The herald., 1893-12-19
A WOMAN'S BURDEN LIFTED.
Conclusion of the Hamilton
Divorce Case.
Some Sensational Happenings Dur
ing Yesterdays Session.
Judge Van Dyke Tells Hamilton what
He Thin ks OF Him-Lived with
Her Twenty Years and
Then Slanders Her.

The Hamilton divorce suit was taken
up again yesterday by Judge Van Dyke,
and was productive of several sensa-
tions.
Mrs. Muller, the missing witness for
the defense, was the first person yester-
day to testify and her evidence caused a
futter Of excitement in the crowded
court room.
As che took the witness stand Hamil-
ton approached her and held out his
hand, which the lady refused with such
contempt that Hamilton turned away in
ill-concealed wrath.
Mrs. Muller then denied that she had
ever been subpenaed to attend as q wit
ness in the case, and persisted in her de-
nial. in spite of the attempts of Attorney
@. @. Stephens to prove the con-
trary. Stephens then injudiciously
inquired whether the witness felt any
i'll will towards Hamilton.
Eyes l do" snapped out Mrs. Muller,
who was plainly in very bad humor,
''he came to me one day and asked me
to swear that had seen Mrs. Hamilton
intoxicated upon various occasions. l
told him would swear to no such lie,
and he became angry and locked me in
the houee, 30 that l couldn't get oat !;
that's why have i'll will towards him" /"
Hamilton then took the stand and
ewore emphatically that he had never
locked Mrs. Muller up, and never asked
her to swear to Mrs. Hamilton's alleged
intoxication.
Id - Il
was the prelude to another.
mrs. Bird" called out the court
baiiif. s
Mrs. Bird was not forthcoming, but
Judge Van Dyke remarked to the bailiff: !:
You will find her in my private cham
bers."
Van Dyke picked up letter, and hold
ing it out to the witness. sternly asked /:
did you write me this letter, madam ?'
Mrs. Bird tremblingly answered that
the eplstie was written by her, upon
which the court, in still more forbidding
accents, inquired: Are you aware,
madam, that you are guilty of contempt
OF court, in addressing me upon the
subject OF q case at present under my
carer"
By this time the thoroughly frightened
woman had dissolved into tears and was
incapable OF speech, go Judge Van Dyke
contsnted himself with reading her 3
severe lecture and released her with a
warming.
The case was then argued by both
sides, Attorney &C. Stephens, for Ham
ilton, arguing that Mrs. Hamilton should
be made to return to her husband.
Az tho altruiou NJ hio addrauo fh "a
was a dead silence. Everyone in the
court room appeared to be holding his
breath in order that not sound might
prevent the courts decision from reach
ing their anxious ears.
~ wish | could agree with your
IDEAS" said Judge Vap Dyke, address
ing Attorney Stephens. 81 hate divorce
cases, and II l could, would never hea r
one in my court. l always give the de-
fendant every chance to disprove the
allegations, and have done 60 in this
case, but Mrs. Hamilton has brought
corroborative evidence, and in the face
of that evidence can only grant the
decree; then, in sterner tones, be con-
tinued: ''The\ charges of intoxication
made by the defendant amount to posi-
tive cruelty. They are entirely uncor-
roborated, and, to woman with pride,
must be terrible humiliation.
At this point Mrs. Hamilton broke
down, and bowling her head upon the
table in front OF her, went into violent
fit OF weeping.
Judge Van Dyke then ordered that
the eight younger children be given into
the custody Of the mother, and the two
older boys into that of the father.
So ended one of the saddest cases ever
brought into divorce court.