The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-05-10
FIFTH EDITION,
snE CHARGES CRUELTY.
Mrs. Clara Grimths says Her Husband
Brutaliy Abused Her.


There was begun in County Court this
morning case OF wife against husband
which has already unfolded "a sad tale OF
family trouble. The plaintiff is Mrs.
Clara Grilllths and her specific charge
against her husband. Howard p.
Grllflths. is cruelty.
Mr.. Grllllths Is a civil engineer In the
service OF the city and has always held
the respect OF his out door friends. Mrs,
Grlllths Is also a young woman who was
highly esteemed among large circle OF
frlends. Ilusband and wife once moved
In high society circles, but the family
troubles which are now being aired In
court ended their once happy relations.
In the action Mrs. Griiliths has brought
against her husband, she s represented
by Attorney General Nicholson and MIR.
Giinlths by Lewis q. VandeRrlft. She was
the iirst Witness to DO examined and her
testimony WAS that they wers married six
years ago. They went to live with Mr..
GrinfLh's mother, at No. 1402 Harrison
street, whore she alleges. he brutally beat
Ler
Shs stated several incidents when she
had been Knocked down by her husband.
and declared that tho quurrels were not
her fnult. She had also been kicked, and
this cruelty compelled her to leave hun
on February OF the present year.
Alrs. Marguerite Calvert. an aunt of
Mrs Griti III. tho younger. told OF balng
visitor at the home OF her niece for four
weeks upon one occasion, during which
period she had heard the husband abuse
the wife III word and had also prevented
him from striking her. She had never
seen any action OIL the part OF the wife to
warrant the abuse received.
Emily Marks was n maid In the Gtlffiths
household. Upon different occasions she
hud heard MIR. Griffith address his wife as
dog" Once the cruel husband was
about To abuse his wife when she escaped
Ills wrath by getting behind q stove.
Once abe went into the dining room after
they had quarrelled but he ran after Mrs..
Grifiths and dragged her out after him.
After one quarrel the young wife had o
disoolored eye and badly bruised hips
which she Received by being kicked. Mrs.
Gritllths ones called to the Witness who
was In an upstairs room. to come down
stairs as she was afraid these people
would kill her. meaning Mr. GrllllLhs and
his mother.
When she ran down stairs she found
Mrs. Gritiiths, Jr., lying on the floor with
arockiHE chair over her. She was weep
ing All this occurred during the elk
months she was at tho home No. 1403
Harrison street. Emily was afraid of tha
brutal husband herself, because OF the
interest she took In Mrs Grllliths' person.
al welfare.
Upon the cross examination Emily said
that she hnd never seen Mr.. Grii1lths
strike his wife but had heard her CRY
and Mrs Griiiths had told her. The
court ulod out the answers to what Mrs.
Grifliths had told the witness. Emily
causad surprise by stating that upon
ono occa5ian she had hid butcher knife
because she was afraid Mrs Grif1ths
wolld use 1t, She had hoard Mrs. Griffith
say whiis tho chair Incident was being
enacted "aho put herself here"
The witness In reply to a question from
Mr. Vandegrlit said she had never heard
Mrs. Grtfiths 80 annoy her husband as
to compel him to get up during the night
and go down stairs to sleep but had found
him there in the morning. The night
preceding the warnings she found him
there she had not heard of any distur-
bance. The witness testified to other less
important facts and left the stand. This
case Will be resumed this afternoon.