The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-01-03

kept In total ighOrance. In fact, the
secrecy with which the decision has
been surrounded, in view of the import
anoe Of the case, has been phenomenal.
JUDGE sULLIvAN's DECISION.
Judge Sullivan had scarcely. com.
msnced when it was evident that tha
decision was in favor OF Sarah Althea,
who, by verdict Of the court, is declared
to be Mrs, Senator Sharon, married duly
to the. Senator by the secret contrao
which, from the start, she had claimed
al the bulwark Of her honor. Judge
Sullivan said:
'sThe case has been an extraordinary
one In number OF particulars. It has
engaged the attention OF the court for
months. Plaintiff represents herself as
the injured wife OF secret marriage,
seeking TO emerge from ths doubts,
darkness and suspicion that almost in
variably attend relationship OF thai
kind. She claims that her husband,
tired Of her society, has brutally cast her
aside and resisted her claim to an honest
virtuous association with him, on the
ground that il was secret and base in its
nature. The writing which she offers as
evidence of her secret marriage is de-
nouncsd as q forgery and fraud. The
prosecution of her claim before q OWL
tribunal hac been sought to be obstruct-
cd by criminal prosecution for perjury
forgery and conspiracy.
THE DEFENDANT CLAIMS
That he il the victim OF a dark DON.
spir8cy, conoocted by base and merce.
nary woman, who, fer pittance of $500
Q month, surrendered her person to his
embraces.
"Rs denounces the plaintiff as q per.
jurer, forgerer and conspirstor, who IL
seeking, by the aid Of the court, to wresi
from him portion OF his great wealth."
The court then reviewed some Of the
collateral facts of the case in broad and
comprehensive manner, and pronounced
them all in favor of
THE VALIDITY OF THE CONTRACT,
It's ganuineness and the truth Of the
main facts as alleged by Mrs. Sarah
Aithsa Sharon and the general untruth
and unreliability OF Senator Sharou's
denial and the evidence in support of It.
The cours then referred to the plain
lifts exhibits, first taking up the "Dear
Wife" letter, as follows:
My Dear Wife: In reply to your kind let
ter have written Mr.. Thorn, and inciOSed
the same to you, which you can read, and
then send to him in an envelope, and he
will not know that you have seen IL. Sor-
Ty that anything should occur to annoy
you, and think the ssetter will com.
n1and the kind courtesy you deserve, Am
having very long ana hard night. but
think shall be victorious in the end. with
kindest consideration, believe me as yer,
WIN. SHARON.
After scoring expert testimony in gen
sral Judge Sullivan said that there was
no evidence OF this letter being tracing;
he discredited yde aud Hickox and
put faith in the evidence OF expert
Gumpel. As to other lett>rs he CON-
sidered them genuine.
THE CONTRACT GENUINE
Then the court reviewed the marriage
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 1t
was. He believed her story In every
particular. The fact that date and Me-
v&ds appeared under the signature was,
In his mind, proof that It was written
and signed by Sharon a. alleged. About
the charges that the contract was crowded
proSrsssively. = was written ovss