Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-25
Mrs. Slack Asks for Alimony From
Her Husband.
DETAILS OF her TROUBLES
Petition Filed in a Local Sensa-
tional Case.
GIVES TIL Def ALL s

BILE Slack, the wife Of William Hall Slack.
formerly an officer in the United States
navy.
Mrs. Slack states that September Z, 1881,
she became the wife of the defendant at
Geneseo, N. Y. Two children were born to
them, she says, Mary Juliet Gerard, De
cembcr IA, 1885, and Katharine Addie, No
vember 10. 1887. From the time of the
marriage until year ago Mrs. Slack eX-
plains that she was posse ssed of considera-
BILE means, maintaining the home and sup
porting herself, children and husband, the
latter, she declares, contributing nothing
toward their support For more than two
years they lived at ia 1Stn street, the
home of Maj. VIM. B. Slack. USING, her
husbands father. she paying her father
in-law board at the rate of $100 month.
At the special instance of her husband
alleges Mrs. Slack, and for nominal con-
sideration, she executed, March 10. 1888, a
certain deed of trust to Major Slack and
John NJ. Bowers, as trustees, assigning
granting and setting over securities aggre-
eating 1000, to hold the same and apply
the issues and profits thereof to her hus-
bands use during his life, which benefits
Mrs. Slack declares her husband still con-
tinues to enjoy.
Her husband resigned his position OF
master in the navy in July, 1888, since
which time, Mrs. Slack states, his only
business or occupation has been in and
about the management of the Diamond
Ice Company. in which he became inter
ested with Maxwell Wood and Sidney A.
Stanton, both naval officers, and which
company was located at Charleston, W.
Va. To advance such enterprise Mrs
Slack says she advanced her husband
$4,000, Which amount she believes formed
the greater part of the concerns capital.
and her husband, she believes, owned the
majority of the stock. The business was
conducted at great loss for several years,
during which time she continued to supply
her husband money to carry on the bus.
ness, no part of which, she declares, has
ever been returned to her, although the
business later revived and is now securing
him profit of $1,000 annually.
During the year 1854 Mrs. Slack says
that her husband induced her to erect two
houses on P street, in order to improve the
value of adjoining lots owned by his father.
That winter they moved into one of the
houses. and she still resides there. The
land was paid for out of her funds, al
though the title is in the name of her hus-
band. Up to 1887, says Mrs. Slack, she kept
no bank account, but Endorsed and turned
over to her husband all checks and moneys
due her out of her separate estate, to be
applied by him to their joint use.
About the year 1886, Mrs. Slack says, she
began to inquire of her husband how he
was disposing of her Income and estate.
and frequent chickering's occurring, she as
sumed control over her own property. In
1857, she says, she opened bank account
in her own name, directing her own finan-
cial affairs, and from that time forward,
she declares, the chickering's and quarrels
between them became more frequent and
bitter. Her husband, she asserts. aspired
to become a social leader here, going out in
society alone, and she charges that he con-
stantly neglected his family. In 1880 he
ceased to cohabit with her, since which
time, she complains, her husband has
wholly failed in his duties as husband and
has denied to her the privileges of a WIFE
She declares that she has always, in every
f0 her hIlS-
band, providing a home for him and the
family. She complains that her husband
insisted upon engaging the servants, and
when she discharged them for cause he
apologize to them, although he knew, she
says, that they were not well disposed to-
ward her. and were openly attempting to
keep the children away from her.
Mrs. Slack charges, too, that her husband
was often harsh in his treatment of her
and cruel when under the influence Of
liquor. March 4, 1894, she accused him of
drunkenness, she says, and a bitter quarrel
resulted, during which she told him the
house was hers. and to leave 1t, and three
days later she charges that her husband
willfully> and maliciously deserted and
abandoned her and the children, since
absented himself from them and his home
and has wholly failed to provide for their
support.
Early in the following April Mrs. Slack
says she wrote her husband as follows:
MY Dear Willie: 1 was very sorry not
to have seen you last Monday when you
came to see the children, for I wanted to
tell you how much regret our unfortunate
quarrel. am truly sorry for all the harsh
things I said to you that night in anger,
and especially for asking you to leave the
house. I humbly apologize for everything
said. The house is here waiting for you.
I have no wish to separate myself from
you. am conscious of my own many fail
ings and weaknesses, and in the future will
try to be more patient and tolerant. For
the children's fake, who love you, come
was in the wrong that night, and I am
perfectly willing to acknowledge 1t.
"Your wife,
Mrs. Slack says that her husband an
swered her letter by suggesting that each.
"as a merely forlorn hope" formulate in
riting and under oath every grievance
and suspicion, giving the other a chance
person as arbiter. She declined to adopt
the suggestion, and in turn suggested that
both honestly determine to forgive the
past and bury it forever, with all Of it's
shadows and suspicious and faults, and
that both live together in the future for
the children's sake. Her husband answer
ed, Mrs. Slack says, by reviewing old ac-
cusations and suspicious and declining ito
cor sent to a reconciliation which in no
true sense can reconcile" She wrote him
an answer, denying the accusations (what
they were Is OF mentioned by Mrs. Slack
and asking Lin Ito be manly, and resume
your place here before the world begins to
handy our names about" June 10, 1894,
Mrs. Slack says, Ter husband wrote that he
declined ito live Under the same roof"
with her.
Thereafter, says Mrs. Slack, her hus-
band visited the house, removing every
thing to which he could lay any personal
claim. Since then she claims, that he has
Gone everything in his power to annoy.
hsrass and degrade her, and has, she be-
lieves, been the author of many rum6rs
circulated here derosatory to her character
and conduct. She charges further that her
husband induced her to allow the children
to visit MIN at bis sisters home, Trenton,
N. j.. last October, and that he has not
only refused to allow them to return to
her, but has also refused to allow her to
see them.
Her brother, Julian G. Buckley, investi-
gated certain charges made against her
by her husband, says Mrs. Slack, based
on alleged statements of servants, charg
ing her with infdelity, drunkenness and
grosscst misconduct and improprieties, and
found that they were absolutely false and
unfounded in fact Her brother made the
investigation at her husbands request, says
Mrs. Slack, her husband promising, If they
were found to be false, to withdraw them
and return the children to her. She de-
clares that he has done neither, and as
serts that he and his sister, Mrs. Lewis