Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-23
LEAvITTS WIFE WANTS A DIVORCE.
She Seeks to Spite Georgia Putman-SayS
She Made ali His Money for EIm.

She Seeks to Spite Georgia Putman-Says
She Made all His Money for aim.
New YORK, July 22.-Michael B.
Leavitt, theatrical manager and pro-
pretor OF the spectacular pantomine
burlesque Spider and Fly" is being
sued for divorce by his wife, Hattie,
who claims TO have made him the sue
Ncessful man that he is, and that he
owes his large fortune to her. She says
he has acted the part OF the spider with
her as an innocent, trusting fly, and
she has suffered in body and mind far
more than the death agonles Of the pro-
verbal fly.
The claim for separation is based on
the grounds Of cruelty, unfaithfulness
and abandonment. Mrs. Leavitt names
George Putnam, with whom she says
her husband is now living at the Sturt-
evant House, as correspondent She
does not ask for an absolute divorce, al
though, she says, she has ample evil
deuce on which to obtain one. She wants
a limited divorce lust TO spite Georgia
Putnam"
The Leavitts were married in Omaha,
Neb., in 1869. Mrs. Leavitt was then a
stage vocalist, travelling under the
name OF Hattie Forrest. Her real
name before her marriage was Hattie
Brown. Leavitt was negro minstrel,
and his wife says he had not a cent.
She had stage wardrobe, $500 worth
! OF jewelry and $500 in money. After
their marriage they worked together,
and travelled all over the country, he
acting as an end man and she continu-
Ing TO sing as Hattie Forrest. They
subsequently formed female minstrel
company, and she acted as interlocutor,
when the Rentz-Santley Burlesque
Company disbanded we formed the
Nine. Rentz Burlesque Company, and |
was Nine. Reatz," said Mrs. Leavitt
yesterday. "In November, 1891, be-
gan a suit for separation on account OF
my husbands cruelty, but he came to
me with tears in his eyes and impored
me TO stop il. He said be always loved
me and no one else. and that his cruelty
was result of his having been over
worked He vowed be would treat me
tenderly and kindly, and forgaye him.
He Immediately began to abuse me
again and on January 5, 1892, when we
at his brothers house 10 Chicago he
brutally assaulted me during the night,
beating me all over the back, arms and
bosom.
Il required the services OF physi-
clan. | was black and blue all over my
body from his beatings, and on Jan. 81
had some photographs taken showing
the abrasions, wounds and discolora-
tions."
These photographs were submitted as
exhibits with Mrs. Leavitts affldavits.
1.-The only thing be left me was credit
al the grocery store, and now that is
exhausted" she said. "He is living in
prlncely style at the Sturtevant House
with George Putnam, one OF the Put
nam sisters 10 the company"
Mrs. Leavitt submitted love letters,
which, she alleges, have passed between
her husband and George Putnam. These
letters, Mrs. Leavitt says, shows that
her husband and the Putnam woman
| have spent the greater part OF the time
| they could spare from theatrical en-
gagements in each others company.
'In October, 1891, she goes on, my
husband falsely charged me with going
to a bad resort in West TWenty-fourth
street, and he made me dress and took
me to the house In order TO confront me
with the vile woman who kept 1t. He
asked her II she had ever seen me be-
fore, and she said No"
Among other instances Of cruelty
quoted by Mrs. Leavitt, she says that
| in October, 1891, st 149 West Thirteenth
street, at . o'clock in the morning,
! Leavitt threatened TO cut her throat.
She screamed, and when ne thought
the nei1hbors were coming to her res
cue, he fled from the house. On an
other occasion he tried to push her
down the cellar stairs, and the
| servant interfered and saved her
She asks for substantial alImony and
swears that her husband is worth
ut least $50, 600. She says be owns the
house at 149 West Thirteenth street,
which is worth SOS, 600 and is unincun-
bered. BE has in it furniture, oriental
rugs and bric-a-brac worth Sl2, 0O0 BE
owns a lease Of the Bush Street Thea.
ter. In San Francisco, Cal, from which
he derives $4,000 year. BE also owns
Leavitt's California Circuit, which ID
worth $1,000 yearly; the Broadway
Theater in Denver, which is one Of the
finest In the west; the Windsor Theatel
in Chicago; the Rentz-Santly BurlesQue
Company, which produces net prof.
OF s., 900 season; the house az 80;
Lexington avenue. which is worth SIS,