The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-07
WILL FIGHT THE SUIT
Campobello's Wife Will Not
Have Things All Her
Own Way.
WILL BE HERE IN AUGUST
The Attorney for the Absent Barry
tone Will File a De-
murrer.

When Miss Grace Porter, daughter of the
late David Porter, took it into her pretty
little head to marry Henry Montgomery
Campbell, the one time popular Tivoli bar
ytone, society, or at least that circle OF
which she was a prominent member,
caught its breath for moment. knowingly
bobbed its head and then wisely sat down
to think it all over.
Just as these self appointed judges had
sedately concluded that it was very good
match, an excellent match in fact, Mrs.
Campbell, or Campobello as she is now
better known, startled society in general
and her set in particular by fling a suit
for absolute divorce. This happened two
months ago. In the application Mrs
Campobello charged willful neglect and
failure to provide the common necessaries
of life for herself and child, all of which
was published in the CALL at the time.
1t was said also that Campobello, then
and now in the East, would allow the
suit to go by default, but such is not the
case, for tomorrow his attorney will file
demurrer to the complaint which will be
followed in few days by the defendants
answer. This answer, according to James
A. Hall, Campobello's lawyer, will consist
of a complete denial of the charge of
neglect and failure to provide, supported
by letters received from his wife since she
returned to San Francisco in December,
1891.
Mr.. Campobello's side of the story
has never been told, but in a letter
which will be made the basis of an answer
to the suit, he says great many things
conflicting seriously with the statements
made at the time his wife began the suit
Campobello says:
From that day to this December 5, 1871
have never seen my wife, neither has she
thought 1t consistent with the duties of wife
and mother to bring my little daughter to me.
She was in San Francisco in April, 1892 and
although. l have constantly begged and i'm
plored OF my wife to return to me she has
always evaded my wishes with some excuse or
another, until in April of last year QS94) /
wrote TO her from Atlanta, telling her that
unless she returned to me would not support
her any longer. To this letter she replied in a
letter now before me and dated May %, 1894
that she would not under any circumstances
live with me again. This is the first intimation
l had that matters had gone this far with her.
In this letter she further says:
81 do not want a divorce, and Isincerely hope
you Will not contemplate such step, both for
my sake and the child's True, it would leave
have no desire.'
1 could have secured divorce on the grounds
OF desertion, and now this is the thanks 1 get
for having treated her so kindly. In letter to
me dated July, 1892, she says:
/ shall be delighted beyond expression to see you
again, but when I think OF that hole of place
(Memphis) and those detestable people it seems
like horrible nightmare. When think of those
miserable DO arding-house women and piano
teachers it makes me sick, and if it were not for
my great love for you nothing on earth would COM
pei me to return there. Until l am in your arms
good-by. Your own GRACE.
This will show that we did not separate in
bad feelings, but that something has tran
spired out there to cause her feelings to under
go complete change, and, therefore, 1T is quite
clear and positive that the discomfort comes
from her side and not from mine, for l have
always loved her dearly, and love her now.
Campobello then goes on to say that he
was fully aware of the financial standing
of her father at the time he married her.
and it could not be said he had married
from any interested motive. He says that
he never got dollar from any member of
the family, closing the assertion with an
emphatic "Thank God for thatl'
Mr.. Campobello is very anxious to be
here when the hearing takes place, but
finds it impossible to leave his business en-
court to postpone the suit until that time,
so as to give him an opportunity to per-
sonally conduct his defense. If the court
grants his petition he promises to tell a
story, supported by indisputable evil
dence, that will throw very different
light on the 'groundless charge" of his
wife.
Tomorrow is the last day allowed Cam
pobello in which to file his answer on de-
murrer to the suit, ana Mr.. Hall proposes
to ask the court to continue it until such
time as his client can be present.