The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-30
ALLEGES UNCHASTILY.
A SENSATIONAL DIVORCE SUIT
BEFORE JUDGE M'KINLEY.
O. w. Ciark's Reasons for Asking for y
Divorce-D. r. Armstrong tho CO.
respond ent-A stopIsdder
Episode.

Quite sensational divorce suit was
on trial before Judge Mckinley yester-
day behind closed doora.
1t is a case that was begun about six
months ago by q. w. Clark, well
known real estate man of the city,
against his wife Mrs. Helena Clark.
The divorce is asked for upon the
ground OF adultery, and the correspond
ent named is ID. F. Armstrong, whose
experience with the United States court
last winter is still cas- ly remembered.
Mr.. and Mrs. Clark have been mar
ried for several years and have two chill
dren, one born since their marriage and
the other Mrs. Clark's by her first hus.
band. They have lived in East Los
Angeles, at 1877 North Chestnut street.
and it is at their home that the alleged
| Irregularities occurred with Armstrong.
The examination of Mr.. Clark occu-
! pied the greater part OF the afternoon
yesterday. There are several witnesses
in attendance on both sides. as Mrs.
CLARK denies the allegation and is max
ing vigorous contest.
MIR. Clark's testimony yesterday went
over the detaile OF hia side of the case
pretty thoroughly. For some time pre-
vious to the time of the alleged criminal
acts the couple had been living in
separate rooms in their home, and their
relations were very much strained.
On the night of last Thanksgiving
dsy, according to Mr.. Clark, he became
suspicious that Armstrong and his wife
were IN the parlor of the house. He and
his brother procured a step-lsdder and
i e
which there were inside shutters, the
upper half of which was down. The
brother mounted the ladder first and al
leges that he saw Armstrong and Mrs.
Clark in compromising position. Mr..
Clark himself then went up the ladder
and saw what his brother had seen. He
made slight noise inadvertently, and
it alarmed the occupants of the room,
but the two brothers managed to make
their escape.
At another time shortly afteyward
Mr.. Clark and his brother went home
and found Mrs. Clark out. The door to
her room was locked, but Mr.. Clark had
KEY and opened it. He found the two
children in bed and the house locked up.
The children are about s and IL years
old. They remained at home awaiting
Mrs. Clsrk's return, but she did not
come. Mr.. Clark's brother got up be-
tween and O'Clock to go over to the
city and it awoke Mr.. Clark. Shortly
after his brothers. departure Clark
heard his wife coming home. She took
of her shoes on the porch and be saw
her slipping in with them in her hand.
The allegations are that after this
time Armstrong and Mrs. Clark carried
on their liason in the daytime, when the
husband was absent in the city at his
Office and the children at school; that !
Armstrong would sometimes remain at |
the house the greater part OF the day
and at other times not SO long, until he |
finally left the city.
On the other side Mrs. Clark has wit !
nesses by whom che hopes to prove that
at the time OF the stepladder episode
Mrs. Watson was calling at the house,
and left only few minutes before the
time the discovery by the usband is al
legged to have been made. Also wit
nesses by whom she expects to show
that she has acted at all times as
faithful and chaste married woman
should act.
Armstrong, the man named as CORE
epondent, twill be remembered married
a young woman in Santa Barbara, and
afterwards ran away with another
woman. While in Los Angeles he
brought charge in the federal court
against his wife, accusing her of inter
ce pting letters between himself and an
other woman.
Afterward he wrote letter to his
wife, in which he promised that he
would have the charge against her dis
missed if she would allow him to get
divorce.
Mrs Armstrong turned the letter over
to the federal authorities, and Armstrong
was arrested on charge OF trying to oD-
struct the administration OF justice. He
was in the county jail for about month,
but finally, about the first of the present
year, the case was dismissed and Arm
strong went away. 1t is supposed that
he ia now il Oakland.
The plaintiff ia represented in this case
by Calvin Edgerton and Mrs. Clark by
Mr.. Reymert and Walter Rose. The
taking OF testimony will be resumed to-
day.