Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-10-29
SELLING A Wife FOR fun.
SERIOUS PHASE OF A NEW YORK
HUSBANDS LITTLE JOKE.
New York Times.

ties 10 % suit for absolute divorce, IN
which the latter is the defendant.
The circumstances of the suit are Pc
ouliar. it was begun in the Supreme
Court in August, and was sent to a
referee for trial. Mrs. Lauten did not
appear before the referee, and he rem
dered areport in favor of the plaintiff,
having found that Mrs. Lauten was
guilty of wrong doing in the company
of Ferdinand Jansen. Before the re-
ferce's report was presented to the
court for confirmation, Mrs. Lauten's
counsel. Mr.. Il. s. Kahn, moved be-
fore Judge Barrett, in Supreme Court,
Chambers, to set aside al the pro-
ceedings previously had in the case,
and to allow her to put in an answer.
In her affidavit Mrs. Lauten admitted
that she had acted Us she was charged
with acting with Jansen, but asserted
that her husband connived at her acts.
In explanation OF her statement she
said that in June last her husband
sold her TO Ferdinand Jansen for 81,
and she presented to the court
the contractssot which the following
are copies:
MouNr VERNON, June 3, lS5l.-l,
Nary Lauten, OF this place, hereto
fore the wife of Edward A. Lauten,
consent to be sold to +. Jansen for the
consideration OF vi legal money
MARY L. LAUTEN.
Received of F. Jansen 81 consider
alton money, for which transfer all
my rights to said Mary Z. Lauten.
EDWARD +. LAUTBN.
1t was also asserted by Mrs Lauten
that hey husband condoned her often
ses with Jansen. The motion TO open
the default OF Mrs. Lauten and allow
her 70 defend,herselt' in the suit was
opposed by Mr. George +. Langhsin,
Lauten's counsel. He presented an
affidavit in which Lauten declared
that the sale of his wife TO Jansen was
q Joke and not a means by which he
conceived as acts dishonoring him and
his family. He averred that one Sun,
day in June Jansen, while sitting
upon the veranda OF his house at
Mount Vernon with him and his fam
ily. said that he had read in q Dews
paper story OF q man in the West
who sold his wife for Sl.5Q. While ms
hearers We're laughing at the tale,
Jansen, apparently in jest, turned 10
him (Lauten) and said ~ will give
you SO cents, for your wife" Lauten
answered, laughingly, THAT is not
enough; make it dollar"
Mrs. Lauten listenedto the remarks
with great earnestness, and then said
to her husband ~ want TO see
whether you are man enough to sell
lae for dollar" Saying this, she
arose and ran hurriedly mp stairs
from where she returned with writing
materials, Jansen, still laughing, SAID
he wanted a written contract, ant
Lauten wrote out the bill OF sale, hli
children looking on and laughing
with him. Jansen took the paper
and when asked to return it, made
excuses. Having learned that III
wife and Jansen had sJaid togethe
for three days as, man aid wife, o
Farmingdale, Long Island, tantel
consulted Lawyer LangberD ahou
procuring divorce. and was advised
in order to save the GOOD name OF h
family, to separate from his wife, bu
to allow her to live in his house, o
condition that she would not asai
consort with Jansen. Mrs. Lante
was taken to the lawyers office t
ratify an agreement Of separation
and she there said she would kee
away from Jansen, but it would be
hard task, because she loved hin
She violated this agreement. Janse
would appear near her house and 81
would 90 away with him. The fir
time this happened she told her hu
band and children she would go dow
to the garden gate and send Janse
away. out Lauten AYERS she not on
sent him away, hut went with hi
and was absent several hours. 81
finally said she loved Jansen, al
could not abandon him. Her chi
dren then turned against her. ph'