The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-06-07
ACCUSES A PRIEST.
Sensational Testimony in
the O'Brien Divorce
Trial in ChancerY.
SIGHTS ANNIE MATTHEWS SAW.
While the Husband Was Absent His
Wife Acted ScandalOusIy,
So Servant Says.
SIGHTS ANNIE MATTHEWS SAW.

The divorce suit OF Thomas O'Brien, q
wealthy saloon keeper of New YORK and
formerly of Passaic. against his wife,
Margaret. was continued in Chancery
chamber before Vice Chancellor Green
today and it brought out soma very
spicy testimony.
O'BreD owns considerable real estate
in Passafc. He has accused mis- wife
OF fragrant infideiity
On January "a last after the divorce
proceedings were begun, Mrs. O'Brien
went with sleigh riding party in the
evening to Water Gap On their return
in the night an Erie passenger train ran
into the sleigh and two or three of the
party were killed. Mrs. O'Brien was
severely injured and long adjournment
of the case was necessary in consequences.
AN INTERESTED AUDIENCE.
The plaintiff and defendant and many
of their friends of both sexes were in
Chancery Chambers today and heard
with profound Interest. The plaintiff
stalwar5 well-dressed, pleasant-faced
man, testified that he was married TO the
defendant in St. AIMS Church. New
York, 1879 by the Rev. Father Leonard.
She contracted drinking habit and used
ito get drunk every night. She had many
friends who came TO see her. He gave
her $50 to stop drinking, but it was in
effectual and he finally had to leave her.
A SERVANTS STORY.
Miss Annie Matthews a well-favored
young woman with brown eyes and hair
and strawberry cream complexion gave
very important testimony for the plaintiff.
Sne was a servant in the O'Brien house
hold. Miss Matthews swore that she saw
Mrs. O'Brien and one Mary RYAN in bed at
Mrs. O'Brien's house, No. 95 Hamilton
avenue. Passalc, with Father Hickey.
priest. who was named IN the plaintiffs
affidavit as Michael j. Hickey,
This testimony made a sensation. Miss
Matthews held to IL despite she
close cross questioning of Prosecutor
Gourley OF Passac. One night last
summer she saw Mrs. O'Brieu and Mary
RYAN in the parlor of Mrs. O'Brien's
house dressed only in their night clothes
with Oakley Wood. The women kicked
at q chandelier. Oakley Wood was a
FREQUENT visitor. The witness saw him
leave the house in the night crawling on
his hands and knees along fence.
At another time in June she
saw Father Hickey, Mrs. O'Brien
| and Mary Ryan standing about bed in
| their night cloths. at nine O'Clock IN the
morning. They were all drunk Father
| Hickey caIled-tie witness up and they
sent her for whiskey.
Ex-senator Griggs appeared for the
| plaintiff.
The defendant ia plump, dark haired
blue-eyed woman of about forty. She
| heard the testimony with a restrained
| smile.
1t is alleged that Oakley Wood, the CO.
respondent in the case. is graduate Of
the High School of this city. He took
the commercial course. He moved froir
this city to Passaic. While here he Was
known as "Oakey" Wood aud was .
baseball fiend. PLAYING the position Of
catcher for the High School team.
WHO Is HICKEY?
| Williams B. Simons, of New York, tes.
titled that in August he went with Mrs.
| O'Briep, Mary Ryan and Oakley Wood
| to a hotel at Delaware Water Gap. At
the suggestion OF the defendant he reg
| istered as William McKeever AT this
point the trial adjourned for an hour. The
plaintiff expects Mr. Simons TO give tes-
timony that will incriminate Mrs.
O'Brien.
Nothing definite was shown in the tes-
timony about the man whom Apnie
Matthews described as Father Hickey.
Counsellor Griggs said be believed that
Father Hickey was an excommuHicated
priest, but he was not certain about is
and knew little of Hickey.