New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-08
AN INTERESTING DIVORCE CASE.

AN INTERESTING DlVORCE CASE.
Mr.. Dudley, Of Alton, Ill., is suing for divorce
from Mrs. Dudley. Mrs Dudley flies counter
charges, and asks for legal separation from Mr..
Dudley. Ordinarily this would not require ex-
tended notice, but some Of the circumstances are
SO peculiar that il would seem to deserve passing
attention Mr.. Dudley alleges cruelty on the part
of his wife Mrs Dudley also charges cruelty,
neglect and other ungentlemanly, not to say UNI
husbandly, conduct. In the calm, judicial in
vestigation which the is receiving much that
is divcrtng I'm relation to the Dudley household
is being brought out.
II appears from the testimony that for years
Mr. Dudley has had a peculiarly irritating way
Of coming home late at night. Half the nights in
the week Mr.. Dudley has been in the habit Of
rolling In at hours varying, as Mrs. Dudley be-
hevcs from 4 o'clock p. III. 20 n. m. We say
Mrs Dudley believes. for she is not prepared TO
say positively what time he got in except on one
occasion; and thereby hangs the trouble. Mr.
Dudley resorted TO all manner Of cruel plans TO
keep Mrs Dudley from discovering AT what hour
hc came home Mrs. Dudley never sat up later
than 10 O'clock and always went To sleep I'M
mcdiqtcly on retiring and slept soundly, which
made IL the easier for Mr.. Dudley 10 practise his
inhuman methods OF battling Mrs. Dudley le-
Ultimate curiosity He would enter the front gate
coutiouslv tiptoc ND tine front steps and insert
bis latchkcy with cathke move
mcnt Mr. Dudley kept the hinge, of
the front door we'll Oiled and they gave forth no
sound Inside he hung up his hat and oycrcoat
with the same caution. carefully removed his
boots and crept upstairs 20 bed, seldom awakln-
Mrs Dudley In the morning he WINS calm and
polite. He had been detained al the office or
had sal ND with sick friend. BESIDES, 1t was
only halfpnst II when he cot IN anyhow Mr..
Dudley's Office business always seemed 10 de-
vclop ~ night and he admits himself that he
supposcs he has SGT Of personal friends in tie
poorest health u any man IN Illinois.
But IL must not be thought that Mrs. Dudley
never made any effort 10 find ont when the dis
graceful Dudley got in. for she did For a long
time Dudley kept string tied 10 the striking
hammer Of the clock and il il was on the eve
~ striking when he arrived lie would
huseiv hold tins string. and when
il tried audby - mark the hour
IL only gave forth huzzing inartculotc sound,
impossible for Mrs Dudley 10 hear in the room.
above. oven if she were awake Mr. Dudley one
day discovered this string rcprimondcd Mr.. Dad
lev and removed IT, The next night, whilo
winding the clock, Mr. Dudley accidentally broke
tie spring which ran the striking department,
and after that the poor clock could not strike at
all on one occasion Mrs. Dudley heard her hus-
band enter ~ what She conceived to be a par
ucularlv late hour and arose and went down
20 confront h.m. What was her surprise to md
that II WAS but 10 minutes after II. Nh Dud-
lcy looked NJ her rcproachfully, She wept al the
injustice she had done him, aud together they
sought their chamber Mrs Dudley could scarcely
sleep Tie rest Of the night as She Thought Of how
she had wronccl her husband She recovered
command ~ herself in tie morning. however.
when size found that the clock four hours
slow. Nr Dudley theory was that after they
had retired the cat had lcopcd on the Eantcl.
scratched open the clock door and toycd with the
pendulum, thu, delaying the timcpiccc: hut Mrs
Dudley rejected il for one which She considered
more plausible. namely, that Dudley had heard
her coming and arranged the hands
But the domestic troubles Of the Dudlcys cnl-
minated AZ last Mrs Daley determined 10
find out when ,lr Dudley got in one night az
any cost. She accordingly stretched "a wire in the
hall about six inches from the floor, attaching
orc end to the hairacll and the other to n small
table On the table she piled a quantity Of tin
ware. the dinner bell etc, conccang these OBJ
jccts with newspaper. The tinwarc was in
tended 10 awaken Mrs Dudley when IL fell, while
the wire would cntauglc Mr. Dudlcy's feet, and
keep him from the clock till She could appear
on the scene. The plan worked 10 perfection.
Mr. Dudley caught his foot and fell heavily.
with the tawar and hatrack on top OF him.
Mrs Dudley bounded down the stairs. glance
al the uncorruptcd clock showed that 1t was
twenty minutes past 4. Mrs. Dudley cried and
! returned 10 her bed. Mr.. Dudley talked loudly
and slept away what little remained Of the night
on the sofa. The nest morning each sued for
| divorce.
What the outcome OF the case will he II is
Of course too early TO say. But We believe that
! it will be awaited with interest by most married
mrn. We fancy too, that it may help the sale
of an electric invention just patented by Brook
| lyn man which, when turned on, sets back every
| clock in the house from two 10 five hours when
! the front gate is opened. the timcpicces Fighting
themselves automatically after the home-comcr
is safe in bed.