The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-08-07

1T is interesting, and throws great
light on the diseases of our lovely era:
Duluth, Special, July 27.-The action
begun yesterday by Luther Mendehall,
president of the First National Bank, to
divest his wife of the dover right in his
property, on the ground of desertion, was
followed today by the institution, by Mrs.
Mendenhall, of sensational suit for abso-
lutte divorce. She also asks for partition
of the property, an allowance Of $500 dur
ing the tendency of the action, and S., 900
for the expenses of the litigation.
The complaint filed by the plaintiff,
Ellen R. Mendenhall, states that she is
fifty-two years old and the defendant
fifty-eight, and they have two sons, aged
twenty-five and twenty-seven. 1t is
charged that the defendant deserted the
plaintiff on April II, 1892, since which
period they have not lived as husband and
wife, though at times occupying the same
building. The defendant is accused of
cruel and inhuman treatment After
their marriage they resided with plain
tiff's mother, in Pennsylvania, and in 1870
moved to Duluth. He had little or no
means and was earning a small salary.
Working together, and with the assist
ance of her mother, he acquired consider
able property, until, in 1890, he was worth
about 100000. They were happy until
1890, when defendant began a course of
ill-treatment.
1t was about this time that Kate B.
Hardy came to Duluth from Eau Claire
to open boarding school, and having
formed the defendants acquaintance,
acquired a fascinating influence over him
which has gradually increased and has
succeeded by her insiduous influence in
completely alternating the affections of the
defendant from his family. The defend
ant, it is claimed, has, under the infu
ence of Miss Hardy, neglected his wife,
has absented himself from home and de-
voted his leisure time to Miss Hardy,
frequented her private rooms by day and
night, furnished her with his own car
riage habitually, and paid her livery and
floral bills went riding with her on lonely
roads in forests near Duluth and unset
tied localities, met her at places of re-
freshment under circumstances such as
to Justify public comment. 1t is also
charged that defendant was visited by
Miss Hardy at plaintiffs house in the
absence of the household, and that Miss
Hardy was for long time almost daily
hanging about the defendants Office and
communicating with him by telephone
and notes, creating great public scandal.
The intimacy increased, it is alleged, until
the defendant used abusive language to
the plaintiff and harrassed her with
taunts, Inundated her in public and made
false remarks calculated to prejudice her
in the minds of her sons and acquaint-
ances. Aug. 10, 1890, he took Miss Hardy
to a banquet given to Proctor Knott along
with the plaintiff, and devoted himself ex-
clusively to Miss Hardy, treating his wife
with GOODNESS and indignity. During the
fall of 1890, the complaint alleges, the de-
PENDANT deceived the plaintiff and was in
attendance upon Miss Hardy when he
pretended to be upon business engage
ments and could not, therefore, take the
plaintiff to ride as her physician had adj
vised.
He refused to go away from temptation
to California or Philadelphia, as she
pleaded, and plaintiff then went to Phila-
delphia. During her absence he consorted
with Miss Hardy more than ever, defray
ing the expenses of her picnics and
lunches until his conduct became notori
Gus. He also tried to poison the minds of
plaintiffs sons against her. During all
this time he made no attempt to support
her, and when she returned in April, 1892,
he refused to furnish her with money,
although he was worth million. Plain
tiff offered to wipe out the past, but he
violently refused, and said: Il will stick
to Miss Hardy to the end. You will never
forgive me. l have gone to the worst
with another woman" He refused fur
ther to live with plaintiff, and took apart
ments at the club in October, 1892.
1t is alleged that in the summer of 1892
he endeavored to force her to give up
some letters, and she was rescued from
violence only by the arrival of one of her
sons. In the fall of 1892. he hired fe-
male detective to dog her footsteps and
follow her to the worlds fair. At that
time he made an attempt in Chicago to
have the plaintiff examined for insanity,
and she feared being confined in strange
asylum. In 1893 she went to Philadelphia
to save herself from cruel treatment, and
when she recently returned she found
all her belongings contemptuously stored
away She claims it is impossible for
them to live together. AS second cause
of action she alleges that he violated his
marriage contract in April, 1892. 1t is as
serted that the defendant is worth over a
million dollars and has an annual in
come of $50 1000. Otis & Godfrey, of st.
Paul, and J. L. Washburn, of Duluth, are
Mrs Mendenhalls attorneys, while the
interests of Mr.. Mendenhall are attended
to by Billson, Congdon & Dickinson, OF
this city.