Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-10
VICTORY FOR MRS pRlees.

Fully ExonerAted From the Charge of Adultery-The Complete yindioation ofI Lieutenant Colonel Burpee-The Charge. of Intemperance Proven-GsorEe Driggsd Declared Jealous and Cruel.
 NEW HAVEN, July 10 -Ex-Judge John D. Park. who was appointed by the supe- rior court as a committee to hear in cham
 bers the celebrated Driggs divorce case. | filed his finding with the clerk of the court to-day. In the finding Mrs Driggs comes
 out victorious in all particulars except one, while Lieut. Colonel Lucien F. Burpee. named as co respondent, is handsomely yindicated and after nine long months of heavy fire leaves the field thoroughly ex- | onerated.
 | The committee first treats of the counts upon which MT Driggs demands a divorce,
 namely: adultery and intemperance. In opening, the opinion says:
 | "The committee is of the opinion that
 George A Driggs, the plaintiff in this bill,
 has failed to prove adultery and finds the
 defendant. Mrs Driggs. not guilty of that
 crime. Your committee finds no probable
 cause for believing that the defendant,
 Mrs Driggs, is guilty. Four of the wit
 nesses have been found to be totally un-
 worthy of belief, and it is the opinion of
 this committee that at none of the times
 and places specified in this bill nor in any |
 adultery. The committee finds that the de-
 fendant, Mir Driggs. was over sensitive
 and did magnify mere trifies into gigantic realisms."
 From this portion of the opinion it will be seen that the great scandal, which mol only uprooted Waterbury society from its
 stable conservatism. but involved in one oi
 the greatest scandals a woman of renowned
 beauty and a man, who up to that time akah hao haan ' ploded. Colonel Burpee has been prover , innocent of the awful crime with which he , as correspondent has been charged, whil,
 Mrs. Driggs has not been found to be thu , degraded woman her husband has sough ' to make her out.
 a Upon the other count upon which Mir . Driggs as plaintiff in his suit for divorc a based his plea, intemperance. the commit a tee reports:
 lowing to the defendants Mrs. Driggs . anxiety. in the opinion the committee. sai' 2 defendant did for the last two years pre- 5 vious to the filing of this bill. habituall. = use intoxicating liquors. It might b = added that she went in December last t a North Conway, N. H.. where in a hospita
 she received treatment for intemperance
 The committee finds that she has bee guilty of intemperance in the meaning 0 IS that term relative to divorce law. If the
 on tueSe IACtS tue COuIt bascS hStion Il one issue will be found in favor of tn it defendant"
 h Taking up the cross bill of Mrs Driggs
 in which she as plaintiff through her cour rs sel filed the clever bill asking for d l. vorce on the ground of intolerable cruelty Ig in that her husband was guilty of cruelt le because he misrepresented her in bringin
 suit on grounds of adultery. the con D. mittee finds "that the health and peace ( re the plaintiff (Irs Driggs) was disturbed IS she was made nervous and the attacks is hysteria from which she now suffers. vel of either brought about or greatly exaggerate
 by the cruel bills filed by the defendan D. As reviewed in the adultery count of t ht bill of Driggs, the evidence of four wi ps nesses is not to be relied upon and ther r. fore the bill is cruel. In September 1S9 nt Mrs Morton, the mother of the plaintiff
 did with scarcely an hours notic e. dri'
 from the house her daughter, knowiI that she had no place of abode and I
 means of support. The committee fin In that the plaintiffs husband George
 DIiggs) has since that time given his wi in only $100 and therein is proven guilty st intolerable cruelty. If on these facts tl IT, court fipds one issue in favor of t ri- plaintiff Mrs Driggs). the decision of tl IT, court should be in favor of the plaintiff { ly the cross bill"
 y. 10 summarize the nnuinB or JuuBe | h us it may be stated that Mrs Driggs is exont ut ated of the crime of adultery. and Colon ,r- Burpee's innocence is thereby establishe ke MT Driggs has been found to be over SC of sative and jealous to an unreasonable c Id tent. Finally Mrs Driggs has be be cruelty treated by the bringing of a sI no for divorce in which one of the coun Up that of adultery. is false.
 to On the other hand Mir Driggs is victo Ist ous in one point. namely: that his wife |
 been incorporate within the meaning in that term as applied to divorce law. or- It is the opinion of lawyers in this ci X who were made acquaip ted with the su he stance of the finding to-day that Jud it Park has given victory. and deserv he one, to Mrs Driggs and Colonel Burpee.