The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-04-12
A WICKED Dominic.
Mrs. Jennie Jennings Tells
How Her Husband Cob
b1ed Her Checks.
QUARTS OF WHISKY CONSUMER
ordered to Pay So a Week Alimony,
He Falls Into Contempt Of
Court.
Special TO The Jerseu ctr Ns,us.


TRENTON, April II, 1S93.-h the battle
now being waged in the New Jersey Sue
Dreme Court between Rector Joseph B.
Jennings of WestieId ana Bishop Scar
boro and the vestrymen Of his church, is
decided in favor of the rector, a move
ment will be started to depose Jennings
from the church. He is charged with
having committed. In four dioceses. acts
of immortality, which are sufficient to uhs
frock him. 1t was for the purpose OF
avoiding scandal in the church that the
charges of drunkenness and immortality
have not been forced. and it was the ins
tentlon of the church authorities to allow
the young clergyman 10 leave Westfield
without being disgraced priest. The
charges will be founded upon the sworn
statements of Mrs. Jennie Jennings. the
rector's wife, and her brother. DR.. james
II. CASTOR, made before Master in Chem
Gerry Frederick Marsh in Mrs. Jennings
suit for divorce.
MRS. JENNINGS STORY.
Mrs. Jennings testified that she was
married to Joseph Bernard Jennings az
Baltimore, December 10. 1884. After the
wedding, they went TO the Fifth Avenue
HoGel, where they remained week.
Then they went TO Tarrytown, wnere
been married only three months when,
Mrs. Jennings swears, he struck her and
treated her III a tantalizfDg manner until
she could endure it no longer. He also
drank while there, but not enough to
prevent him from knowing what he was
doing. He drank SO heavily and treated
his wife SO cruelty while in Tarrytown.
that be was asked to leave the parish.
Mrs. Jennings then went to Baltimore
and remained there at the ONE of her
parents until Jennings received the ap-
pointmeut TO church IN Sag HarboE.
He again drank heavily while there.
abused his wife most cruelty and neglect-
ed the duties of his parish 10 such an ex-
tent that he was requisite to leave. While
at Sag Harbor, Mrs. Jennings swears, her
husband took ner on a picnic to an adj
joining island. While there he drank
Two bottles Of whisky and began to curse
and swear. When Mrs, Jennings at
tempted to demonstrate with him, be
knocked her senselesS and she did not re-
cover consciousness for some time. She
asked to be taken home, but he kept her
there until evening. and he was in
proper condition to return home. Sha
was in bed two days from the effects OF
the experience. In 1888 she went to live
with Jennings in New York. and for If
teen months she supported him out of her
own private purse. Ali this time he
drank considerably.
He secured a charge in Cranlord. N. j..
about three miles from Westfeld, where
he continued his old habits, aud went SO
far as to pawn his wife's wedding gifts.
When she asked where they were, he said
that he had them In storage. Later, she
found the pawn tickets. Mrs. Jennings
claims that she has advanced her huS-
band over $4,000. Whenever he was OUT
of work, lhe was inclined to be civil.
but us soon as he obtained parish and
control or his pay, he would resume his
old habits of drinking and abuse. When
she was married, she had $500 in her
pocket for spending money. She gave i5
TO him, and he spent it on himself, never
giving her any nformation as to what be
did with iU. Ol another occasion sha
gave him $50 to be used for church Dur-
poses, but he took 1t to New York
and spent it. She received a CHECK
for 500 as a wedding present.
Jennings, she says received the money
and she never knew anything about lie.
until some time after she met the donors
who asked her why she had never
acknowledged the gift. She was about
to say that she had not received rhe
money. when it flashed upon her that her
husband might have received the money!
and she was SO embarrassed that she was
sure the donor discovered her confusion
DIR. CASTOR testified that he undertook
to get an explanation from Jennings, OF
his conduct towards MS sister. lna
Clergyman tried to avoid him, but when
finally cornered, said that his wtfe WAS
Jealous, and accused him OF paying too
much attention TO other ladies.
The Rev. DR.. William N. Donnell tes.
titled that he gave Jennings employmen6
at his church while he went on his vaca-
ton. When ne returned after three
months absence, he heard great many
startling stories of Mr.. Jennings's COM
duct, and learned that ne had passed hinss
self off as a single man.
IN CONTEMPT.
The Master recommended that Jen-
nings pay his wife IS week alimony and
a counsel fee. The Chancellor made the
order, and, upon Jennings's ignoring ir,
he was attached for contempt. Jennings
swore that his salarypractically amounted
60 nothing, and that he was dependent
on the collections for living and could
not pay alimony and costs.
THE DRAMATIC CRITIC