The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-16
1T WAS HIS WIFE'S CAPITAL.
When the Money Was Gone He
Deserted Her.
s0UANDERED HER FORTUNE.
Mrs. Emma L. Meyers Told a Pitiful
Tale in Her Application for
Divorce.

When Judge Murphy heard the story of
Mrs. Emma l.. Meyers yesterday he very
promptly granted her divorce from Frank
Z. Meyers on the grounds of extreme
cruelty and willful neglect.
The husband did not oppose the applca-
ton for divorce. lie has been in the city
for a decade, and at intervals during this
period has been more or less prominent in
various capacities. Every man about town
knows Frank E. Meyers, and many are
familiar with his temporary aerial flights.
About ten years ago he belonged to the
army whose occupation is shrouded in the
mystery of the term They're in poll
ties" Then his means of existence be-
came more tangible and he blossomed out
as an attache of the new City Hall. He
was then married, but not to the woman
who Obtained her release yesterday. The
latter lady's predecessor was a school
teacher. and after her divorce from Mey-
ers became the wife of Louis +. Dunand.
the attorney.
Meyers next cropped up as newspaper
man and he still sails under the much
abused title Of journalist. He was at
tached to the defunct Ala and gathered
together notes about military matters and
fraternal organizations. When the en-
campment of the Grand Army of the
Republic was held in San Francisco
Meyers was In great feather. He was a
veteran and took great interest in the ar
engagements for the encampment
Times were hard in the Meyers family
at that particular period, but the military
and fraternal editor secured a blue suit.
which be attached TO a row of brass but
tons. Then be was right in it. He hob
nObbed with prominent veterans and de
veloped into quite parsonage himself
While the prosperity of MS vetsranage
was at its height he met the widow of a
merchant who had made his wife one of
those happy women, widow with bank
account. There was a courtship, and dur
ing which delightful pastime Meyers made
it so unpleasant for his wife that she
secured a divorce on the ground of cruelty.
Having secured bis freedom from the
schoolteacher, he joyfully welded the
widow, who had $4,000 to her credit.
Then Frank was in clover. He became
a bowling swell, with a change of raiment
for every day in the week. His cravats,
gloves and stockings were all of the same
shade, and be set the fashions for the
local tailors. He drove about in phaeton
and was never known to walk a block.
That wasn't good form. so he always
moved about in mis- kerrige."
Sim ultaneously with this msgnifcence,
he became lost to journalism. He devoted
himself to investing the fortune of his
newly acquired wife. One of his first ven
lures was in the Panorama of Missionary
Ridge, established at the corner of Tenth
and Market streets. He purchased stock
,,-feg :, l., - 81. -
and a dozen others. He daDbled in stocks
and became quite familiar figure on
change.
These investments did not bring in large
dividends, nor did Mrs. Meyers capital
increase rapidly. In fact all the ventures
of the journalist turned out about as badly
as any speculation could. and bis wife's
once snug little fortune grew steadily less
As the money disappeared Meyers gor-
geousness gradually vanished also. From
stflnence he dropped into poverty and his
pride became tinged with humility.
He stopped driving in the phaeton and
took 10 walking again. He tried various
occupations. and for some time was clerk
IN one of the big lodging houses located
on Market-street gore. He was an ap-
plieant for the position of steward in
clubs. and was not averse to any employ
ment so long as it was light.
Mrs. Meyers stated in court that her
husband had spent her fortune, and as
soon as the last dollar had been squandered
he deserted her. Her married life had
been marked by continual harshness and
spasm0dic cruelty.
The decree of divorce awarded her the
custody of minor child. There was a
quiet irony in the order granting the de-
serted and Denuiless wife $50 month for
its support from the husbands income.