Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-03
a WOMAN OF MANY sPoUsEs.
Seeking a Separation from the Ninth
Husband.


The philosophy of marriage is Just now
receiving a curious and dramatic Illus
tratiOn in the Superior Court. Mary A.
Hasalbach VS.. Theodore Hasalbach, an
action for divorce, is the title of a singu-
lar case which for the past few days has
been on trial, with closed doors, before
Judge Edmonds, in Department No. 7. 1t
has transpIred that Mrs. Hasalbach is
none other than "the mysterious velled
woman" who appeared so cOnspicuOusly
in the character of a witness during the
trial in Washington, several years since,
of the celebrated case against Oliver
Cameron for alimOny and a decree of d.
Vorce. Mrs. Hasalbach now seeks legal
separation from her husband, Mr.. Hasal-
bach, alleging that he has been cruel in
his treatment and has also threatened to
shoot her. Mr.. Hasalbach has filed de-
NAL of these allegations and a cross-com-
plant, asking that the marriage be an
nulled, on the ground that Mrs. Hasal-
bach had husband living at the date of
her nuptials with him in April last. He
also accuses her of misrepresentation
and declares that she is neither chaste nor
sober. Mr.. and Mrs. Hasalbach have been
residing at 1850 Market street. He is p
years of age, native of Germany and the
pOssessOr of a moderate capital. Mrs
Hasalbach claims to be So years old, but
court that she was born in 1887, which,
according to the modern principles OF
mathematics, would make her but 46 years
of age. She, so it appears, was an timer
ant vender of pomades, lotions, etc.
NINE HUSBANDS.
She went one day to the house of Mr..
Hasalbach, hearing that he was sick, for
the purpose of selling him some pills, and,
as she says, being anxious for a man to
Job. ,f 4 I,,Is,
worth $4,000, concluded to marry him.
The courtship was Of only few weeks
duration, at the expiration of which she
proposed, was accepted and the wedding
celebrated. Mrs. Hasalbach testified that
she had, at different times prior to her
encounter with Theodore, been the pos
SCISSOR of SIX different husbands, but when
under crOss-eXaminatiOn admitted that of
The lot four had died, three had been di-
vOrced and one was among the missing
thus making a total of eight, exclusive OF
the last husband. When asked who they
were, Mrs. Hasalbach was unable to
recOllect them all, the list was 50 long,
and. could name only the following
six: John II. COnnOrs, George NJ. French,
Asa I. GrOndyeke, j. A. Sample, Abram
Henriques, Isaac Lelander. Mrs. Hasal-
bach evidently had preference for elder
ly men, since all Of her numerous hus-
bands were much older than she. One of
them was u, a second 10, and a third SO
years her senior, and, as has been stated,
her present spouse is p years of age. Mr..
Hasalbach is a widower, an old resident
Of Sacramento and California pioneer,
and Mrs. Hasalbach has been living in
San Francisco for about three years. 1t
is in evidence that she was betrothed to
Mr.. Hasalbach for three weeks prior to
her divorce from Mr.. Lelander. 1t is also
claimed nv the counsel for Mr. HaGaIhoph
that the marriage is not valid, since at
the date of its occurrence in last April,
the decree of divorce from Mr.. Lelander
had not been filed or recorded.