
eprague, named William Sprngue, Jr., to cum
Fort and associate with persons of bad charsac-
ter. and to bctalme addicted to bad hahits and
1dlencss, withholding from him nil educational
advantages. thereby tending to corrupt his
1norais pnd vitIa1e bis future life. Wherefore,
your petitioner prAvs, for the causes aforesaid,
that she may he divorced from William SpraKue,
a1u that the huNd 01 tnatFirnUny may be dis
solved. and TINT custody Of their chlldren,-
william Sprague, Jr-. Is years, Ethel Sprague, II
years Katherine Chase SprAKlle, q ycnrs and
Fortta spraRnc, ycArs.-muy be awarded to
petitioner, and TINT she may be allowed rcason-
af''e alt1nony out TT the estate OF Sprague. and
that she may be permitted to resume her maiden
Hune, Katherine Chasr: and for such other OF
1urther order or decree herein as to your Honots
shAu seem meet and just
kA1MER1SE CHASE SPnAGUE,
Coy. Sprague has declared his intention OF
nght1nE thls bill BY every lltaus in his pow.
er.. His first step will b.: TO demur TO the
bill OH the ground nf petitioners non-resi
dence Tor more than Il year, which Is 4 fatal
bar under the statutes of Rhode Island
As Is shown in the bill, Mrs. SpraEue claiuls
3 constructive residence, and that she has
been driven from Canonci1et by her husband,
II the demurrer is not sustained Sprague will
file cross-biil alleging adultery On Mrs,
Sprague part, and there is not doubt that