The Washington times., 1894-10-05
CHEWING WAS TOO LATE
The Money He Is After Has Been
Drawn from the Bank.
HIS WIFE GOT AHEAD OF HIN
He Sues to Prevent the National Capital Bank
from Paying the $3.50 His Sham starva-
tion Act Drew from the Generous Citizens
Poekets-Declares Mrs. Chewning Insane,

A. G. Chewning comes again before the
public OF Washington in way that is hardly
less despicable than when he left here some
months ago with the finger of scorn pointed
toward him.
This time he does not pose as the starved
victim of fate, with n bogus letter of love to
his wife in distant Virginia in a
pocket where it could not help but
be found in case he should "play
possum." He now shows his unscru-
pulous, unmanly and pusillanimous nature
by an effort to wrest from his wife the money
given freely, unquestioningly by the gener-
ous- hearted citizens of Washington. Worse
than all. he makes bold effort to arouse
fear of his wife. who has quietly for years
suffered abuse from him for the sake of her
children and relatives by asserting that she Is
periodically insane, and always erratic. And
all this for S756.l0 A small price for
smaller man.
TRIED TO coERCE HER.
When Chewning left the Emergency Hos
pital after his ''sham" starvation scheme had
been exposed by The TIMES, the physician in
charge refused to place in his hands the
money which in few days had been showered
upon him, and confided it TO a relative of Mrs.
Chewing. who placed it in bank here to the
credit Of the latter. From that day to this
Chewing has sought by badgering, coaxing,
coercing and bulldozing. to get his wife
10 sign a check in his favor,
but with Il resolution steeled by the thought
OF her children, the wife has steadfastly re-
fused. Failing In this, Chewning, without n
spark Of manliness or delicRcy in his breast,
seeks to drag the mother OF his children into
tho court, and TO employ the strong arm Of
the Law to take from her the money which
was given, not to him, but for those 'loved
ones" of whom he spoke so pathetioally in
his sham" letter.
HE HAS BEEN oUTwITTED.
He will be surprised, however, TO learn
that he has been circumvented, and that on
Saturday last the money was checked out
and is now In the possession OF plucky little
lady who says: He'll never get it from me;
! haven't got any property that the courts
can reach. and I'll use every penny for the
wife and children.
Chewing yesterday caused to be fled in
the supreme court, in this city, a bill in
equity asking that an injunction be granted
restraining the National Capital Bank from
paying his wife any OF the amount deposited
there to her credit. His allegations in the
bill which he has caused TO be drawn in be-
half of himself and his two children, A. c.
Chewing, jr., aged nine. and lsla NJ, aged
seven are that the vile and mother is insane
having been subject to periodic spells of in
sanity and at all times acting in an erratic
manner.
As matter Of course the bill cites that he
has always been q kind and devoted father TO
his children, and has done all in his power to
support them, and, furthermore, that the
condition OF his wife's mind has often ma
terlally interfered with his business. "
| he having been compelled to leave his en-
ployment on her account upon many occa-
sions.
He also alleges ''that whenever he has
become established in any business at any
| place she has always interfered 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 a. emplOye; that
insanity is hereditary in her family; that one
of her sisters, her grandmother and an aunt
were insane"
ALL THIS FOR LITTLE MONEY.
He charges that his wife now claims the
money as her own, and that she has been in
an erratic state of mind; has been under the
| evil influence OF some of her relatives, the enc
mics of Chewning, who have tried to ALLEVIATE
| her affections from her husband for number
of years.
Healleges also that she is unkind to her in
| fant children; that she beats them and NAL
treats them in the most cruel manner when
in her erratic states ofmind.
Chewing and his wife, since their marriage
| in 1881, have never lived very happy life.
He began to i'll treat her, il is said by those
| who claim to know, soon after their wedding,
although she kept this knowledge from her
relatives for along while.
They have cared for her more or less for
years, and he has reaped the benefit OF ther
| assistance.
He mentions in the bill filed that she was
insane while living in Cabell county, W. Va.
| At that time, Just previous to the little daugh-
! ter's birth, Chewing is reported TO have sud
denly taken her two-year-old son from her and
| declared she would never see it again. Thi;
| shock was sufficient to PROSTATE her for some
time. In addition to this she and her child
were put out of their home and were depen.
dent for long time on the bounty OF Wash.
ington relatives.
| NOT HIS FIRST OFFENSE.
Chewning's career, so far as can be learned
is full of just such dastardly acts. In 1892 ht
took bis two children from their mother anG
left on a tramping trip for the West. There
it was afterward learned, he was using them
to earn money for him, exciting the sympa
thy of the community by their cunning ways
While in the West he Is alleged TO have writ
ten letter to the postmaster at Amhurst
Va, requesting that he furnish him a state
ment to the effect that he was a widower. H.
finally drifted back to his wife, who put W
with him again because of her children.
Mrs. Chewing is said by those who know
her to be kind and Christian mother wht
has been for years half starved and Away
| oyerWorked in her efforts to keep her chill
dren from want. The money she received
from the Washington public she has wished
to invest in home for herself and children
Chewning's objections have thus far pre-
vented her.
1t is understood that she has been in con
sultation with lawyers in reference to a pie;
for divorce, and it is now probable that tn
case will be pressed
l. IL