The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-12-26
AN INFORMAL WIFE,
BUT THE JUDGE GIVES HER VERY
FORMAL RECOGNITION.
Miss Hill Triumphs in Her Suit Against
Ex-senator Sharon-SynOpsis of
San Francisco Cause Celebre
The Judges Decision.

SAN FRAsCIsoo, Dec &c The curtain fell
Wednesday afternoon on one of the closing
scenes in the drama that has been enacting
here for many weeks past, when the divorce
suit Of Sarah Althea Hill against ex-senator
Sharon was given to the judge.
The Hill Sharon suit has been one Of those
remarkable cases which seem to be indigen-
Gus to California soil, and which could
scarcely have existed in less highly rariiied
atmosphere than that which characterizsS
this inviting coast. The story has been told
in flagmentary dispatches, but its interest
is almost perennial The spectacle of a we'll
born, highly educated and beautiful woman
seeking divorce from u man to whom she
was never formally married, and whom her
family rejected Is their daughters inferior
in intellect and social position, is III itself
most unusual phenomenon
But to the primary absurdity Of Miss
HIPS position, many new absurd tiles were
added as the Gaze progressed 1t WIS shown
that in her endeavors to revive the tagging
devotion of Sharon, Miss Hill secretly piled
him with harmless draughts for which she
paid ridiculous prices to professional COM
Founders of so-called love potionS She wore
next her heart one of the ex-senator's stock
ings, which had been baptized in whisky, and
over which the mystic words of soothsayer
had been spoken. Parts of Sharons wearing
apparel were purloined from his room at the
Palace hotel, and in lonely cemetery at
midnight they were placed beneath a coffin
in new-made grave, the theory being that
by devices such as this delinquent love might
be regained Persons were promised large
- 70 to tko of
marriage contract gave their testimony,
repented, confessed themselves as erjurerS,
and denounced the nuptial compact as 8
forgery. Miss Bracket, the young woman
who accompanied Miss Hill on her weird
visit to the cemetery, and who was
to be the plaintiffs chief witness
disappeared in the midst of the
trial; and the element of tragedy was
not lacking, for enc of the woman witnesses,
whose early life was too closely inquired into,
swooned away, her son pulled derringer on
the offending counsel revolvers were
whipped ont by nine-tenths of the spectators,
and scene Of bloodshed was narrowly
averted
Tried on this remote coast, the case has or
rested comparatively little attention in the
east, considering the elements of superstition,
perjury, and smouldering tragedy which
have marked its progress Had the proceed
ings been had in New York, Boston, Chicago
or any of the European capitals, the Hill
Sharon suit would have commanded de
gree of attention surprising that attracted
by any trial of modern times
At an early hour Wednesday morning
| San Francisco was on the qui vive to gain
the first information OF Judge Suliiyaus de
| cision in the great suit. which has been
| dragging its slow length along in tho courts
| for over year At 0 O'Clock the courtroom
| was filed with crowd of merchants, pro
| fessionals and prominent members of the
| bench and bar Sharon was conspicuou.
by his absence The fair plaintiff appeared
| at an early hour. accompanied by council
Sharon was represented by Gems Barnes
! Judge Evans and Frank G. Newland The
| reading Of the decision by Judge Sullivan
| consumed two and half hours The first
| intimation that the decision was for tbs
| plaintiff brought quick flush to her face
and ELECTED broad smiles from her counsel
the opposing counsel being proportionately
| cast down.
| The decision began with an exhaustive anG
l
| inception; then the court revie wed the mar
riage contract and the circumstances under
which it was alleged to have been written
In his opinion the contract was genuine, and
written as Mrs. Sharon averred. He be
ieved her story in every particular Tht
fact that date and Nevada appeared under
| the signature was, in his mind, proof that i
| was written and signed by Sharon as alleged
| About the charges that the contrac
was crowded progre 5siyely, was written ovel
1 folds and that secret clause was appended
| to the letter, he put no reliance in, othel
| than as indications that the contract wa
| written from dictatjon in the awkward
manner as described by Mrs. Sharon. HI
doubted the evidence of the experts as t.
| the writing over the folds, and looked upol
| the errors and erasures in the contract a
| proof of its genuineness. The court tbel
scathingly denounced the perjury committee
| by several witnesses fer the prosecution.
| In the matter Of the alleged introduction
Of Mrs Sarah Althea Sharon by Sharon t,