The morning call., 1893-08-20
FAMILY QUARRELS.
Mr.. and Mrs. jackson
Have Their Tiffs.
THE OLIVE BRANCH SCENES.
Judge Slack Decides That Abuse in
Words Only Is Not Ground
for Divorce.

A rather peculiar divorce suit occupied
the attention Of Superior Judge Slack yes
terday, and Mrs. jackson failed in heI
effort TO rid herself Of most unruly
spouse.
Charles M. Jackson, the defendant. is
proprietor of the restaurant at the Bay
District track, and also keeps place in
vitingly termed the "Olive Branch" WI here
good cheer and spacious beds are provided
for jockeys and stable boys, mostly. at the
modest charge of 81 30 per week. 1t was
stated in evidence yesterday that there are
always some forty boarders in the house,
and in crowded times as many as eighty oil
ninety.
Unfortunately Jackson did not agree
with his wife. 1t was stated that for
months past he never presumed to address
her by any but the most vile names, and
he was always divided between two con-
flicting desires, one to expel her from his
hearth and home for evermore, and the
other to put up with her on the ground
that she made an excellent manageress for
his business.
Things came to a pass, however, on
March 80 last when Mrs. Jackson settled
the family trouble by leaving her husband.
All she took with her was her clothes and
$50 which she had extracted from the
usually unproductve Jackson. and since
her departure from the Jacksonian roof
she has managed to exist on what small
alimony the court allowed her. as she In
stituted divorce proceedings very soon
after leaving home.
Poor Mrs. jackson told q sad tale TO a
sympathetic audience yesterday. She had
striven for years TO get on with her brutis h
husband. she said, and had forgiven him
many times, and she had only left him
for good when her husband had said TO
her, - you, PIl make it so -
- hot for you that you'll have to get
outw She never could get dollar with
out row. although she worked hard and
assisted him in his business. He " ould
make point Of insulting her in the pres
ence of others.
way in which the house was carried Oh.
There were lot of handsome girls there
as mattresses, who seemed to do no work.
mpiaints had been made of their IaZl-
ness. but Mr.. JACKSON had said in very
significant tone, Leave the girls alone !;
they are not here TO do much work"
In corrobOration OF Mrs. Jackson's testi-
mony there stepped upon the witness
stand an energetic looking lady, most
aptly named Miss Katie Fite. She spoke
of JacksOn's constant brutality 10 his wife,
ana also of the character OF the girls who
came to the house as mattresses. Attempts
to confuse this witness in cross examina-
ton resulted in dire disaster for defen-
dant's counsel.
Miss Lavinia Selma Lawton was the
next witness She appeared to he a smart,
lively young lady and raped out her
answers in quick decisive tones. She
spoke very plainly her opinion of Jackson
fendant's counsel. j. II. Long, asked her
if Jackson had not discharged her from
his employ.
Certainly NOT. SIR" was the girls vehe-
ment reply. He could not discharge ME
without reas son."
Long attempted to prove some trouble
between the witness and a colored walter
in the ''Olive Branch" but nothing came
of it. The witness admitted, however.
that Jackson had once accused her of
stealing; but that was when she took Mrs.
Jackson's meals to her in her room on
Turk street. and used "Olive Branch"
dishes and plates for that purpose. That
was not stealing, of course.
Witness testified that Jackson made
large sums of money out OF his business.
and that the onlv reason he did not want
10 be divorced from his wife was that she
might come back and keep house for him.
His business had fallen off since bis wife
had left him, said the witness.
Finally the plaintiffs case closed and
Judge Slack, without calling upon the de-
Tense, said he could not grant divorce ON
the evidence put before him. Extreme
cruelty had not been proved. jackson
had undoubtedly threatened to strike his
wife, but had never actually done SO. And
it had been shown that he had always sup
ported her and was now willing to take
her back.
Il find that Mrs. Jackson asked her hus-
band occasionally for dollar. Sometimes
she got IL. sometimes she had to wait.
We've all got to do that sometimes"
sighed the Judge, mindful of his June SAL
airy. In conclusion l think that as / can
not grant divorce the best plan would be
for Mrs. Jackson to return to her hus band
and try to get along better in future, es-
pecially as he is willing once more to ten
der the olive branch to her,"
With this humorous play Judge Slack
dismissed the case and everybody seemed
to appreciate the humor except Mrs. Jack
son.