Evening journal., 1890-05-30
INCOME DIVORCE CASE
Commissioners Rodney Grants James
MeConb an Absolute Divorce,

e.
MsComb an Absolute Divorce.
The application OF James G. MsComb
for an absolute divorce from his wife
Mary McComb, was granted yesterday
afternoon by Commissioner John II. Rod
ney. Mr.. Rodney fled his decision with
Prothonotary Maxwell at o'clock yes
terday afternoon. The decree grants to
Mr.. McComb the fall control Of his three
children.
In the report the examiner declares
that the husband had proved everything
charged in his bill against his wife and Is
entitled to receive an absolute divorce.
An exhaustive review is mads of his
wifes testimony and the evidence OF all
the witnesses Is carefully gone over. In
conclusion the examiner declares that
thay are all unreliable and that nons of
the charges made in her ans rer have
been established.
The report covers more than 1000
printed pages and includes the testimony
Of hundred witnesses. Levi @. Bird
and George H. Bates. Esqs., represented
Mr.. McComb; Bradford and Vandegrift
represented the respondent.
The report filed by Mr. Rodney will be
presented to the September term of the
Superior Court Of New Castle county.
and will probably be confirmed. In that
event counsel for the respondent win
file a bill of exceptions and argument
viii be made in open court.
The McComb divorce case is one of the
most sensational ever heard in this
country. 1t Is the story OF an UNEQUAL
marriage and faithless wife. James
McComb, son Of the late Henry @. Nc.
Comb, married Mary Wingate, daughter
o. policeman. and his inferior In edu-
cation and social standing. without the
consent and contrary to the wishes of
his father.
Tney lived happily together however
and his parents treated the younger Mrs.
McComb as beftted their sons wife. ON
the death-bed of his father. James G
MoComb inherited his immense fortune
and supplied his wife and three children.
which had been born to them, with every
desire. After this, the husband, who
had taken his family to Claymont,
was required to spend much
Of his time ia this eitv.
and 1t was during his absence.
according to the Decree that she bscams .
unfaithfui to him. His suspicious were
aroused and she confessed her guilt. He
forgave her, however, and they contip
ned to live together from July 1888 to
March 1889. Then McComb applied for
and received articles of separation. Mrs
McComb was allowed 81, 300 year and
the privilege Of seeing her children once
q week.
She moved TO her fathers house at
Thirteenth and KiEg streets. After she
vacated the Claymont house numerous
acts of depreciation were committed on the
farm, the barn was burned and the house
was robbed. McComb finally determined
TO file bill of divorcs, which he did in
September, 1889 charging her with adul-
terry with three men with setting fire 10
his barn and robbing his house. None
of these charges were denied in her an
swer, but on the contrary McComb was
charged with adultery
Detectives were employed on both sides
and every movement was watched
While the testimony was being heard
Mrs. McOomb alleged that an attempt
had been made upon her life and At
tempted, tunsnccessfnlly, to trace the
deed to MeComb. The commissioner
John A. Rodney took the Testimony.
nifty witnesses being for the applicant
and sixty for the respondent.
When Mr. McComb heard the decision
last night he was very much gratified
that he was TO be allowed the full posses.
sion Of his three children. Mrs McComb
seems to hope that the decision will be
set aside by the judges, but there is no
precedent