Evening star., 1895-11-09
MAKES SERIOUS CHARGES
Mrs. Margaret Holmes Answer in q D.
vorce Case.
Claims She Was Intimidated Into Not
Defending the Case
Before. =

A petition for divorce from Margaret A.
Holmes was filed the Sth of last August
by John c. Holiness the wife being thafged
with urfaithfulness. Today Mrs. Holmes,
by Attorneys Samuel D. Truitt and c. E.
Thorn. applied for leave to file her answer,
she unknowingly, she says. having allowed
the proper period to expire without doing
so. In her proposed answer Mrs. Holmes
prefers 6rave charges against her husband.
claiming to have been shamefully imposed
upon and misled by him.
She claims that she has a complete and
valid defense to all Of the charges made
against her by her husband charging that
for long time prior to the filing Of his
petition for divorce he had pursued, threat
et'ed. worried. harassed and cruelty treat
ed her. Last August she charges that he
unlawfully secured her arrest about Q
o'clock one evening. and from that time.
without even being made ACQUAINTED with
the cause of her arrest, she and her infant
prisoned in the first police precinct station
until the next morning, when she and the
child were taken to the Police Court, and
there discharged from custody.
While at the police station, Mrs. Holmes
explains, in a weak, helpless condition. al
most crazed by her position and unable to
ascertain the cause Of her arrest, she was
called upon the next morning by her hus-
band and his attorney and another person.
They told her, she says, that her husband
was about TO file a suit for divorce, and
they alternately begged, importuned and
insisted. she declares, that she should make
no defense thereto, and that she should
make confession of certain things which
they alleged had occurred. telling her that
they mad detectives after her and that they
knew everything. Mrs. Holmes states also
that her husband then promised her that If
she would permit the proposed divorce suit
to go by default he would allow her to
tain the child and that he would provide
for its support. would secure her a position
and have her released at once from GUS
tody. She was also told by her husband.
she asserts. that il she did not comply with
his demands he would take her child from
her and never permit her to see it again.
Mrs. Holmes says she at first refused, but
firally. because of her husbands threat,
and in order to retain the child, AMI being
sick in body and spirits, she consented to
allow the divorce suit to go by default.
She explains that she then signed a paper,
the contents of which she does not know,
or. If she ever did know, cannot now re-
member. she being at the time unable to
III derstand or know just what she was
doing. Immediately after signing the
paper Mrs. Holmes de0ares that she and
her baby were taken to the Police Court
and there discharged. Subsequently, she
states. she was advised by her husband
and his attorney 10 pay no attention to any
unnecessary. So when she was later served
with the papers in the divorce suit she
says she tore them up.
Two days after her arrest and release,
Mrs. Holmes says, her husband rented
room at ITO 18th street, where he installed
| her and their child for week. Then, she
| asserts, he again deserted and abandoned
| her. leaving her and the child practically
| destitute. Her husband visited her every
| evening during the week referred to. but
| introduced her in the house his widowed
| sister, although assuming his marital
rights.
| She remained in possession of her child.
| she states, until the Both of last month.
| when, she declares, it was forcibly taken
| by her husband from the place where she
| had placed 1t for safe keeping. while she
was out at work earning money for the
| support Of it and herself. She is unable
| she says, to discover the Whereabouts of
| the little one. and only learned within the
past few days of the nature and extent of
the proceedings for divorce instituted
| against her.
Hence. in order to defeat the alleged
fraud of her husband and to prevent fur
| ther alleged imposition upon the court, to
| which. she says. she unwittingly contrib
| uted, as well as to defend herself against
ner husbands charges, she prays the court
| tn allow her to file her answer and other
| wise defend herself.