The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-08
Then Came Proceedings for d.
vorce for Causes Unknown
to the Bible,
And When We Writ EN- Up, o.
Course, With One Accord They
Said, That's Libel"
So on This Issue 20 the Courts They
Went in Haste ana Fury, but Failed
In Hanging De Poor Souls, and
Only Hung the Jury.

on the Sd day Of Jolly last the sentinel con
tanned an article Importing to be short history
OF a wife trade made bstwesn August Richter and
one Baumueler N The early part OF 1881 The
article published ST that time is as follows:
''In lbe trial OF Emma Shnltz ia The Criminal
Court. chsrsed wi'h poisoning 8 COW oelonking to
one OF Ter ne,Rhpsrs. An old matter cams TO the
surface which is o.. sufficient Interest 30 warrant
bnef statement oi the iscts, together with some
new ones which hare come the surface
Mrs. August Richter. of shelby street. was put
on the witness stand TO testify Densu OF
defense She claimed 10 be the wife oil August
Richter and said on cross examination that her
husband, BaumIler, is dead. Baumfller ana
Richter traded wiveyover two pears ago. Richter
agreeing to give his wife, boz aud 81 900 IN ex-
change for Mrs. Bau miller. This proposition was
accepted. and proceedings were begun by Bau-
miller for divorce. The Courts refused him
who known Bismarck" and. moved To
Minnesota. Richter then applied for a divorce
III Judge Adams coCTt alleging abandonment
for cause. The divorce was about 70 be
granted. and, in fact Judge lad said IL would
be, but by fortunate circumstance Tor unfOrtu-
nate, according Is viewed), the Court was in-
oImed that the abandonment YVES III pursuance
of Inc trade above referred to- and the decree was
refused. Not long afteI this Richter and mis- wife
were marred-st least. 20. they claim. Following
this part of the PROCEEDINGS Mrs. Richter No.
returned from Minnesota. She seic Baumiller
had gone 10 drinking and hi failure to cherish
and protect her as the wife of his bosom was SO
gross that she had been compelled TO sell her
tain money TO return to Indianapolis. However.
she found the Richter mansion forever closed
against ner. and she is now housekeeper for DR..
Greiner she has entered into arrangements
with a wellknown attorney 10 bring suit against
August Richter, in which action she will ellege
that Richter, in consideration OF the trade in
became of age. This sun, she says, has never
been paid, and her son is now about eighteen
will do with the case, coC.idering all its features;
but the suit is to be based ca section OF the
statute which has but EsoenLiy become Law.
count. II 1t is based upon this statute and Mrs.
Baumiller Tor Richterl obtains Il judgment. the
still the legal wife of august Richter MI. Richters
troubles, however, growing out OF the trade"
appear to bave no end; Some of these trials are
Among Others was the settlement and dissolution
OF partnership with his brother Fred. Fred
Commis Commits C. a. Dryer. he Claimed, among
other things, that August would not work. aud
mat ne red hs s6 s tns mok 70 t de- w When h
worked all summer. 'Zes,' replied Fred like
HI you worked. You was laying round town,
"AdoIph Harder n,aslas ed to get into trouble
in this connection. He had made some CerOgatOry
remark concerning Mrs; Richter No, before she
charges against him in the lodge of the knights of
Honor. and, although the trade OF wives" was
lodge. The first trial resulted in Harder's expul-
sion. He appealed, ana ne case was reversed and
like result. 1t came back for trial. and for the
third time he was expelled. He appealed to a
higher lodge, and the decision was aftrned III e
appealed to the Grand. Chancellor. ana again the
decision OF his lodge was sustained. Ee then went
into the Supreme Lodge of the United States and
the was reversed axsCs is back again for a
new trial. This makes eight trials up 20 date and
still there is more to follow Meanwhile Richter
and Mrs. Richter No 2 living together and
Mrs. Richter No. 10 housekeeping for another
person. The MISTER is certain TO come before the
~ IN Tho. f.,@~r
The closing sentence Of the foregoing appears TO
be prophetic in its nature. though IL was not ex-
pec.eo ~ the une OF us wiring .nat IL "oulo
come before the pablo IN relation so lati-
mately com ected With this paper. such. how
ever proved 10 ne the case, and six days after the
publication OF The article August hSchter and his
wife, Lena each liess suit in the Circuit Court
OF this county, charging that tne publication was
loellous and asking Tor $4,000 damages sustained
by spreading the same broadcast over the country.
