The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-24
NOT FOR The PUBLIC.
The Martin Divorce Trial Is Held Be-
hind Closed Doors.
ALL KINDS OF ACCUSATIONS
Secret Proceedings OF This Nature
Are Rare In Butte-The Arch
ers Are Separated by
Process OF Law.

For the first time IN the records of
the courts of Silver Bow county a di-
vorce trial was yesterday held behind
closed doors In Judge McHatton's de-
partmsnt of the district court, and the
testimony was carefully kept from the
public. The case was that of Sarah d.
Martin aginst Samuel c. Martin. and
1t Is presumed that the testimony was
| OF such a nature as to be unfit for pub
| LEGATION. and the action OF Judge Nc
Hatton in excluding reporters and all
other persons except the court officers
will therefore meet with a general pub
lie approval. although a request for a
private hearing of the nasty Gray d.
vorce case some months ago was de-
MED. Judge Mediation at that time
saying that people who will insist on
dragging their family skeletons into
court must expect to have them ex-
posed to the public. Mrs. Martin, a
fine looking old lady. commenced her
suit for divorce on the 2Sth of Septem-
Der and, according ITO the published re-
ports of it at that time, she related
that she was married to the defendant
In Detroit on July 81, 1885, and on Sept.
rs. 1888. while they were living in Min
neapolis, he disregarded his marriage
vows and duties of "a husband and de-
serted her, and has ever since that date
lived separate and apart from her,
against her will and consent The
cause of their separation of course was
not stated in the complaint. but was
doubtless brought out at the bearing
after the public were excluded from the
court room.
John NJ. Price of Corvallis, a son-in-
law of Mrs. Martin. made a deposition
In the case, the substance OF Which was
published several weeks ago. He said
he never knew Mrs. Martins husband,
but became acquainted with her in
June, 1882 She was at that time and
has ever since supported herself by
keeping a lodging house and by dress
making. There was some discrepancy
in the evidence produced at the hearing
and decree of divorce has not yet
been entered, the judge taking the
matter under advisement.
Mrs. Martin was accompanied to court
by daughter. Mrs. Abbie l.. Nicolas.
who also has a suit for divorce pending
and which was instituted on the same
day as that OF her mother and by the
same lawyer, but her case has not yet
been set for hearing. Dispositions, how
ever, have been received from several
witnesses who reside in Minneapolis,
and will be used when the case comes
ON for proofs. One deposition is by
Tillie Hanson, aged rs, a domestic,
whose place of residence Is given as
the Beaufort hotel in Minneapolis. She
states that she has known Mrs. Nicolas
and her husband. Joseph Nicolas, for
| four or FIVE years in Minneapolis and
St. Louis and was a domestic for two
| years in their household while they
were living in st. Louis. On June 20 or
| %. 1892, she heard Nicolas order his
wife out of the house and told her II
she did not get out before morning he
would kick her out and said he'd be a
a a 10 xxrffn n d
as she was. The domestic after heard
him tell his wife to get out, and swear
at her and call her names.
James g. Bleecker, aged 25, who gives
his occupation as a travelling buyer.
and his place of residence as the
Brunswick hotel in Minneapolis, said
In his deposition that he was acquaint-
ed with one Madame De Longe, COM
monty called Ted" and that she keeps
an designation house at 626 Hennepin
avenue, Minneapolis. Blocker knew
nothing about the personal relations
between Nicolas and the madame, but
he saw him at her house in January
or February, 1895. He occupied a room
In the house all night with girl OF un-
known name. but an inmate of the
house. In January, February, March
and April Blocker saw Nicolas very
frequently at another designation
house on Third avenue north, in Min
neapolis. and kept by woman named
LILLY. y f
Proofs In the divorce suit of Annie
Archer against M. G. Archer, were also
taken before Judge Mediation yester-
day, but the proceedings were public
The plaintiff, an innocent lost'-'g and
rather pretty, girlish woman, g.. i"
story OF extreme cruelty and the co., :,
granted her a decree of divorce. She
testified that she was married to the
Nil
and that there was born to them one
child, boy about four months old
About six month before the birth of the
child the defendant abused her and
threatened Ito kill her and two months
after II was born he knocked her
down and injured her face so badly
that It remained swollen for three
weeks On another occasion he left the
breakfast table and went out into dhe
yard and brought an axe In
smashed the looking glass and after
wards when she was out in the yard
he raised the AK over her head and
would have killed her II her mother
had not grabbed the AK. He also false
ly accused her of infidelity. On Sept
u, she learned that he had been Grim
inally intimate with Effie Livingston.
an ofd-tsmer in Butte. and she accused
him of It, He admitted the charge and
said he would repeat the act. In an
swer to questions from the court Mrs.
Archer said that when the Livingston
woman first came TO Great Falls her
husband spoke OF her and told his wife
that he would like no have her. Mrs.
Archer said her husband was a gam
bier. and that she had been acquainted
with him only a short time before she
married him. She did not bring the
suit in Cascade county because she was
afraid OF him. vs
Mrs. Desmond. mother of AIRS. Arch
er, substanttated ehe Testimony OF her
daughter. and said she saw him strike
her several dimes and once pulled a re
volver and both begged for their lives.
Mrs. Desmond said she believed he
would have killed his wife with the ak
n she had not grabbed the weapon and
received the blow on her arm. Angler
was arrested for that act and was sent
10 taU Mrs Desmond had heard OF his