Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-28
oRlees GETS A DIVORCE.
Closing Chapter of the Celebrated Case. The Grounds Habitual Iutempersnce. Mrs Driggs Cannot Assume her Maiden Name.

Closing Chapter of the Celebrated Case.
 Tn, Grounds Habitual Intemperance.
 Mrs Driggs Cannot Assume her Maiden
 Name.
 This morning Judge Prentice of the su- oerior court at New Haven granted to George A. Driggs a decree of divorce from his wife Annie, on the ground of habitual intemperanee. Immediately after the finding of Ex-Judge Park as a committee of the superior court had been filed, coun- sel for Driggs notified Mrs Driggs' lawyers that if she insisted upon a decree in her favor they would take the matter to the su- preme court. On the other hand they stated that if she would consent to a decree in favor of her husband on the grounds of intemperance, the matter might be amicably settled. Mrs Driggs was thereby placed in peculiar cir cumstances. An appeal to the highest court of the state meant delay of possibly year. Such an appeal would entail much greater expense and additional publicity. In the meantime she would have no home. and would have to depend entirely on her friends. Her friends then decided that 1t would be better for her to concede to Driggs Il C advantage. if there be any. of a decree upon the technical ground of in- temperance. By Judge Parks report her character. with regard to purity was sus- tanned. Moreover. it was argued by Mrs Driggs' intimates, that with the settlement she would receive as much material good as if she had won a decree herself. And, above all, the whole matter would be end- ed and out of the way.
 | Accordingly, pursuant to an agreement between counsel for both sides. Judge Prentice opened special session of the superior court this morning. Driggs was represented by Attorney Terry, while Mrs | Driccs' interest was looked after by Lieu
 tenant Colonel Lucien F. Burpee. Alter Sheriff TomlInson had opened court Attor- ney Terry made motion that DriGgs be l granted n divorce on the grounds of habit
 ual intemperance. He added that Colone
 Burpee had no objections to such decree
 The decree was at once granted and th'
 question of slimony was settled. Int
 amount of alimony is a close secret. Il
 was learned to-day. however. that th'
 amount was accepted by Mrs Driggs
 friends as being all that Driggs could pay
 The two children of the union, two boys
 9 and II respectively. are to remain in tn
 custody of their father.
 Colonel Burpee also filed motion tha
 Mrs Driggs be allowed to assume her maid en name. Annie Morton. Judge Prentic was in doubt as to his power to grant sucl
 privilege to a defendant who had beel
 defeated, and Mrs DrigSs ID the eyes o
 the law will have to carry the name 0
 Mrs Driggs still. although she is the wifi of Driggs in name only. By order of tn
 court the decree together with all the ser : sational evidence in the case, was scale and filed in the archives of the New Ha ven superior court. Colonel Burpee wa ? given permission to retain the defendant copy of the stenographer's minutes, COT taining every detail of evidence.
 ? By this decision one of the most senss } tional divorce suits ever brought in th } state of Connecticut is closed. Colon,
 Burpee is completely exonerated by th l court of the implications which he as c ? respondent has been subjected to. Tn decision is agreeable to all parties col } cerned.