Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-07-28
\ Preacher Wants Il Divorce.


Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church al
Towson, Baltimore county, Md, filed
bill at Towsoa yesterday against
Louise Shelley Powers, his wife, asking
the court to pass q decree of divorce 9
mensa ct thoro (from bed aud board).
In general Mr.. Powers charges his
wife with having an ungovernable tenn.
per and that her conduct has been the
cause of public scandal. He says she
has been the cause of separating the
family on several occasions and that he
can stand it no longer.
The immediate cause of the action
was the alleged conduct Of Mrs. Powers
on Wednesday night, on account OF
which she was arrested at midnight and
spent the night in Towson Jail. In
the bill of complaint Rev. Mr.. Powers
states that he found it necessary to
keep the infant in charge of a nurse be-
cause of its being disabled in one limb,
the mother refusing to attend TO its
wants. She disliked the nurse and
drove her out of the house. Mr.. Pow
ers sent the child to the nurse because
of the attention it required. On We'd
nesday night Mrs. Powers went to the
residence of Mr.. ]. Harry Lyle, near
neighbor, supposing the nurse and in
FAINT were staying there. Mrs. Lyle
assured Mrs. Powers that her child was
not there, whereupon the latter seized
a heavy pitcher, containing ice and
lemonade, and attempted to strike Mrs.
Lyle with it. The lady called for as
sistance, and Mr.. William A. Lee, who
lives next door, arrived just in time to
interfere. Mrs. Powers then went to
the residence of DR.. Jackson Piper,
where she became so abusive, and her
language was so profane, that the doc
tor was compelled to put her out of the
house. She then went to the residence
of Mr.. William NJ. Risteau, and later to
Justice Albert w. Ferries house, She
told the justice that she wanted war
rant for the possession Of her child.
Justice Perrie said that he could not
issue such warrant.
Finally, she went TO the residence of
Mr.. William S. Keech, member of the
Towson bar, where she used very pro-
fame language in the presence of Miss
Keech. Mr.. w. S. Keech, jr., was about
to procure warrant for the woman's
arrest, when, at midnight, Officers Benz.
w. Bowen and Henry German appear
ed and arrested her on warrant issued
by Justice Perrie, at the instance
of Mr.. J. Harry Lyle. She was taken
to Justice Ferries house, and was es-
corted to the kitchen, where she was
informed that she would have to go to
Jail. She exclaimed, in astonishment ::
"My God Must go to jail ~
The Justice replied Madam, had
you behaved yourself, you would not
have to 90 to jail"
To this she retorted, sharply: 81
don't want any lecture from you, SIR"
The Justice, thereupon, ordered the
officers to take her to jail, when she
offered violent resistance, but, followed
by a crowd Of curious spectators, she
was taken away. Five minutes after
the warden had placed her In cell, he
learned that the prisoner was the wife
of Rev. Mr.. Powers. He released her
from the cell and gave her the best
room in his own apartments.
Yesterday morning, when Mr.. Pow
ers learned of his wife's predicament,
he went her security, obtaining her re-
lease and took her to the rectory. Sub
sequently, he filed the bill for divorce,
which sets forth that the couple were
married in Virginia, on October %,
1872, the defendants maiden name be-
ing Louise Sheltey.