AS the matters contained IL the alleged li5ellous
article bad been ,he common TALL on the South
side since the. occurrences related therein. the
Sentinel was Little surprised at the exhibition of
gall in bringing snit on the article. but
10 the tender calls Of August and Lena, pleaded
lustihcationln- saswer, and the trial of Lena's
d1oeeed along .a:.tii Friday, VII an the argument
closed and the Jury took TIE case. The facts
elected in the ial fully substs initiate the article
many regards than the fictiocS which are born in
the brain of the novelist. Fror, the testimony the
following. appears 10 be tbo.story of the melo-
drama concerned and acted oas in this city.
In 1855 August Richter ten young man aud
but recently married. located in the southern
part OF the city. and soon c.ler became street
contractor. ald ultimately. city street commission
er, TO which ohce he was elected representative
German. -Rtng economical and industrious he
acquired 7Sm potency, a. in the latter part of
1Se0,,vaS worth between Ga so and S15 900. Dur
ing this tina mis- wife Christina had contributed
her share in building ny the fortune aud no
brt aih Of suspicion or scandal had ever disturbed
the ismilI 20 far as was Known to the public In
the later PART OF 1850 the Richter family was occu-
| plying 4 neat residence Oh Prospect street, and
about To q time there rloved to the city ana To-
Gated on the corner OF Buchanan street and Vir-
ginia avenue German family named Baumueller.
The fa1lly consisted of Dr. Theodore 81. Bsu-
mueIa7, his wife Le.1a AID little daugh,er Inc
BaumgeDer family we're il very reduced circum-
stances, having scarcely any furniture in the
/ house, and, in fact without SO much as
their advent in tia city they formed tae acquaint
aDee Of the RichtsTs- The acquaintance ripened
iaso friendship, and the friendship into close in
timacy, the two Families being frequently together
during the lattepaTt ct lsso and tie early part Of
| 1881.
The close intimacy os the two families excited
remarks during tho time, but i was not until
I April, 1881, thai. ruM0Ts became current that Q
s e e raqe naa place % Se Hic
eeiyed Christina Richter and 5000 in exchange
for Mrs. Ba1muellel. The trado Of wives was con
law Office Of well known firm in this city. Rich
ter there sivipg his wife 81, occ-ssoo in cash and
handed over 70 DR.. Baumuelles by Ms
presen1 IN once. Witnkn hour after TIA,
payment OF h9m0ney Richter filed suit for di
yorce against his wife. and under directions CT hi
attorney the Sheriff served notice of the SAM
upon Ars. Richter in the attorneys office wner
the trade was c0nsumaIated. On the same da
Bs8muelle- FLED a srft for divorce against IF
WIFE, and a. II olock that night he.and Christn
Richter and the wife oil the former and the hus
hand OF the latter went to the Union Depot 70
sether, where Baumreller and Mrs Richter and
oiihe latter took she train for st. Louis Richie
furnishing the railroad tickets. /. should b
stated in this connection that the trunks Il
| which Baumuellsfs clothing was taken ava
were packed a. the Richter mansion BY Mrs. A.
berlsmeyer. ne.ehbor Richter being present Q
| the time.
Baumueller asd Mrs. Richter located at st Loui,
but by the LIST of September ne had squandere
the 500 received from Richter and returned to ri
city TO collect the money OF the notes. He n
NAMED buts few hours. and the amount wa
raised by Richter and paid through bank IN tn
| city. With this money Baumueller and Mr.
Richter moved TO Rale's Corners, Wis. q lit,
village situated about thirteen miles rom Nj
wsusse. Here he spent the remainder OF "a
money. and pawned Mrs. Renters watch Il
money on which TO move to MilvSukee, wAel
they located in March, 1882 Durns this entire tin
Baumuelser was drinking heavily. and every de
l ~r,,f~ TocS and loss dt-rf no hua;