Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-04
CHEWING RELIEF FUND
More Trouble Over a Famous Local
Charity.
Chewning Says His Wife is Insane
and Wants Possession of the 500
Subscribed Here,

On the Sd of last June, as reported in The
Star at the time, Mr.. A. c. Cha,ynins of
Basic City, Va, discovered in an in
sensible condition In the Smithsonian
grounds. He was taken to the Emergency
Hospital, where, from an examination of
certain papers found on him, it was discov-
cred that the man had come here seeking
employment to support himself, wife and
children, and that he had fallen exhausted
from hunger. The case attracted general
attention, and the charitably- y-ir clned pee
pie of the District subscribed several hun
dred dollars for the benefit of the man and
his family. Today, MIR. Chewing, on be-
half of hin self and two children, filed here
n bill in equity against his wife and the
National Capital Bank of this city, praying
that the tank be restrained from paying
his wife any part of the sum of $I5i1o,
which sum, Mr. Chewning says, is part of
the money contributed by the people of the
District and turned owe: to her by him.
The bill of complaint alleges that the
plaintiff and defendant are citizens of Vir-
Sinia, and then goes on to state that about
a year before the elder child of said mar
riage was born the said defendant, Mary
l.. ChewniIg, became insane while she was
living with her husband 10 West Virginia
at the town of Milton, in the county of
Caoeil, in the said state of West Virginia,
and remained in this condition of mind
for number of months. She was, how
treated by able physicians in her home, and
for about month she a raving ma
Mac; that since then, UP to the present
time. she has been periodically insane. and
Is always very erratic; that the said a. c.
Chewing, sr., has always been a devoted
husband to his said wife and a devoted and
affectionate ia ther to his said children, and
that he has done all in his power to main
tain and support them, but that the condi-
ton of his said wife's mind has very much
interfered with his making a good support
for his family; that whenever he has be-
come established in any business at any
place she has always interferei when in a
strange state of mind, and has very often
caused him to fail in his business or has
made him lose his position as employe:
that insanity Is hereditary in her family;
that one of her sisters, her grandmother
and aunt were insane"
He then relates the story of the trip of
Chewing to Washington, of his fain;ing,
and the subscription for his benefit, and
states that he turned over $1J6 10 to his
wife to place in some bank. That the money
was placed by her In the National Capital
Bank and that she now claims ii as her
own individual money, and that since that
time she has been in an erratc state of
mird; has been under the evil influence of
some of her relatives, The enemies Of the
said n. {. Chewing, ST., who have tried
to ALLEVIATE her affections from her said hus-
band for a number 0f years.
The hill then furthes states: "That the
said Mary l.. Chewning, while in er-
ratio states of mind, brought charges false
ly against complainant, A. G. Chewnine
sr.: has threatened to institute a suit for
that on the 21st of September 1894, she
employed Henkle & Levy, pcacticing at
torneys in Basic City. to institute suit
against the said A. c. Chewing, sr., to
obtain a divorce from him and to break
up the family.
THAT she is unkind to her said infant
children; that she beats them and mall
treats them in the most cruel manner when
states ta
plainants aver that she is of unsound mind.
and an improper person to have control of
the said fund; that said fund is trust
fund for the benefit of the said complain
arts and the said Mary L. Chewning, of
defendants.
'Complainants aver that the said Mary L.
Chewing should not be allowed to draw
out the said money from the said bank on
checks or drafts; that the said bank should
be required to hold the same as a trust
fund for the benefit of said complainants
and said Mary l.. Chewing, until the rights
of complainants can be determined by this
honorable court, and complainants are ad-
vised that If the said bank insists on pay
ing out said fund upon checks or drafts of
the said Mary l.. Chewing that they have
right to have an injunction granted en-
Joining and restraining said bark from pay
ing over said fund upon checks or drafts
OF The said Mary l.. Chewing.
Therefore, being without remedy, save in
court of equity, where alone such mat
ters are properly cognizable, complainants
pray that the said Mary l.. Chewing and
the National Capital Bank of WASHINGTON
ID. C., may be made parties defendant to
this bill and required to answer the same
under oath; that the said bank may be en-
joined and restrained from paying out the
aforesaid sum deposited in the name of
Mary l.. Chewing upon her checks or
drafts; that the rights of the compl:inants
to he said fund deposited in said bank in
the name of Mary L. Chewing be ascer-
tanned and determined by proper decree in
inns cause; and that all such other, further
and general relief may be granted complain
i,hts as Is IN equity meet or the nature of
the case may require"