The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-11-10
THE MAIN DIVORCE CASE.
Mrs. Main Petitions to Have the
Case Reopened on Ground
of Fraud.
Special to the jersey city Ne,os.

| IRENTON, NOV. III, IoSl.--oOme SeuSd-
tional facts are developed by the exami-
nation of the papers in the case of Main
VS.. Main in divorce. 1t is alleged on the
| part of Mrs. Main, the defendant. that
the proceedings are fraudulent and all
the scandalous facts are to be reviewed
by the court.
Mrs. Sarah A. Main was divorced from
her husband. Thomas Main. former
wealthy resident of Grand View, near
| Nyack, New York. on April 10, 1891. She
has filed petition asking to have the de-
cree vacated, and the case opened in order
| that she may testify. She states in ner
petition that no notice was served on her.
aud that she knew nothing of the pro-
ceedings until the final decree had been
given. Chancellor McGill will open the
! case as soon as she can arrive from Den
yer, Colorado, where she has been re-
| siding for the past three years.
| On September 10, 1890, Thomas Main, a
resident of Hoboken, applied for divorce
from his wife, Sarah Ann Main, on the
| ground of adultery. The CORRESPONDENT
! named was John w. Locke, OF Nyack.
/ The usual notice was issued, but Under
| Sheriff j. j. McPhillips, of hudson
| County, swore that he could not find
the defendant. The notice was then
| printed in the Jersey City papers,
! and Raymond p. Wortendyke swore that
he had been searching for Mrs. Main, but
was unable to find her. He did learn,
| however that her address was Mrs.
Sarah Main, care OF j. F. Main. Denver,
Col, and to that address he sent copy OF
| the notice. No reply was ever received
and testimony was taken in the case at
the February term this year, at Jersey
City. The defendant did not appear.
| COMPLICATED FAMILY RELATIONS.
Main in his testimony said that he mar
ried Sarah Ann Knott in London, Eng-
land. on August Is, 1880. He was then a
resident of Grand View. New York. and
had met Miss Knott In England. His
son, Thomas j. Main, VINO was then about
five years old. witnessed the ceremony.
After remaining in England they
came back to the United States
and resided at Grand View. Finally he
urged his wife to move to either Phil
adelphia or Chester, as his business was
in the latter place and it took too long to
get TO his home. She said she would go
on condition that her niece, Clarissa
Dale, who was then living with them,
could live with them at Chester. This
Main refused MS Miss Dale in his opin-
ion was immoral aud the mother of an
illegitimate child for which he was
compelled to turn his eldest son
away from home, Miss Dale charging
that he was the father of her child. After
Mrs. Mains refusal to remove to Chester
unless this condition was complied with.
Mr. Main continued to live in Chester
and rented the Grand View House, Mrs.
Main still living in it with the tenant
until 1888 when she removed to Denver,
Main, In the interval, had heard stories
of his wife's infidelity to him. but
never took any action. He remained
in Chester until 1885. when he removed
toSNew York. He remained here until
November, 1886. and then went to JERSEY
City, where he remained until May, 1888.
From Jersey City he went to Hoboken,
where ne has since resided. Some time
in 1882 he began to hear stories of his
wife's undue familiarity with John w.
Locke, painter. of Nyack. He procured
witnesses and after residing in New Jer-
sey for three years applied for divorce.
Thomas ]. Main, and David Main. his
sons, testified to seeing Locke in the
room of Mrs. Main while they lived at
Grand View. Mr. .Main had engaged
Locke to paint the house and he took one
whole summer to do it. While Main was
away Locke would be around the house
doing odd jobs and on one occasion
while the eldest son was going past
Mrs. Mains bedroom the door opened
and he saw Locke in the
room. Mrs. Mains face ives
flushed. and she made the excuse that
Locke was helping her put down carpet.
Thomas demonstrated with Locke about
his being around the house so much say
in. that If his father knew it. he would be
displeased. He took no notice, however,
and continued to work around the house
whenever Mr.. Main was away.
AT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
George Morris testified that he was at
Nyack some time after Main had been re-
siding in Chester and had seen Locke in
Mrs. Mains room at four O'Clock in the
morning. T. f. Killings testified that
Locke had told him that he had often
kissed Mrs. Main and held ner in his
arms. He also said that he had seen
Locke and asked him to come to Jersey
CITY and testify in the divorce suit, but
Locke refused. After hearing the evi-
dence in the case, Chancellor McGll
| granted a decree Of divorce on April 15,
1891.
Mrs Main in her petition denies the
charge of adultery, and says that the tes-
timony of George Norris, is false; that an
examination of the books of the hotel ut
Nyack show that no such name appears
on the register. She also denies the testi-
| mony of Killings, and says that he was
never in Nyack except under an assumed
name, She deries the charge that Locke
ever kissed her, held her in his arms or
acted in any improper manner with her.
Clarissa Dale. Mrs. Mains Niece, who
seems to be the cause of the whole pro-
|
saws that ever since the day Mr.. Main left
his wife to live in Chester she has occu-
pied the bed with Mrs. Main and that the
charge of adultery is false. Locke has
never had any improper relations
with Mrs. Main, and was never in her
room at four O'Clock in the
morning. She also states that she
resided with them at Grand View, and
that while there became a mother. Mains
son. David, was the rather of the child.
and he had seduced her under promise OF
marriage She began suit against him IN
the New York Supreme Court, and was
awarded $l05S0 damages, Main carried
the case to the higher courts, but the de-
cision was never reversed. The testimony
of Norris. or Morris, and Killings, she
says, is false.
John W. Locke, the correspondent
named, also presents statement in
whiche be denies the charge of adultery
with Mrs. Main. The statement made
by Killings that he asked him to come to
Jersey City 10 testify and he refused, he
also says is false. He never saw Rlliings.
He is willing 10 come to this State at any
time to testify.
A Story of Napoleon III