The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-20
I LEAP YEAR MATCH.
sekenbachler Says Hattie Did
the Counting.
feeEo FROM HIS cHILD-wFE.
-. old Esneher Tells His Troubies In
court-supreme Court Decision
On Tsx Receipts Law.

~ matrimonial troubles Of Joseph
e,soenbschGer we're ~ last brought 20 an
80 ty divorce granted by Judge Humes
Z tbe superior court yesterday after the
a raar. who lives on ranch near Lake
ries cemetery, had told the interesting
ssry OF how his heart was won by the
rstEe girl. who seems 10 have done most OF
Ae conrting,
/ eehoenbachIer IL the old farmer who,
Without declaring his Intentions, paid
a{euds In Nebraska visit last fall and
"a supposed 10 have committed suicide
= account Of his troubles with his I3-ysar-
B "a wife or 70 have been murdered for his
mssey For several days bis little shack
,~>r Lake Union was haunted by de-
tr.ives and reporters, while the young
uomaa vas living apart from her husband
4 the home Of her step-fathsy. Thomas
NeEay, near Columbia. After the missing
nsr tarned on safe and sound the case
- lacking In interest TO the public
entil on February % schoenbachler began
esais for divorce, alleging that his better
Az had abandoned him within eighteen
nonths after their marriage on july ].
cot: that she had conspired with her
mother and step-fasher, Thomas Mckay
nad his wife. 70 defraud him or his prop
sty: that this conspiracy had been carried
Into effect BIZ the defendants securing
from him deed 10 her OF q flve-acre tract
near Columbia. valued al $4,000. for
rcnsideTation Of 81: that the defendant
had ssso taken with her when she deserted
klm personal property, horses. cattle, pigs.
chickens. farming tools, etc, valued ct
az ~ lat al a
influences o. ser parents and refused to live
with him longer. and that owing TO the
great disparity OF their ages IL would be
impossible for him 10 live with the de-
fendant as her husband. As there were
no children born Of the marriage he
merely asked that the court grant him a
divorce and . decree that he have
awarded 10 him . fye-acre tract near
Lake Union. valued at $4,000. In lieu OF
Che one he alleged himself 10 have been
dsfrauded Of by his wife.
At the time Of the marriage. u was al
legged in the complaint, the defendant was
but ~ years OF age while the plaintiff was
d. and In her answer and cross complaint
Mrs. srhoenbachier admitted this. She
also admitted that the deed TO her of the
Columbia property had been made. but
denied that II was obtained by fraud. As
70 the personal property she admitted
taking possession OF . lot OF ponies, cows,
chickens and some farming implements,
all valued o. not more than 500, when the
plaintiff went to Nebraska
For cross-compiaint she alleged that
ser husband had treated her in brutal
and inhuman manner: that he had not
treated her ~ wife but as slave; had
compelled her 10 work early and late pick
Ing berries. and had given her no privil-
ssss whatever; that she had not been al
lowsd 70 visit her mother or her friends.
tsd that life was an unbesrable burden 90
her. He had abandoned her and not she
him. and she was compelled 10 60 and live
With her parents, who were poor and not
eble 10 support her. on which account she
asked that she be allowed $500 temporary
tlmony. 81. 600 for an attorneys fee ana
oae-haif Of the Si4, o00 worth of real estate
owned by her husband and herself. and
that she might be given an absolute d.
scrce from her venerable spouse.
; schoenbachler then fled reply deny
hg that he had abandoned his wife and
denying that she had any title whatever
10 any OF the real estate she claimed.
After tho fling of this reply there was
iall In the proceedings until yesterday,
when the case was called for trial. Mrs.
eehoenbaehler appeared by her attorney
and the old man in person. He took the
stand and told an uncontradicted story of
the courtship which led to the unhappy
marriage. In broken English he told how
little Hattie Mckay was working in mis-
berry patch one hot July day, how, when
Il came time for her 10 quit her work aud
so home, she had stopped 10 talk with
him and TO tell him how unhappy she vas
Al home on account of her step-father,
and how she ionged for home
Of her own and q manly protector of mid
die age. one that she could love and rever-
snec: in short. how she would like 10 come
and be his little wife and comfort his de-
elihsng years. The witness was moved by
Hatties confidence in him. so he said, aud
q she represented that she was IA years
cid. he thought that IL might be pretty
good thing TO wed after all. So away he
vent 10 the Mckay homestead, a little
distance away. taking Hattie with him,
and asked the consent of the old folks. Ii
was freely given. and in short time the
wedding was thing of the past
From Hattie's cross-complaint IL would
seem that instead of becoming an old
mans darling she was an old mans slave,
but Hattie never took the stand to give
her side of the story.
sehoenbschler then narrated how he had
been timaammed out Of $1,000 worth of
property and how his unsophfsticated
mite wife had LEFT ham at once when she
had found married life had ats drawbacks.
and had refused to return He also told
how Mckay. his father-in-law. had threat
taed to shoot him down at once il he
saoaid attempt 20 call upon Hattie at her
parents house, and had mot treated him
aaes' in other ways
:, AFTER hearing his testimony, Judge
Hines concluded to grant a divorce, and
s'aered decree prepared which should
SAT- both parties. II is supposed q salts
factory division of the property has heen
made ont Of ronrt