The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-12-01
A Novel Suit.

In our issue Ol september SSIu lhsG WI
reported visit made to our office by Mr.
y Emory R. Burnte son of the late Jamel
,, X. Burnite at one time a citizen of thi'
county and highly esteemed member o.
the M. E. church at Cherry Hill, whose
death occurred at FELTON,, Del, where Mr.
Burnite was very successful lumber
dealer. In June very sensational reports
appeared in all the Peninsula papers
, stating that Emory R. Burnite bad DOM.
mitted suicide in Salt Lake City, where
he had removed in 1887 from Easton, Md
in which town Mr.. Burnite had been
located as au attorney at law. We pub
lished at the time of Mr.. Burnite's visit
to Eikton in September his statement of
the circumstances which led to his re.
ported death, which turned out to
be one of mistaken identity, deoompos-
} ed body found at Salt Lake City having
been mistaken for Mr.. Burnite's. Since
this visit, the attention of the public has
not been called to Mr. Burnite until
Tuesday when the following statement
which we take from the Baltimore Her.
aid appeared by which it seems Mr..
Burnite has commenced legal proceedings
against his wifes relatives.
ga Philadelphia lawyer has been out
witted and is seeking redress in the
courts.
His name is Emory R. Burnite. He
claims that his father in-law and his
mother-in- law and his wife's aunt with
out cause, became tired of his connection
with their family and conspired to get
rid of him by alternating his wife's affec-
lions from him and inducing her to apply
for divorce.
The story IS told by Mr.. Burnite to
his counsel is rather romantic. About rs
years ago he married Miss Aunie Holmes
daughter of James H. Holmes, wealthy
citizen of Caroline county, Maryland, and
| lived with her in perfect harmony. A
little over year ago he found that his
practice was not sufficiently lucrative to
support his family according to his wishes
and in order to better his condition he
determined to look around for location
better suited to the display and apprecla-
ton of his Blackstonian attachments. He
therefore, atfectionately bade his house.
hold temporary adieu to seek his for
tune in the far West. He prospected
| around in San Francisco and other cities
of the Golden State without finding an
opening to suit him. He then made a
search through U ,ah and hit upon Salt
Lake City a. possible place where legal
knowledge would find ready sale at good
cash prices He put out his shingIe in
in the Mormon town and in a short time
was in fair way to make name and a
good living among the disciples of the
late Brigham Young.
Mr.. Burnite says that his wife was as
affectionate when he left her as she ever
was and threw her arms around his neck
and kissed him, and that it was her in
tention then to join him IS soon as he had
become we'll established in a new home
For time he received letters regularly
from her, but all at once they ceased to
come. He was at loss to fathom the
reason and became so uneasy that a few
months ago he determined to come East
to solve the mystery. just before putting
his resolution into execution he happened
to meet a friend from the East, who upon
seeing him exclaimed:
"Halloo, Emory, thought you were
deadv'
Dead" replied Mr.. Burnite in sur
prise. What are you talking aboutp"
why, it was reported that you had
committed suicide in Salt Lake City by
hanging yourself. and it was published
in the Baltimore City and Eastern Shore |
papers,
Mr.. Burnite started for Maryland i'm
mediately, and when he reached here
found that petition for divorce had
been filed against him by his wife. The
latter, too, refused to have anything to
do with him. He does not directly charge
his wife's relatives with having oircula-
ted the report of his having committed
suicide, but thinks that it was done by
some one who was conspiring to ALLEVIATE
her affections from him. On the other
hand, it is stated that Mrs. Burnite's re.
lativss have an idea that Mr.. Burnite had
the report of the suicide circulated him.
self to arouse the sympathy of his wife,
who, they claim, desired divorce, SO
that, upon turning up alive when thought |
to be dead, sentimental reconciliation
would take place and all the past be for
gotten and atoned for.
Mr.. Burnite denies all this and claims
that his wife had been threatened with
the taking away Of $20, 900 worth Of pro-
perty decided to her by her father if she
refused to make application for divorce.
Finding that he could not bring about
reconciliation, MIR. Burnite determined
to ask the strong arm Of the law to inter-
fere. and to compel his stern father. in law
husband to unite their purse strings and
contribute toward healing his laoerated
feelings the snug little sum of 800, 900.
He. therefore, applied to Messrs. Bryant
s. Bryant, of Denton, Attorneys, who on
Monday docketed suits for him in the
United States Circuit Court against Mr..
James II. Holmes, the father in-law. for
$40, 900; against James II. Holmes and
wife for $4,000, and against Samuel
Shanahan and wife, OF Easton, Md, for
$4,000.
The wife Of Mr.. Shanahan is Mr..
Holmes sister and the aunt of Mrs. Bur-
mite. The case Will be an interesting one,
and will likely develope some spicy testi-
mony and the argument of knotty law
points.
Hungry Visitors.
The Wilmington Eoery Erening of
Tuesday contained the following among
its city news:
The body of John T. McKinsey, the
young B. & o. Brakeman who was killed
at Hockessin on Thursday, was buried at
Elkton on Sunday. The IA Whining,