The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-09-24
NOR Wife NOR MAID"
Strange Story Of a Strange
Woman.
MARRIED EIGHTEEN YEARS.
But She Lived With Her Husband as With a
Brother-Then She Goes to Her
First Love-

THAT Is one of the most wonderful divorce
cases that has ever come within my expert
ence," said Judge Hebbard yesterday, as he
granted William b. kriner q divorce from
Catherine Kriner. after reading the report
of Referee Welch.
If the testimony taken before the referee
be true, Kriner is a remarkable man, with
a patience beyond that of Jobs, and his
wife still more remarkable woman with
consistency which the poet Coleridge says
"dwells only in realms above"
The story told shows that Kriner and his
wife lived together for eighteen years, ate
and slept under the same roof, and yet
brother and sister.
During all those years Kriner had patience
with his wife, bore with her unnatural
conduct, and serenely waited for the tim 9
when she would love him, believing fondly
that her heart would leap fondly back to
kindness.
She on her part steadily refused to love
her husband, not hesitatng to tell him that
there was only one man she ever loved ana
that was her first beau, than whom there
was none other in the world for her.
For eighteen years she refused to sur
render her love to the man to whom she
belonged under the law, but to whom she
was wife in name only.
She was n continual correspondence with
her first love and her husband knew it, but
hoped time would bring forgetfulness of a
youthful fame.
He was patient and faithful and loving,
but for his pains was rewarded by being
Tilted in the end. when the woman's love
overcame her sense of honor and her duty
to her husband
She fed and joined her first love in the
East.
Her sill loving husband tried to induce
her 10 return. but she would not yield, and
finally came his despair and his desire to be
free from the yoke of such woman.
krlnet's story is best told by the follow
ing extracts from the referees report:
state Tor what If any length OF time.
asked the referee. "you and the defendant
lived together as man and WIFE,"
Never since our marriage have we lived
together a. man and wife," was the answer.
My wife positively declined to allow me to
occupy the same room with her. never
gave her any cause or reason for the refusal
and was ever kind, loving ana affeetionate
toward her, did all in my power to have
my wife live with me. but she refused, say
Ing that she did not care for me. and that
any woman was a fool to live with man
she did not care for"
"Do you know of any cause or reason for
your wife's refusal to live with y0u?" E.
II know Of none unless IL was on account
of her not caring for me-"
did you ever give her any cause or
prOvocation for her refusal to live with you
and her subsequent Abandonment of you"
ION the contrary, would submit to her
unnatural conduct and treat her In the
kiDdest manner possible. All nv earnings
we're expended In endeavoTS to make Ter
happy and our home cheerful and pleasant,
but without avail. For months before she
deserted me she would tauIt me and say
that she did not care for me, and that she
would leave me as soon as she got ready to
do so. would do my best to dissuade her
from doing anything Of the kind, but it
seemed some one else whose influence was
greater than mine was urging her to leave
me"
''Do you think that any other man was
unduly familiar with your wife ?'
Not III the sense you may mean, though
| DO and have always thought she cared for
some one else. She often told me she loved
her first beau best, and that she only mar
ried me to spite him. | know she was in
constant communication with him and they
correspondent regularly"
Was her desertion against your wish
and consent?"
Yes, sir. After she left me l found no
comfort and had no enjoyment. Nothing
would remain awake nights thinking of
her. loved her very dearly and would
have given fortune had | one 10 have pre-
vented her leaving me-"
Were you fond of the society OF other
ladies?"
mo, sir. ! never saw the peer OF my
wife in my life. She was q most beautiful
girl. and loved her too well to care for any
other w0man's society"
krner then told how his wife had de-
serted him two years ago and gone to Allen
town, Pa, from which place she has ever
since refused to return.
On his eToss-eXamination Kriner testified
that he was blacksmith and ALWAYS mad
plenty Of work, ana could provide literally
for his wife. He never abused her. never
drank nor SMOKED, and stayed in at nights.
He only quarreled with his wife twice in
eighteen years, and that was about ner
correspondence with her first love. She
was strong, healthy, robust woman. She
was neat and tidy about the house and
good housekeeper. and an amiable and
pleasant companion.
The testimony OF kriner was in great
part corroborated by Mrs. l.. Lonzenbaker.
who was confidential friend of Mrs
Kriner.
This witness testified that Mrs. Kriner
had told her that she could never love her
husband, and had never lived with him as a
wife, only treating him as brother.