The evening world., 1893-11-22
MRS. BATES'S STORY.
She Tells Of Her Common-Lav
Marriage to the Clubman.
Her Suit for Divorce and Alimony
Begun in Superior Court.
Says He Assured Her tho Cere-
mony Was Legal.


McGrath Bates against her alleged hus-
band. Charles F. Bates, for a limited
divorce and alimony was begun this
afternoon before Judge Freedman in
Superior Court General Terms. Both
the plaintiff and the defendant arrived
at the court almost an hour before the
trial began.
Mr.. Bates is popular horseman and
man about-town. His father. c. Fran
els Bates. is a wealthy fur dealer at
II Washington place.
Miss McGrath created sensation last
September by inserting the notice Of
her marriage in the daily papers.
She is the daughter OF Hugh Nc
Grath. who keeps a mems furnishing
store at 81 Sixth avenue.
MIR. Bates was accompanied by several
friends. presumably witnesses for him.
Many Of these gentlemen can be best
described by the word sporty"
Mrs. Bates apears to be about twenty
five years of age. She is OF medium
height, and has plump and attractive
figure. Her face is full and round
and her nose Tits a little Her hair is
dark brown. and she has "snappy"
several women, of whom three were
colored.
Lawyer Horwitz stated his clients
case, saying that she claimed COM
mon-law marriage with Bates and that
the suit for limited divorce was brought
on the ground of abandonment and
ncn-support.
Although 1t does appear in this suit 1t
is said that divorce proceedings are
brought for the purpose of establishing
the fact of the marriage, as Mrs. Bates
has a suit pending against Mr.. Batess
father Tor 100000 for alternating her hus-
b3rG.s aJfs ctions -. ,--..s.r. ...
Mrs. Bates was the first witness. In
reply to her lawyers questions she
swore she first met Bates In October,
1889. She was introduced to him by a
mutual friend in restaurant
He was a daily caller at her house
after that for several months. She then
resided with her father and mother in
West Fourteenth street
She swore that Bates proposed mar
riage to her on or about Jan. 10, 1889,
and a day or so afterwards she ae,
cepted him. Bates gave her diamond
ring when the engagement began.
She said Bates frequently talked about
common law marriages and held that
they were legal. In July, 1890, he sue
ceeded in gaining her consent to a mar
riage by agreement She said that the
reason Bates gave for not wishing mar
rlage ceremony was because his family
were Presbyterians and would object to
his marrying Catholic.
She identified what she said was the
written acknowledgement oil marriage
given her by Bates on the night she con-
sented to enter into marriage contract.
Bates. she said, spent the night at
her ohme. He left her between and 8
o'clock the next morning, explaining
that he must get to the Dakota for
breakfast or his father would ask EN-
barrassing questions. Miss McGrath. or
Mrs. Bates, was shown score or letters
ceived from Bates. All of the letters
contained endearing terms. and in many
they began: MY darling wife, and My
dear wife"
She swore that Bates had been intro
duced to her family and friends as her
husband, and had promised her family 10
have maFage n she od
trip driyns from place to 2SGck ATEag
stopped at the 81. George Hotel.
At th2is point her testimony was inter-
rupted, and Proprietor George Bardine.
of the hotel mentioned, was put on the
stand and produced his register which
titled both Mr.. Bates and Mrs. McGrath
Bates as being the persons that stopped
at his hotel under the registered names
Once or twice during Mrs. Batess
testimony Bates whispered TO his law,
yers loud enough to be distinctly heard
by others: what a whopper, ana
other similar expressions.
Once he laughed loud enough to cause
Judge Freedman to frown and look at
him In very threatening manner.
Continuing, Mrs. Bates said Bates went
into the horse-dealing business at her sug-
gestion. She told at length of the life
of herself and Bates after they went to
live together in fiat at 81 West sixty
third street.
Last Spring she said Bates's father dis
covered the fact that they ere living to-
gether. Shortly after that she said Bates
told her his father ouid give her $50
week for year II she would go to Flu
rope
She rejected the offer, and after this
they quarrelled frequently.
Several times they separated for a
week or so at time, but returned to
live together.
She told of being i'll and taking a trip
South, returning to this city In June.
During July she went to Long Branch
and stopped at the Rowland House I'M
der the name OF Mrs. &. T. Belts. She
used that name because Bates wanted
her to. Bates was then In Long Branch
and visited her at the hotel and shared
her room as her husband.