Omaha daily bee., 1885-06-04

John L. Sullivan. He Is now defendan
In a divorce suit brought by Mrs. Sulii
van, and it Is clear that he is q greatly
abused man. 1t appears from his testi
mony that Mrs. Sullivan is addicted tc
intoxication and that nhe Is guilty o.
treating her husband cruelty and inhu
manly, although he is one OF the kindes
and most temperate of men.
1t has hitherto been supposed that Mr.
Sullivan himself was In the habit Of get
ting very drunk. 1t is pleasant to know
on Mr., Sullivau's authority that this II
untrue. He was never drunk in his life
and never drinks to excess. Occasionally
he falls sick, owing doubtless to excessive
intellectual labor, and his enemies will
fully confound his sickness with drunk
enness. On the well known OCCASION
when he appeared at Madlson-Square
| Garden and Informed the assembled pub
lie that he was too sick to fight he told
the truth, for he had drunk nothing
stronger than brandy, and would have
been able to walk with ease had not his
attack of illness loosened the Joints OF
his legs. In spite Of Mrs. Sullivan's pre-
tense that her husband had been accus-
toned to knock her down and kick her,
he has always treated her with the ut
most tenderness. In fact he hardly
needed to deny his wife's absurd charge,
for 1t Ia we'll known that pugllism is q
manly art, and consequently no pugilist
could possibly be guilty of the unmanly
offense of wife beating.
The picture which Mr.. Sullivan draws
of the nuffetings which he has undergone
at the hands of his wife Is enough to get
the blood of q brass monkey boiling.
That ferocious woman has been In the
habit of hitting poor Mr.. Sullivan over
the head with bottles and heavy pieces OF
cro%ckeryware. He has evidently lived
In terror of his life. He lever knew at
what moment his athletic wife would In
htct physical punishment upon the poor
sick husband. When he went home late
at night from the meeting of the Boston
Missionary Society or the Concord school
of Philosophy he was always liable to
find Mrs. Sullivan grimly waiting for
him with a convenient missile within
reach. 1t being contrary to the Qasker
Mr.. Sullivan In his early youth to re-
sent aggression, he never resented Mrs.
Sulllvan's assaults, but entertained
her with endearing epithets to consider
his weakness and to spare him
for the sake of his aged mother.
Sometimes, In the hope of allsying Mrs.
rage, he would sing hymns,
while kneeling at her feet; but his
pathetic appeals were useless, and his
wife would continue to beat the defense
less man until a good old lady residing
next door would rush in, snatch poor MI.
Sullivan from his tornenter, and drying
his tears with her apron would take him
to her own house and console him with
gingerbread and candy. 1t is true that
Mr.. Sullivan did not mention all these
details in his testimony, but from what
he did say We can imagine the terrible
life he must have led while In the power
of Mrs. Sullivan.
The court will, of course, take meas
urea to protect Mr.. Sullivan. He should
be placed in charge of a guardian, cay
some benevolent elderly lady, who will
take care of him and keep him out of
Mrs. Sulllvan's reach. He Is an affec.
tlonate and fragile flower, and he needs
all tbs tenderness tibet his weak and de-
fenssless condition NECESSARILY inspires in
every charitable heart.