The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-12
The BRIGGS DIVORCE.
It Was Heard in the Supreme
Court To-Day.
Mr.. BRIGGS TELLS HIS STORY.
How His Wife Took Lessons at Prof.
Lair's School, and the subsequent De-
veIopments Which Caused the sapsra-

The hearing of the petition of George
Briggs OF this city, for divorce from his
wife, Mary Ella Briggs. was begun in the
Supreme Court this morning before
Chief Justice Matteson and Judges
stiness and Tillinghast.
1he parties were married in Detroit in
1852 and came to Providence, where they
lived on Angel street for while, finally
taking up their residence at the corner OF
Wayland avenue and Angel street. Mrs.
Briggs engaged to take lessons i'm French
OF Prof Lair, and the intimacy which
grew out of her association with this
professor is the ground OF this suit for
divorce Prof. Lair is reported to have
died in a foreign land.
Mr. Briggs was represented by Messrs.
Bassett and James Tillinghast. Messrs.
Arnold Greene and James NJ. Ripley ap-
pearing for Mrs. Briggs.
Mr.. Briggs, the petitioner, was sworn.
and told the story of the discovery OF
his wife's infidelty. In the course
OF her instruction In French by
Professor Lair she was absent abouE four
nights week until late in the evening.
when questioned by her husband as 10
why she was so late she at first replied
that she stopped In the stores,
but when, on occasions, he re-
minded her that the stores closed
at O'Clock, she would say she missed
the car. Ultimately she received numer-
Gus presents from the professor, and
upon her husband questioning her re-
garding these things she would make eva
sive answers. In time he gained SO great
knowledge of the intima relations |
here that she admitted receiving and |
giving presents to the professor, among |
the latter class being lock of her hair, |
cut on by the professor himself
The affection OF the professor for Mrs.
Briggs became so srroDg that on one oc-
casion he threatened her child and grab
bed her by the neck.
This she told her husband in like man
ner as she had already admitted the state
OF affairs TO him. He advised her TO see
the chief OF police. and see il the professor
could not be frightened at least.
She saw the acting chief of police on
the 9th OF August, 1890, and told him
the professor was annoying her. and
wanted something done to cause him to
desist She told him about the presents.
and also his thanking her and the chilli.
lie sent detective to see the
professor. The detective confronted the
latter with the charges. and succeeded in
so working upon his fears that he wrote
Mrs. Briggs "a letter apologizing for his
manner. This letter was written in
French. and a translation prepared by
Charles Briggs, a brother OF the petit
toner, was introduced.
hc ieteSr was reau, as also letter |
written three DAYS later in which the
professor pronounced himself sconn-
1rel and brute, and prayed forgiveness
sor the wrong he had done the respond
ent.
Another letter was read bearing the ,
late OF sept Ia OF the same year. This !
was dated at Newport, aud asked for n :
oan OF S25 for the payment of rent due to
J. Is. Barnaby & Co. All these letters
were written in French. !
On the second of September, 1889. il was ,
'hought best that Mrs Briggs should 90 ,
. Detroit 10 her folks. From the fifth
u August TO that date the two had !
imply lived under the same roof. aud the :
petitioner treated his wife as kindly as :
'ossibie, feeling more pity than anger !
oward her. y
Mrs: Briggs letters express loneliness '
" peing away from her home and her
husband. and deep sorrow aud regret at ;,
laying been the cause of her husbands =
40 inhappiness. She returned home on a
he 10Th of September On the -
a OF October Mr.. Briggs gave y
,er paper he had drawn up stating that
ween herself and the professor and
sked her II she could sign IT. She hest A
ated and finally said she could not sivn
ne paper; She then admitted that the
worst had happened. She subsequently
oia MIN the details Of the first occur p
ence, which was In Professor Lair's W
cnool, and also told him about another
vening few months later
On the 9Th of January. 1890, he wrote a ca
,.ser 10 MS wife's father in Detroit, pre-
sring the way for a fuller explanation ~
,hicn he forwarded later by express. In W
isrch Mr.. and Mrs. Anderson. Mrs
riggs sister and brother-in-law. came "a
frovidence and were met at the denot ST
', Mr. briggs, brother Ar Briggs was hs
Tor and upon arriving AT
oseted together. Mr.. Anderson's sym-
athies were with the petitioner.
lu oross-examination by Mr.. Greene II
~ Briggs denied slapping his wife's til
'ce on the street aud elsewhere and er
rowing furniture at her He said their ef,
'lations had been happy up to iSss '"''' ON ON