St. Paul daily globe., 1893-01-28
A Peculiar Case Decided lin
Court by Judge oe
Willis. uo,1
The Perpetpator Of an AS
sault Gets Off Very no Z
Lightly.
Damages Asked Of a Railroad
for a Fight on a -
Train. 9Hi

A case, sad in some of its features and
the result of domestic discord, termi-
mated yesterday IN the branch of the
district court presided over by Judge
Willis. Helen M. Smell was the plaintiff
in the action, and the defendants
George Shell and Jennie G. Smell.
George Smell is the son of the plaintiff
and Jennie c. Smell his young wife.
They were married in December,
1892. the maiden name of the
young lady being Jennie Caward,
her age being then about eighteen years.
1t appears that young Smell during his
courtship had represented to his fiancee
that he was well-to-dO, being the owner
of a certain piece of valuable property
ON Dayton avenue, where he Was living
at the time. Later, in asking the con-
sent of the girls father for his daugh-
ter's hand, he made similar statements.
On the strength of this, and the fact
that the young man seemed to be of
good parents, the father acquieSced in
the marriage and bid him godspeed. Up
to this time all had gone merry as a
wedding bell, but about this time the
fated mother-in-law loomed up on the
scene and then the trouble began. She
(the mOther-in-laW) was accompanied by
daughter of mature years, and right
here the young couple made the mis-
take of their lives in permitting them
to come and live with them. In little
while came the inevitable smash
up due to the clash OF authority
According to Mrs. George Snell's teSti-
-mony, one morning the old lady OBJ
jected TO her going out so much, where
upon the youthful mistress of the house
retorted that she thought she could do
as she pleased in her own house. What
was her surprise when she was Informed
by the mother-in-law that the house
was the property of herself. This was
a revelation to the young wife, who
learned now, for the first time, that she
had been duped and tricked by her hus-
band, by the man who should be her
protector. Five months after the mar
riage Mr.. and Mrs. George Smell parted.
the lady going to live with her parents,
where she now lives, and Mr. Smell
continuing to reside with his mother
and sister. Since then the marr.age7r re-
lations have existed only in so lar as
the lady bore the name of Smell.
The suit was brought by Helen NJ.
Smell. the mother-inlaw, to enjoin the
defendants from asserting any claim to
the property in question. The plaintiff
testified that she furnished her son with
the money to erect the house, and that
he put the property in his name with
out any authority on her part. George
Smell Dut i'm no defense but appeared
in court on the side of his mother as
against his wife, who appeared by her
attorney, MI. Pike. After hearing all
the testimony the court decided in favor
of the plaintiff. and i'll delivering his
decision stated that he was constrained
to do so, however harsh it might oper-
ate against the defendants, whose utI-
fortunate position he recognized, but
was poWerless to alleviate.
More litigation it is said will follow.
either in the nature of divorce proceed
ings or in a suit by Mrs. George Smell
for the wherewithal with which to sup
port herself.