The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1895-11-27
DIVORCE THEY WANTED.
A Former Logan Family
Tell Their Woes In
Columbus Court.
Sunday Ohio State Journal

Judge Pugh began hearing the
divorce suit brought by Mrs. Lutte
M. Godecke against Samuel Nj. Go.
deck, who is a clerk in Wheeler's
grocery. The family live on Mt.
Vernon avenue. The parties were
married Feb 10 1876, and have six
children. She charged on the stand
that her husband had failed to prop
erly provide for herself and child
rem, compelling her to keep board
ersand do all kinds of menial work
She also charged extreme e cruelty
and habitual neglect. The defend
ant also made charges Of cruelty
and among other things said his
wife attacked him with scissors in
September 1892, inflicting some
very severe wounds. The case was
very bitterly contested. Some very
sensational testimony was heard
during the day showing that the
children have sided with one par
ent or the other and even Mrs. Co
deckc's mother, Mrs. s. Clark, tes-
tilted against her. Mrs. Clark said
she was the mother Of 10 children
and her daughter Mrs. Godecke
was cross and grabbed. On cross
examination she said this might
result from over work ,as Mrs. Co
decke kept her family together by
keeping .oDaI derS.
The most Sensational testimony
of the day was brought out when
Arthur Gill, young man who parts
his hair il" the middle, took the
stand. He had been subp@naed by
both part es, but the defendant got
first service. on him. He said he
had been acquainted with the fam
lily for fourteen months and paid
frequent visits to the house, the at
traction being daughter named
Monette. From September / until
last Monday he had boarded at the
house. He stated the couple would
engage in frequent quarrels but he
could not tell who was the aggres-
r. BY the time they got up steam
pretty high Godecke would take
slide One evening last summer
when he called on the girl, and
while they were sitting in the par
lor, Godecke entered and shut the
door leading into the hall. Mrs.
Godecke opened it as she was in
hall and they shut the door and
opened it until both got mad and II
scuffle followed. They iezed each
other, Mrs. GOdecke grabbed her
husbsnd's necktie and nearly chok.
ed him until witness interfered.
Mr. Karns opened the croSs-eX.
animation by asking Mr.. Gill how
late he and the girl would sit up in
the parlor, and the answer was a.
bout midnight. He refused to state
why he had left the boarding house
hast Monday except to say that he
found that he could not get To his
place of business on time in the
morning, as he stayed up too late
and oversight himself. He was
then asked If Mrs. G0docke hadn't
compelled him To leave the house
last Monday after she had discOv-
cred that he had stnid all night in
her daughters room. Very reluct-
antly the question was answered
in the affirmative, but Gill denied
that anything improper occurred.
He then explained that he found
the girl in bed and sat down to talk
with her and while doing so went
to sleep. Her mother and other
children were asleep in the other
part of the double room, the doors
between being open. There were
no lamps burning however. Gill
also acknowledged that Mrs. Go.
decke had told him and her daugh-
ter that they must cease such con-
duet or leave the house. They had
taken the latter alternate and he
now boarded elsewhere. He also
confessed to having smuggled beer
into the house one week ago Sun
day night and he and the girl drank
II against Mrs. Godecke's orders.
Miss Susie Godeckc, n l6 year
old miss wearing Tam o'Shanter
hat also appeared as witne = n
gainsi her mother, and said she had
been compelled to leave the High
school because her mother made
her do housew0rk, as she kept so
many boarders. She told how her
mother was sewing one day two
years ago when her father entered
the room. They got to quarreling
and her mother struck her father
in the face with the scissors. She
acknowledged that she had rebel
led against her mothers authority
and had been scnlded. Her father
favored her and she wanted to see
him get the decree. Court then
adjourned