The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-03-17
The " eartIcss Treatment OF An I'LL
~. uOiR HeiresS.


McLesnsboro, Ill.,, March 1.-THE case
of Jacob r. Rlbblet, against Fannie j. Rib
blet, for divorce and The custody ola little
boy, was called for trial last ev ening, and
occupied the attention of the, court until
about o'clock to-day. The case has excited
unusual interest. Rib let graduated at Wesi
Point in 1872, and held position in the
regular army at Fort Dodge for one year,
when he resigned. Mrs. Ribblet is a yourg
woman of fine appearance and possessed ofa
high degree of intelligence. She is connect
ed with soma of the most respectable families
of Shawneetown, and is the daughter
of the late John Il. Jones, who was very
wealthy man. Mrs. Ribblet, at the time Of
her marriage, was worth $4,000 in her own
name, but at the present time has nothing.
The bill charges adultery. The lady filed a
cross.bill, charging adultery and cruel treat
ment. The only witness for the plaintiff
was Ribblet himself who testified tina. Mrs.
Ribblet had confessed to him that she had
committed adultery, and produced several
certain men. On cross examination by Attor-
new Halves, of Shawneetown, it was shown
that Ribblet kept saloon frequented by the
lowest, and YVES often in company
with vile, characters. 1t was
proven that he had leased her property to
lewd women. Mrs. Fanny Ribblet then took
tho stand. She testified that what Ribblet
had said about hor committing adultery was
false, but that he made her life miserable by
ill-treatment and cruelty, and that he brought
homo women and men of bad character.
She remonslra and he cruelty choked and
ill-ireated her. she told how he had tied her
hands behind her back and threatened to
have her set TO the. calaboose ard sent to
the inssne asylum. She testified that Rib
blet had been passing oil 6 certain woman as
his SITTER when she was known as q wanton, and
that she had ut all times dameaned herself
as wife end mother should. She said that
abe endured much from him for her child's
sake. Judge Sell, IN his cross examination,
did not shade her testimony 10 the least. ii.
III. SturtevGnt testified thai he WAS acquainted
with the parties, being the man charged with
having been intimate with The defend ant
lie said the allegation was not true; that he
had never had any private conversation with
Mrs. Ribblett at any 1lsce; that R.bbletts
shlOOu WIS lrcQuoHsctl Wy WOluOH nuH ihSn VI
low character and that Ribblett's reputation
for truth and veracity was so bad that he
would not believe him on oath. Mayor
Mills, merchant, Of Shawneotown, testified
that Ribblet's character for truth and verGc-
ity was bad. He had known Mrs. Ribblet
since she was a child; she had always stood
above suspicion or reproach. He said that
.he had had nothing since the death of his
mother 10 shock him more deeply than the
evidence of Mr.. Roblet against his wife. He
was moved to tears rs he gave
his testimony. Pat. Smith, city
marshsl, Messrs. Rsardan, Cadet, Smith;
Pillar, Rowan and Wharton all
testified that Ribblet's character was bad
and that they would not believe him on oath.
j he complainant had for attorneys STEELE
Wilson d. Leslie; the defendant, L. M. Eek
Icy and @. II. HAYES, of Sbawneetown. TIE
Judge said the complsinsuts testimony was
q tissuo Of fslsehooda; that the, cross,bill
would be sustained and the custody OF the
child Civ 60 the mother. The finding of
the court gave uni ersal satisfaction, and
many old men could hardly suppress loud
clapping Of hands and cheering.