The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-04
True Statement of Labor Com
missioner Birds
Family Estrangement as Told
by Parties Themselves.
BETTER TO SEPARATE.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Bird Desire
the Divorce.
The Old Story of the Neglected
Wife Over Again.

| State Labor Commissioner W. G. Bird
who is suing his wife, Mrs. Sarah D.
Bird. for divorce, does not charge her
with "cruelty,' as told by the Kansas
City newspapers, but with inhdelity.
More or less has been said in the papers
about the matter, and Mr.. Bird himself
has published a card.
Interviews with Mr.. and Mrs. Bird
and their friends and the court records
furnish the true story of the trouble.
Labor Commissioner Bird names as CO.
respondent a man by the name of W. C.
Hartley, a driver of laundry wagon
who has been for several months and is
still rooming and boarding at Mrs. Birds
home.
On the night of November "a Labor
Commissioner Bird went home about II
o'clock and says that he found such
proofs that would make it impossible for
him longer to remain under the same
roof with his wife.
The next day the petition for a divorce
was filed in the district court of Wyan-
dotte county. The clerk of the court at
the request of the attorneys who filed
the suit for Mr.. Bird, refused to show the
petition to the newspaper reporters and
the attorneys gave out the statement that
the petition was short and made but one
charge, that of ''cruelty."
| The following is the petition in sub
stance.
plaintiff says that he is and for more
than one year last past has been a resi-
dent in good faith of Wyandotte county,
Kansas.
"That he and the defendant were in
termarried in the year 1885.
"1hat since that time he has demeaned
himself as kind and affectionate hus-
band, but that said defendant, forgetful
of her marital duties, did on tho gath day
of November, 1895, violate her vows with
one W. G. Hartley.
That there are two children the
fruits of said marriage: One, Winona,
aged two and half years; another, Beu-
lah, aged nine.
Wherefore said plaintiff asks that
the bonds of matrimony heretofore ex-
listing between plaintiff and defendant
be dissolved, that divorce be awarded
| plaintiff and that he be decreed to have
the care and custody of said children"
Mrs. Bird resides at 822 State street,
! Kansas City, Kansas. The house il an
unassuming story and half cottage sits
up on bluff reached from the street by
two flights of steps up double terrace.
A rap at the front door and it is opened
by an elderly lady who says: "1es, Mrs.
Bird lives here" and directs the reporter
to rap at a door at the end of the hall
The nall door is Immediately opened
by little woman in calico gown, who
says she is Mrs. Bird and invites the re-
porter to enter and have a seat while
she finishes some business with grocer
at the back door. Mrs. Bird has the ap-
pearance of modest and ladylike wo-
| man, and the last one with whom any,
one would connect a breath of scandal.
The room the reporter had entered
was comfortably furnished sitting
room, but the most attractive thing in it
was the little two year and half old
baby girl, one of the innocent parties to
this trouble, who came running to meet
| the reporter and asked him to 'Come in.
The child climbed up into the report
er's lap, and, in response to question,
said her name was "Winona."
When Mrs. Bird returned to the room
the reporter asked: Mrs. Bird
was the statement signed by your broth
er, Mr. 5. w. Day, and published by Mr.
Bird, authorized by your"
The reporter handed Mrs. Bird copy
of Mondays STATE JOURNAL, in which
the following statement was published in
Mr.. Birds card:
KANSAS CITY, Kan, Nov. 80, 1895.
"After fully investigating the circum-
stances surrounding the divorce suit
brought against my sister by her hus-
band, w. G. Bird, labor commissioner of
:he state of Kansas, feel that the papers
have done him great wrong, and that
his actions are jusIitiable.
SAMUEL W. Day"
Mrs. Bird read the article carefully,
and then replied: "Yes, that is ali right
My brother and Mr.. Bird were hero to-
gether, and we talked over the whole
| affair, and that statement signed by my
brother is all right. I feel that the pa
pers have been too hard on Mr.. Bird He
has not been wholly to blame, and don't
like to see him abused by the papers,"
The reporter had not seen the divorce
petition when he first called on Mrs.
Bird and when he asked her about the
petition in question, she said: mo
| have not seen the petition and / only
know what have been told about it."
THE Kansas City papers say you are
| charged with cruelty is that right, Mrs.
Bird?''
have not been cruel to him if cruelty
is to abuse him physically, but l suppose
he thinks my other actions have been
cruel to him.
"Will you file a cross petition or OBJ
iect to the divorce in any way?"
81 certainly shall not object to the
divorce if Mr.. Bird can get it on the
grounds alleged, but 1 have not en-
ployed an attorney and do not know
what will do 1t will be best for US to
live apart, and if he can get divorce
will be satisfied"
After the reporter had seen Mrs. Bird
he went to the court house and secured q
copy of the divorce petition and then Wis
tied Mr.. ] oseph Day. Mrs. Birds hall
brother, who was found at his place Of
| hnainAaa at the Weatern Cooperage es.