Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-05-10
EXTREME CRUELTY.
The Ground on which Mrs. Cottrell
Obtained Her Divorce.
AwIrE,ssAD sroGyToJUDGEzANE


Zane,s court this morning, the petition
being based on the ground Of extreme
cruelty.
The public are by this time tolerabIs
familiar with the facts OF the case, II
having come up In one form or another
on several occasions during the last
few months. The defendant recently
served a term in the county jail Tor an
assault which he had committed upon
his wife.
The plaintiff, u iadylike little woman
apparently about 81 years OF age, was
represented by Attorney w. II. Dick
son; for the defendant Judge Bow.
man appeared.
The story told by Mrs. Cottrell on
the witness.stand was n pitiabls one.
She said she was married TO the de-
PENDANT In Chicago on December 18th,
1873, and they hal resided In Salt
Lake about II years. There are four
children-Stella aged Q, wilfrci aged
$, Lsrned aged 10, aud Mary aged IL.
"What has been tho defenani's
manner OF treating you fjr the last
four or five years?" asked Attorney
Dickson.
10 this Mrs. Cottrell replied that he
had systematically abused her mud
used foul Language towards her. On
ihe afternoon Of September 10th, 1899,
che came into tho city on some Dusi-
ncss and reached home between U and
O'Clock, having locked up the place
Uciore leaving. Her husband had
zone into the country AMI chs DID not
expect him back until late. He, how
ever, returned during her absence, aud
was Intoxicated. When she got
home he was very angry, called her
II torts Cf foul names, said she WINS
IAN old w." and Threatened TO put
her out OF the house. When witness
went Into the bedroom to oh ,ngp her
ufeas the Defendant caught holi tf her
Ivy the arnI, pinched It severely, and
Hung her against the sharp cd ~ VI tho
hedstead. As he did this he exclaimed
"D--n you, i'll kill You yeti" Her
arm painej her very much for wecks,
u
bho had given her husband no
provocation whatever. On November
2nd he came home after several weeks
ibsence, having left her with but little
money. He did not write TO her while
away, and she reproached him for II.
"Do you think l would write to you ?u
was the reply. All the money he
gave her, she said. TO meet the entire
household expenses during his atssncs
WINS sl5. On November 18Th "a CONVEX.
sation took pit ce between them as to
their property. The defendant was
angcred, seized her by the throat nnd
"choaked" her, and threw her down,
the back Of her head striking the floor.
He was then 70 drunk that he could
hardly stand. Witness at this
time went to neighbor,s
for protection. About last Thanks.
giving DAY he came home, shook
his fist In her face and declared
that he would "bresk her id neck.D
This was after she had been 10 consult
her attorney In rcgsri TO instituIing
divorce proceedings, and hs Informed
her that II she ever went 10 u lawyer or
10 the court again he would take the |
axe and "brain her.v The children
became greatly terrified, screamed aud |
chung around her. He kept that up |
until nearly midnight and mai CON
tinually "peisecuted" her since.
Questioned rs TO what property her |
husband possessed, Mrs. Cottrell an. |
swered, ths homestead In which the |
family livei--a lot 3by 8, property at
Bountiful for which the husband gay.
silOO In the spring Of 1890, but which
was moitgagei for $3.50; and since the
OF the Present
suit he had given mortgage on the
homestead (which was worth about
sSOJO) to his brother for $1,000. wit.
ness went out euwing during last win.
ter to help support her children, rs her
husband had not given her a single
dollar since these proceedings Were
begun.
Attorney Dickson-Since this suit
was commenced has your husband
been arrested and convicted OF assault
aud battery upon your
Witness Yes, he has.
Tho defcndan's counsel objected to
this line OF questioning, but the court
admitted II IN evidence.
Attorney Dickson said that the de.
PENDANT served some nifty days In the
county Jail for assaulting his wife and
wen while under bonds 10 keen
he peace he went TO the house on sew
raj occasions and abused her.
Judge Bowman cross.examined the
ilntss hut failed 10 thake her testi.
n'uy IN my particular.
mary Cottrell, daughter OF the
inflits, aged twelve, testified that she
'ii seen tho defendant kick her
Mother and threaten TO use an axe
iinn her II she went to the lawyers
IvRiu.
Il answer to Judge Bowman witness
hi her father never acted "meanO to
he children.
Aits. Adelaide Brown, a next door
iu'shbor OF the parties, also gave evi.
lepce as to the deiendant's cruelty and
aid that on ono occasion she saw him
elke MS wife by the hair cf the head
'hu throw her of her feet.
Another neighbor spoke 10 the fact
nav when Mrs. CotlrelI had been
ausht by the throat by her husband
no came into her house, Plaintiff
uiu not get her breath properly for
ulte haif an hour afterwards. Her
hr0at was very red.
lhe ueIenuant went upon tho stand
M gave an absolute denial 10 nil thni
~ wlie had stated. He had ever he
nclared, used any violence whatever
,wards her; he hal never tried 10
hoke her. He had "scoided berV
-ms.whai, but could not rememb.r
aylng ever called her names. Had
sver threatened to kill her; had never
ihoughW he was n drinking man orn
iuhkard. In fact, he never was
unk In his life. "' ,
Atlnrnav nInl ann W.. -