The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-07-18
DIVORCE SUIT IN ST. PAUL.
A Prominent Church Member Sued by "a
Wife He Deserted In England.

Prominent Church Member Sued by "a
Wife He Deserted In England.
ST. PAUL, July 16.-A suit for divorce
has been begun in this city which makes
quite stir in religious and business
circles, owing to the high standing of
the parties and the peculiar facts con
nected with the case. The title of the
suit is Sarah Potter against Samuel
Potter. The defendant is a well known
furniture dealer in this city. He has
lived in st. Paul for fifteen years, hay
ing risen from workman to a prosper
GUS merchant. His wife's complaint
sets forth that she and the defendant
are each 81 years of age, and that they
were married in England in May, 1852.
In 1868 the defendant deserted her with
out cause, and she has not seen him
since. He came to the United States and
settled in st. Paul, where he now lives.
Their union was blessed with five chill
dren, three of whom are now living.
The plaintiff arrived in st. Paul about
June 1. She found that the defendant
had been in open adultery in jackson
street for six years, and to her special
knowledge through June and July of
this year. She says that she is depend
ent for support on her relatives, and
that her husband is worth from $4,000
to $4,000. She therefore asks for divorce
and alimOny.
Mr.. Potter gives his story as follows:
He was married to the woman, as she
states, and they lived together in Halls
worth, England. There were five chill
dren, three of whom are liying-a
daughter in England and two sons in
California, the latter being very well to
do. His wife, he AYERS, was unfaithful
to him, and, although he fOTgave her, he
mn oil n
her. He got some money and came to
st. Paul, as the scandal had got out and
he could not face his neighbOTs. After
he had been here for some time he con-
cluded that he needed a wife, and, think
ing that no one in st. Paul would know
about the scandal except few friends
to whom he had confided his secret, he
sent for his wife, and was seconded by
his brOther-in-law in the request for
her to join him. In return he received
letters from her saying that she would
never come to America. Some years ago
he met woman whom he loved, and
though they were never married they
have lived together ten years. She was
known as his wife and both were MEM
bers of st. PauPs Church. The woman
was lady in every sense of the word,
and he would never part from her. She
was about his age, and met and loved
MIN when ne had only $40 in his pocket.
They Joined their fortunes and went to
work together. She kept his books and
also tended his store, working day and
night mending and planning, until
they got from secondhand store. only
a few feet square. to his present estab-
lishment where they now are. He says
that he is not worth $4,000 or half
that sum, as the complaint says, but
they made what they have together. The
first intimation he had that his wife was
in st. Paul was in June last, when her
attorney called on him and proposed a
settlement. He demanded $4,000. He
offered her $4,000 and 100 acres of land
to have a divorce procured quietly. To
this she would not agree, ana began suit
for divorce and alimOny. He will file
a cross bill.