St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-27
DOMESTIC WOE.
Revelations of a. Divorce Suit i'm the
District Court.


Revelations Of a Divorce Suit i'm the
District Court.
The divorce suit Of Sarah j. Chambers
VS.. Thomas Chambers was on trial and dis
missed By Judge L0chren yesterday. The
plaintiff claimed that her husband has been
guilty of cruel treatment and had assaulted
her several times, besides maintaining a
harsh and disagreeable demeanor She al
legged that ne once struck her with his
shoes and upon another occasion threw a
shovel at her head. He also grabbed her
by her ear and thumped her head against a
door, and once met her On the street when
he struck her in the face. She stated that
she had supported the family by keeping
bOarderS, until he by his disagreeable conduct
drove them away. Mrs. Chambers allega-
tiOns were supported by the depositions of
domestic, in which it is stated that Mrs.
Chambers had always treated Mr. Cham
bers very colby and lived entirely apart
from him, never speaking to him. WHY
said the witness. ''they never slept to-
gether. L wouldn't live that way for any,
thing" In other respects, however. Mrs.
Chambers conduct had been exceptional,
she being very industrious and kindly i'm her
disposition. Mr.. Chambers did very little
work about the house and was apt to raise
row upon the slightest pretext. The time
he took his wife by the ear he complained
that she had put
HIS BOOTS
in the bureau drawer with his Shirts which
was not the case.
The testimony Of the children and several
boarders substantiated in a measure Mrs
Chambers charges, who on the stand said
that she had not eaten with her husband
since he had thrown plate Of mullins in
her face at the breakfast table. She didn't
think she had spoken to him since Dec. II,
1888. She said she had always kept her
door locked and would stay in her room
whenever Mr.. Chambers became obstreper-
Gus.
''Please tell Inc how you could expect man
TO live pleasantly with you when for over
three years you have refused to speak TO
Eimf' asked f. b. Hart, the defendants at
torneY.
What would you expect her to do when he
continually abused her?' retorted T. NJ
Wilson, counsel for Mrs. Chambers
When the plaintiff rested MIR. Hart moved
for dismissal, saying:
This suit is nothing more or less than a
scheme to
FIRE THE OLD MAN.
The wife has got all the property, and he's
an incubus that she wants to get rid of. She
tried to have him committed to the asylum as
insane, and failing i'll this has deliberately
treated him with contempt and rudeness in
order to goad him until he was beside him
self. / don't think he had any right to
use violence towards her, but even taking
her side of the story as true they fail to show
that he has been guilty of cruel and inhuman
conduct as charged. All of us married men
can understand how these little tiffs, which
could be settled by kind word or look at the
time, can be exaggerated and magniied when
told in evidence"
In asking that the motion be denied Mr..
Wilson said from the evidence it appears
that Mrs. Chambers has been industrious.
working in the kitchen and keeping board
erS while her husband loafed and did moth
ing except make her unhappy. Their
property is acquired by her eXertions, and
not by his. What a cowardIy brute he
must be-a man who would strike woman
in the face, his own wife, too, in the pres
ence of witnesses!
she Is A NICE CHURCH MEMBER,
isn't he? A man who has continually quar-
relied with his own family, and has actually
made it so unpleasant that boarders COULDN'T
live in the house"
Judge Lochren granted the motion for
dismissal, saying that while there was no
excuse for the acts of violence on the part
of the defendant. that by her own admis-
sionS and the testimony of witnesses Mrs.
Chambers was not entirely bla meless, as
she should appear in the eyes of the
court TO be entitled to Il decree of divorce.
AT this announcement a smile of salts
faction diSfigured the none too handsome
features of Mr.. Chambers, while a look of
despair crept into Mrs. Chambers face.
The parties have been married twenty-five
years, and for the past five years have
lived on Second avenue south, between
Tenth and Eleventh streets. Both are
members of Plymouth church, and their
domestic infelicities have been known to a
good many. Mr.. Chambers is 80 years old,
and Mrs. Chambers 45 years. They have
six children, all of whom are living.
MIR. CHAMBERS SIDE,
which did not appear, as the case was dis
missed, is set forth as follows i'm his
answer, which states that for more than
twenty years they lived together i'm mutual
confidence, respect and esteem. That they
enjoyed each others society, shared alike
the joys and sorrows of life, exercised
their best and joint endeavors in meeting
the trials and veXations as well as by the
avoidance of the shoals and quicksands
that here and there interspersed in their
way. The title to their property, which
consists of homestead and donble tene-
ment, amounting in value to $50, 600, which
4ido LUZ IillCC SOdlo pdSO DCCu NOSlCu III Juc
wife, who has received and expended the
rents therefrom as suited her wishes.
She has always received the earnings of the
older boys, aggregating 500 per month.
When she became possessed of the property
her manner and conduct changed toward
him. Instead of being LOYAL and devoted
wife, as heretofore. she has continually,
upon all occasions and with all the craft to
which her sex is heir, sought to slight, neg
lect and annoy him: that the children have,
by precept and example, been taught to
neglect, despise and disregard him; that he
has been deprived of all society of his wife
and family; compelled to eat at a scanty
table, separate and apart from them; to oc-
cupy an ill-kept and ill-provided room and
bed by himself. In consequence of this
treatment he has been wounded in his feel
ings, irritated and annoyed, and while he
has never been guilty of cruel and inhuman
treatment, that whatever asperity of man.
ner or conduct there may have been upon
his part has been superinduced by the
wife's eXasperating conduct, and begotten
in that law of reciprocity to which we are
all subject, and from which only the divine
can escape.
CIR EDEEOKS SVEn.