St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-25
A Jersey Preacher Treats His
Wife in a Most Shame
full Manner.
Pawned Her Wedding Pres
ents and Spent Her Money
for Booze.
A Couple OF Cincinnati Sports
Take a Drive in a
Hearse.
A Long Island Man Takes a
Drive Attired in a Night
Shirt.

ELIZABETH, n. j., Nov. 24.-In the
vice chaneellor's chambers at Newark,
before Vice Chancellor Green, yester-
day, a hearing took place on rule to
show cause why Rev. Joseph Bernard
Jennings, pastor of the Episcopal church
at Westfeld, n. j., should not be sent
to Jail for contempt of court IN failing
to pay to his wife, who was granted
divorce from him June s, 1892, for
cruelty and desertion, the amount of
alimony, s. per week. decreed her by
the court, and also her counsePs fees.
j. b. Mccormick, for the plaintiff, said
he had repeatedly called Rev. Mr.. Jen
nings' attention to the matter, but he
had not paid penny. The de-
PENDANT clergyman made an alb
Ject apology to the court and
Swore he was unable to pay the
alim0ny, as he had not received any
salary from his congregation yet, and
had to depend for subsistence on the
plate collections every Sunday, and
these were barely sufficient to supply
his needs. Vice Chancellor Green, after
hearing this statement, discharged the
rule and allowed the defendant TO go
until such time as he Is financially sit
uated so that he can comply with the
order of the court.
The troubles of Rev.Mr Jennings and
his wife. who is very handsome, styl
iSh-loOking brunette, and comes from
good Southern family, nave Occasioned
much comment in Episcopal church
clerical circles in New Jersey for the
past year. and now for the first time are
made public. Efforts were made by
Bishop Scarborough, Rev. Francis Mar
ion McAiiSter, rector of Trinity church.
Elizabeth. and other clergYmen to effect
reconciliation between the couple.
but they failed, and at last the
matter was taken to the courts.
The testimony was ordered to be
taken by Special Master in Chan
Obtained was afterwards submitted to
Chancellor McGill, who issued the de-
cree of divorce. In her affidavit iii the
suit Mrs. Jennings stated that shortly
after their marriage, in Baltimore in
1854, they removed to TarrytoWn, n Y.
where Mr.. Jennings had d living. He
drank heavily while there, and on one
occasion struck her. In consequence OF
this she returned to Baltimore. and re-
NAMED there until Jennings procured
another parish at Sag Harbor, l.. L.,
when she rejoined him, but he neg
lected his duties so much that he was
requested to resign. For the next fif-
teen months, Mrs. jennings says. she
supported him, but i'll June, 1889, he
procured a parish in Crawford, n. j.
His old habits of drinking and abusing
his wife were there revived, and in No
vember, 1889, he deserted her, and since
that time has lived apart from his wife.
Mrs. Jennings in her affidavit says:
From the time Of our marriage up to
the day when he deserted me l was
compelled necessarily to give him
money. and when returned to my folks
in Baltimore he would write to me.
stating that it was necessary that he
should have money, or he would be
ruined. | continued to give him money
until my brother interfered | have
given him during this tire in the
neighborhood of $1,000, and iii addition
he pawned my wedding presents"