The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-07-21
ANNALS OF A HARD LIFE.
xRA OSCAR BURROWS STORY OF HER
DOMESTIC MISERY.

for Thtrty-six Years, Was Forced &c
Work as shop9iri, and Was De
pr,ved OF Necessnries OF Iife for Her
sclr and children While Her Husband
Drew IN Ample salary from the II. and
q. Railway Besides an Income from HIS
Patent Medicine-His Arrest for Non.
Support and tho Coming Trial.
A dignined. we'll dressed old gentleman was
arrested in Newark on Saturday night by De-
tsctive Walker. lie was Oscar L. Burton. q
freight solicitor for the Baltimore ana Ohio
Railroad Company In this city. and the owner
Of q patent medicine which. 1t is ead. gives
him q good income In addition to his salary OF
$4,000 q year from the railroad corporation.
He was charged with wilfully DESERVING and
failing to support his wife. Mary A. Burton.
The couple nro widely known In Brooklyn.
where they lived for twenty or moro yenrs
prior to Juno OF this year. In fact. Mrs. Bur-
ton is still q resident OF Livingston street in
that city. although for tho purpose OF obtain
ing her rights from Burton. she has taken
temporary residence at IL Atlantic street.
Newark.
When the charge was read to Burton on Sat-
ut.Hy night by Justice Hayes In the Police
HeaaGua.ters Court in Newark. he raised him.
self to his full helgh. and dignity. and declared
that he would be only too glad to give his vito
ayonuc. Newark. which lie had recently fur
nishcd handsomely. he said. and In
e Is room sot apart for his wife.
l!ut. no declared. abe would not live In
Newark, preierring to remain In Brooklyn.
because her friends were there. Twice he had
been arrested in Brooklyn on tho same charge.
and to provo that zach timc he had boon dis.
charged he produced newspaper clippings.
which seemed to bear out his statements. He
MI ,,,H h,,t1 how nS.aro -
!he Poor McLorinan Of Newark had made a
complaint against him on the ground that Mrs.
burton might become charge upon the city.
George NJ. Sandford. u Belleviile N. j.. con-
tractor. who Is building II house for Burton In
:nat village. offered to become his surety. but
he declined. saying he had taken legal advice
and would 20 to Jail first. After four hours In
n cell however. he changed his mind and was
liberated on bail. lie afterward refused to
talk OF the case. except to reiterate what he
had said before.
Mrs. Burton is OF medium height we'll pro-
portIonsd. and despite her flfty-two yeaDe Of
life, she has not a gray hair. There Is hardly
wrinkle in her face. Yet her deep. sunken
eyes tell Of suffering.
II do not care to say great deal" she said.
but since Mr.. Burton has told how fine
homo he has offered mo and said that will
not leave Brooklyn, feelthat In justice to
myself and my children must say something.
Mr.. Burton is about % years my senior. We
were married IN the Duane street church on
June 10. 1855. whom was but chld-not quite
l6 years old. Hero Mrs Burton exhibited
her marriage certificate. which. though yellow
with age. IL clear and perfect. showing that
her maiden name was Mary A. Watson. I had
known Mr.. Burton about a year and he had
obtained o promise Of marriage from me. One
day no insisted upon getting married. I said
to walt while. but he insisted and declared
that unless I consented he would commit
suicide. became frightened. went with him.
and the ceremony was performed. My brother
sa ss trusStuly say thu. IN al that lime have
sssS; ~ 81 I'd ~ so5a
ieins IN street. B S' f'ea anu
Although earning good salary Mr.; Burton
master. Fhres %Snths before my e dsush inter
eFo Is 70 % ePy ch s3
SsFs uS ,ss5ss
Ue5nags Of by scarcely sDeskns to
He made. no reauests-simply gave orders.
His great fault in the house was an ecQnomi-
known him to have an income Of $500 month
and yet c3mpel us to live In those three small
but was fond Of good living. good Clothes. and
ssS yf mt he this sna Tsz until ftsF s sas
IT, THan
thoIG when EdW was y old
~ money, saSso4,e ,3 he e. house; YET
my inhsrnanee.. ! sent ths Children 10 Has
b'onrk,s COLLEGIATE School paid paid sll the bills.
money. and thai only alter q row. For this /
Ii" i""aIe had dealings With can testify that
! sp,Hai l l4s ruth; NV ,,o,,,, ,,u so
money. lie gave me his usual answer. and Hi'i in
addition cursed me ne aId applied to me tho Xiiest
that -, we occupied separate apartments.
and To i.nvor again spoke to me. although we |
were frequently In tho same or adjoining roops |
money gave out. Then helroiMss'sd e pay The
d "nt s ua s HoasS
his a.lection. but soon he said that the food
aid not suit him and he went away. leaving US
1ssf he arrested %. heeepss Of row
Ills .;sagsf IaSinr hith.r,o ~ boon p'i sent
ness. .ni / ,an:wered him in the same Kind
manner which had always shown that knew
nothing OF the ma ter. Again he reapssd into
silence He took my son Edwin away
going 10 another boarding house. This was in
1887. Soon after he ceased con,ribut ng 10 our
,Tnpprt ind then Gass1 his arrest Before
lasted and even as long 9ttslward as possb e
He was ,akon before the late Justice An
drew J. Walsh, lilo claimed then thai he would
He had three rooms One was used tor manu-.
featuring his patent medicine. the other for
s!esriaYs Dom. Judge Wash decided that this
week for my, support. This. he continued uD
to June OF his yegr On May 2G no sent me
lrhe letter exhibited by Mrs. Burton wns
signed Oscar i. Burton" aud said that owing
s sS1 and had, therefore. rented house at
would be welcome to bed and board on and
after June s. He would. he said. cease his pay
ments to her. previously ordered by the court,
and Tor further arrangements as to Q separate
III T. NJ MI