Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-12-02
THE CHRISTIANCY DIVORCE
SUIT.
Continuation of the Testimony
of the Defendants Mother
Lively Session.

new 1 OrA leIhld cpeclhi,l - -.
WASHINGTON, November 28.-The
session of the examination in the
Christiancy divorce suit this afternoon
did not last over an hour, but it was
one of the liveliest while in progress
that has ever been held. and at one
time had more the appearance of a
quarrel than an orderly meeting for
the purpose of taking depositions. At
one juncture the war Of words reached
so great a pitch and the ex-
citement ran so high that it
was utterly impossible to pro-
ceed with the examination. At a
previous session, when Mrs. Mary f.
Lugenbeel, the mother of Mrs. Chris.
tiancy, was being crossed-examined
the counsel for the ex-senator sus
pected, partly on account of the halt.
ing, hesitating manner in which the
witness gave her testimony and partly
in consequence of the quick correction
or retraction OF statement that she
would make, that she was being
prompted by her daughter. They also
noticed the motion of the hands and
the inelinations Of the head of Mrs
Christiancy when the mother was be-
ing questioned, which they believed
were done to post her in the answer
she was about to give. In order to
prevent repetition Of this course,
if correct in their surmises that
it existed, they adopted plan to- day
by which Mrs. Christiancy, if she
remained in the room during the ex-
animation, would be compelled to face
one or the other of the counsel for
the ex-senator. As Mrs. Lugenbeel is
sufferer from a paralytic stroke and
cannot speak distinctly, it was agreed
by the counsel on both sides that
Examiner Lovejoy should ascertain
her answers as she intended to give
them and repeat the same to the stem
ographers to record. The examiner
sat near when she was called to con-
tinue the cross examination, her
daughter only short distance away,
near Mr.. Cole, of her counsel. facing
Mr.. Ingersoll, of the counsel for the
other side, and back of MIR. Cuppy,
who was conducting the cross
examination. The witness was ques-
toned as to the acts Of cruelty she wit
messed by ex-senator Ckristiaucy upon
his wife She stated that shewas with
them in Lansing, Michigan, from
March to October, 1877, and that one
morning the ex-senator knocked his
wife down in their room; that she
heard her daughter fall, and went
across the hall, opened the door, and
saw Mrs. Christiancy lying on the
fleor; she raised her up and took her
back to the room Of the witness; she
spoke about it some two days later,
and ex-senator Christiancy replied
that he was drunk at the time or he
would not have done as he did, and he
assured her that it should not occur
again; she did not know whether the
husband had struck his wife with the
clenched fist or open hand, and she
bore no marks from the blow and
showed no bruises.
She testified that the ex Senator
was drunk the entire time that she
was out there, also his sons, and that
they we're fighting in the house every
day. While these questions we're being
put Mrs. Christiancy had spoken out
several times prompting her mother.
Mr.. Cuppy politely informed her that
the prompting could not be permitted,
and that she must allow her mother
to answer without any suggestions
being made to her.
Mrs. Christiancy arose to her feet,
and, moving forward, said that Mr.,
Christiancy had made suggestions and
she was going to do so, and they might
take them down if they wanted to
Mr.. Ingersoll hoped that all Of it
whatever might be said on both sides
would appear in the record. Il don
care if it does" excitedly retorte,
| Mrs. Christiancy, walking toward Mr.
Ingersoll. HE was drunk all tb
time, like one of his counsel. and on
Of the room she went. "Mr. Harper
quickly spoke Mr.. Ingersoll to til