Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-05
MRS. MEYERS ANDPROF. ST. CLAIR
The Accused Wife Says She Only Helped
OrQanizA n Snirffualist Circle.

MRS. MEYERS AND PROF. ST. CLAIR
The Accused Wife Says She Only Helped
Organize Spiritualist Circle.
Today Mrs. Franzonia NJ. Meyers, whose
husband, Ellis C. Meyers, sued for divorce re-
Gently, charging that Mrs. Meyers had become
infatuated with a spiritualist Prof. St Clair,
and became an unfaithful wife. had her turn
in court. Through her attorneys, Messrs. Joseph
Shillington and A. K Browne, she filed an an
swer to her husbands petition and also cross
bill applying for divorce from him.
In the answer she says that prior TO the sum-
mer of 1899 the relations between herself and
the petitioner were often marred and rendered
unpleasant by the insolerable treatment and
uncomfortable temper Of the petitioner; that
he would often fly into passion and curse and
swear in the presence Of their child She de-
mics, as is charged, leaving her home-the Pc
titioner and chld-and remaining out till IL
and II O'Clock at night. The petitioner says
her husband always came homo to dinner at
O'Clock and remained till nearly 2.
THE MEETING WITH ST. CLAIR.
She denies that she availed herself OF her
husbands necessary absence to receive and en-
terrain man called Prof. st. Clair or that she
eorreeponded with him after he left the city of
Washington, or that she had improper or adul-
ferrous intercourse with the said ST. Clair. The
facts with reference to st. Clair and his call at
her house are these: The petitioner at the in
vitation and request of some friends attended
rev circles or s6ances over which Prof. st.
Clair presided While one or two Of these
meetings Tor circles as they were called) were
being arranged Prof. St Clair Jailed at the
house of the defendant for the purpose Of en-
listing her cooperation in getting up or plan
ming CIRCLE, requesting her to persuade her
friends to take an interest In the art and at
tend the meetings st. Clair did not call at her
house more than twice and did not stay either
time longer than fifteen minutes. During
those two visits and at all other times and
places defendant denies that anything i'm
proper took place between them.
AT DANCING SCHOOL.
Defendant admits attending dancing school
in January, 1890, going with some lady friends
living In the neighborhood of her home. The
petitioner knew the ladies she went with and
when she commenced attending made no OBJ
lection. On two or three occasions, while her
husband was in a fit Of temper. cursing, swear
ing and threatening her life. she says she did
without his consent go to dancing school in
company with the same ladies. On those occa-
slons, she asserts, she vas glad to go any
where to escape his abuse and profanity. On
all visits to the dancing school she conducted
herself in proper and becoming manner and
returned with the neighbors referred to. She
denies meeting or having anything to do with
objectionable persons or that she was guilty OF
unbecoming or adulterous conduct as alleged,
or that she went elsewhere with Objectionable
persons claiming to have gone to said dancing
school. She admits that she has seen Milo
Burbage at dancing school. She made the ac-
quaintance of Mr.. Burbage while he lived with
his family next door to defendant on 4th street
She denies being improperly or criminally in
innate with Burbage.
HOW SHE SIGNED THE NOTE.
She says that the circumstances under which
the note quoted was written are these: For
some time prior to May 20, 1890 (the date Of
said note). the petitioner would write and try
to get defendant sign notes of similar purport
and two or three times in the very same words
as the note she wrote herself. These notes her
husband would shake in her face, telling her he
was tired of living with her and wanted to
marry again. He would dare her to sign them
and used all sorts of vile epithets to provoke
her into signing them. Finally on the 2Sth,
when his abuse and his efforts to humiliate her
were unbearable, she did what he had long been
trying to get her to do, and wrote the note in
question. She denies having said to him lyon
have an excuse now for getting divorce" She
further denies that from May rs to June 16 she
ordered the petitioner to leave the house. or
treated him in a harsh manner. For some time
prior to his leaving Mrs. Meyers says it was evil
dent to her that he was anxious to leave and
He would frequently, she alleges. abuse his
wife, tell her be was tired of living with her
and wanted to marry another woman, and
would pour forth TRADES of abuse and pro-
family upon her in the presence of her child.
She denies the charges of adultery and
neglect of the child, while sick or otherwise, or
that she neglected the petitioner and asserts
that she is fit person to have the custody Of
the child.
THE cRoss-BILL
Mrs. Meyers, in her cross-bill. states that she
and her husband lived together till June Is
last, when he deserted her and child, saying
II am going away to live and don't care where
the devil you go to-" She says that her hus-
band is of jealous, excitable dispersion, and
soon after their marriage he made a series of
cruel accusations, which increased in malignity
till they became almost unbearable and affected
her health and life; and he, after exhibiting
his paroxysms OF jealousy, threatened her with
violence and used profane and indecent Ian
| guage toward her. About three weeks before
he left their rooms, at 1927 4th street, she
charges he threw a stick Of wood at her. Since
his deserton he has refused to contribute to
her support and before desertion he threatened
| to do so. short time before he left she states
| that, under duress and intimidations, he in
| duced her to sign paper, the purport OF
which she did not understand. but
the effect that he might leave her and for the
| purpose of having some excuse for leaving her
| and to enable him to prosecute a suit for di-
vorce. She states that he has pursued her in
deirous, underhanded ways by spies, detectives,
&C., who have attempted to bride and intmi-
date her servant, has spoken ill of her neigh
bors and endeavored to injure her reputation.
She states that OF July last. while she and her
little son were walking with a gentleman on
North Capitol street, he assaulted her and at
tempted to take the child and threatened to
take the child if he had to take her life, but the
child broke away. She charges him also with
| adultery.
Can a Woman Sharpen a Lead Pencil?
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
The papers for more than year have been,
from time to time agitating this subject, prin-
cipally through the funny paragraphs. and as
| a woman (and one who knows) wish to say my
little say on the subject, and, if necessary,
prove my point. As a stenographer 1 have
lead pencils to sharpen quite often, and I
would, indeed, be in q sorry plight if 1 had to
| always call upon some specimen of the genus
'!man" to assist me, instead Of relying upon
myself. Now it sometimes happens that
thoughtlessly start to sharpen pencil in the
august presence OF one of the above-named