The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-14
SOLD HER HONOR.
The Testimony of Henri
L. Stuart
IN THE RUSSELL DIVORCE.
Tells the Tale of His Intimacy
With T1rs., Russell.
RUSSELL GAVE HIM $50.
Not the First Time That the Once
Husband of Claude Lee Has
Given Such Evidence.

tt0n yesterday in the courtroom of Judge
Murphy, where the trial of the suit for
divorce brought by Mrs Eva p. Russell
against her husband, john 3. Russell, the
"eil-kn0wn shOe-deaIer, is going on. 1t
was the spectacle of q man degraded
enough to take the witness-stand and
swear away the character IF woman for
the paltfy con sideratiOn of $50 cash.
The divorce case in question has been
pending some time, and now that it has
reached its trial is being fought with de-
gree OF bitterness on both sides that is
very rarely seen in the courts Of San Fran
cisco. Mrs. Russell alleges all manner of
things against her hHsband, principally eX-
treme cruelty. She charges him with
abusing her in many ways. She SAYS that
his repertoire Of abusive epithets was too
extensive for conception, and that these
were constantly applied to her with or
without reason. She claims that this
tire atment has dated from October. 1887,
Sc ven months after her marriage TO Rus
sell. when she was expecting the arrival
of her frstborn. In 1892 she charges that
Russell deserted her, aud in the end find
ing it impossible to live with him. she has
mony for the support of herself and her
infant child and daughter.
On the other side Russell brings a cross
complaint i'll which he ascIibes 10 his wife
many of the eccenlricities with which she
charges him. He says that she used TO
throw cups. saucers, knives, books and
things at him, and when nothing else was
handy she would commit the sinful waste
of amounting him with the contents of a
flask branded "Old Kentucky" Mr.. Rus
. sell further calls his wife a "bleached
blonde" a class OF person IN his eve eX-
lremely objectiopable-in a word. Mr.
Russell expresses his dissatisfaction of his
wife and her ways, and seeks a decres in
his favor.
Mrs. Rus8elPs answer to the "bleached
blonde" charge is an accusation TO the
effect that Mr.. Russell applies the black
ing-hrush to his mustache IN such a man
: ner as TO make John T. Russell an eX-
tremely unpleasant person 10 kiss. So,
under the circumstances. IL was impOs-
sibIe for the couple to live tremendously
together, and the trial of the case is now
In fun swing.
Mrs. Russell. a tall. well-formed, hand
- some young woman. sat i'll court Yesterday
perfectly unmOYcd during some very
harmful testiIn ouY leyeled against her
Her child, remarkably pretty little girl,
enjoved the scene very much, not having
the slightest idea of what it was all about
but the plaintiffs mother. Mrs. Philips
who:WaS also in attendance, expressed her
disapproval of some of MI. RusselPs wit
: ressas 10 a most mark ed manner. She tes-
titled on her daught : behalf, and so did
3ffs. Russell herself, but &c was not Until
the defense put in It's case that anything
sensational occurred:
A domestic servant of the name Of Mary
Ellen Gibson testified as to various acts of
cruelty done by Mrs. Russell toward her
husband She also asserted that Mrs
Russell used to send her out for whisky,
which was purchased at neigh boring
erocery-store and charged to Russelrs &C
count under the head of groceries" in
Crbss-eXamiuatIOn George a. Knight led
this witness dance all over the country,
with the object Of inquiriug into her past
% life. She proved amusing. too, and gave
short and snappy answers. Knight asked
her whether she got her whisky in TASKS
or demijohnS. She was very angry.
-. 81 never bought no Jimmy Johns in all
my life," she retortec. II wouldn't do
: snchra thing. These was two-bit TASKS"
500 you know if Mr. Russell ever took
whisky?"
How should l now? | amt with the
man when he's downtown, am II"
whereat there was a smile.
But the climax was reached when Henri
J. Stuart was pat on the stand. Stuart Is
known to fame as the once husband of
Claude Lee, whose illegitimate child was
alleged heir to the estate of the late Cap
rain Mcdonald. This is not Mr.. Stuar's
first divorce case, as, some years ago, in
e. the case OF MCI dTlduu vs.. MGR arlaUQ, he
gave evidence TO the effect that he had
been unduly intimate with Mrs. McFar-
lanQ. TO-eVeFYbody's disgust, il was seen
that the same was the object of Stuart's
presence In thlS case.
Stuart's second wife was a sister of
Mrs. Russell, the plaintiff in the case, and
yet Henri /. Stuart to0k he stand yester-
day as cool as cucumber to tell the
shameful tale Of how he had BETRAYED his
sister-in-Law, both before ana alter her
marriage with Russell. He spoke with
evident glee of clandestine meetings, and
apparently reveled in the details of a
story that the most hardened criminal
would die before disclosing.
Mrs. Russell sat to all appearances per-
fectly calm, but her mo her, Mrs. Phillips.
was terribly agitated. Even NJ. A. Dorm
who is defending Russell, looked a biz
his best cor bis client. In cro5s-examina-
ton by knight this man Stuart stuck to
his story without blush. He seemed to
think il was all right, and he answered
every question without reluctance.
land you got $50 for this testimony ?"
asked Knight.
eyes"
"You gave similar testimony in the Nc
Farland case, did you not ?''
YES. -"
What did you get for that?"
NOTHING"
mat all.
"Pve had enough of this for to-day"
said Judge Murphy, disgustedly. wen
adjourn till tomorrow morning"
Stuart picked up his hat and walked
rapidly out of the courtroom. The crowd
made way for him, a. though 10th to touch
him. Meanwhile expressions ran round
the room sucn as "Hanging's too good for a
cur like that" HE ought never to leave
this courtroom alive" and so forth. Out
side the court the same remarks were
heard, and little knots of men gathered
around, telling what they knew and thought
of Stuart.
81 know what I'd do if l was In his
place." sighed one man; '.Pd drown my
self. There isn't man in the whole of
San Francisco dirty enough te allow him.
self to go within mile OF that fellow
Stuart
Henri Stuart is likely to be brought into
court again to-day on a subpoena, when his
testimony may result in some Interesting
developments.
The case will be resumed to-day.