Telegram-herald., 1891-01-20
MARRIED A PLASTER CABrR
The Respondent In the Case or Lapham
Va Lapham Tells = 0uesr Tate.

Va Lapham Tells 0uesr Tale.
The divorce case Of Lapham vs. Lap
ham bids fair to become as famous ~
Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce. The parties to
this suit are both minors, what 10
termed in law "infants." and the suit
or proceeding is prosecuted and de-
Tended by next best friend and guar
dian respectively. Some few days ago
the complainant fled . petition for ALI
mony and maintenance, setting forth
that the defendant had deserted her in
Illinois, and that he was q man Tor in
fant) of means sufficient to pay her ali.
mony and maintenance.
Yesterday the respondent filed an
answer to the petition, In which he al
leges that he has no property Of any
kind or description, or that at the time
OF the marriage he so represented. He
says he did not desert the petitioner
with intent TO leave her without ade-
quate means OF support except as set
forth In the story Of his marriage.
The story is substantially as follows:
That he was born at Champaign, ILL.,,
and will be 2l years of age the 22nd
day of March next. He removed 10
Grand Rapids in October, 1889. While
living at Champaign he was the favored
suitor Of the petitioner, and often
bought her chewing gum and took her
to the ball games. That although he
paid her these little attentions, the
thought of marriage never entered
his head. When he came to Grand
Rapids, sweet little letters reached HIM
from his sweetheart in Champaign,
which increased in frequency as time
and loving replies passed. The mother
eff the glrl also took hand in the busi-
ness Of writing to the ''infant" lover.
That in pursuance of an invitation from
the mother SO to do he went to Chicago
in December, 1889, to meet the peti-
toner, his sweetheart. At Chicago he
met her, not alone, but with big SISTER
who demanded that an immediate mar
riage Of the youthful twain should take
place. The young man was astonished,
but the big sister assumed q belligerant
attitude, and he wilted. The three
hastened to Milwaukee and there the
two young hearts were made to beat as
one. He didn't have the wherewithal
TO liquidate expenses, but the big sister
acted as chief dlsbursing officer for the
expedition. After the marriage the
bridal party, short of cash, abandoned
trip TO the continent and returned 70
the home of the big sister at Cham.
paIgn. 1t may be supposed that the
newly welded exchanged loving glances
pressed each other hands, and while
the big sister was flirting with the
brakeman, they might have tasted the
the fresh and rosy nectar sparkling on
each others feverish lips.
They were given warm welcome by
the expectant mother-in-law. who cut
a watermelon in honor of the event
When night had settled they retired to
their rooms, when horror of horrors
| the young husband discovered that his
fresh and blooming bride WAS encased
in plaster cast from the shoulders tc
the hips! All his energies in pressing
her to his throbbing heart had been q
waste-and a plaster of Paris waste al
that. He learned for the first time she
was incuFably afflicted with q spina
| disease. All this his answer to the
petition shows, and he submits that the
big sister fooled him, and he was led
| into the marriage by deception.
1t appears that after making thi,
awful discovery, he forthwith packed
his collar and necktie, and borrowing
the price of ticket home, left in a
high state of excited Indignation.
OF course the infant complainants
side of the case is altogether at varianc.
with this, but the difference is wha
makes the suit.