The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-23

LOVE AND TIGHTS.
Vaudeville Artists Involved
in a Greenville Di-
vorCe Suit.
REMARKABLE SECRET MARRIAGE
Mrs. Stiefel Answers Her Hus-
bands Petition-Next "Turn"
Will Be in chancery
Chambers.
REMARKABLE SECRET MARRIAGE

-
Another spicy Greenville divorce suit,
with a theatrical flavor, cropped up in
Chancery Chambers that's morning when
Judge Puster and Counsellor George T.
Tenant asked to continue for one week
the case of Isaac Stiefel against his
ain wife Kate Stiefel formerly lived
in Greenville but now he resides in New
York. His wife. however. lives on Linz
den avenue, it is said. under the as
sumed name of Murphy.
The parties were married in August,
1879. The wife was a Miss Kate Peters,
exceedingly handsome and reputed
wealthy. and her husband is by no
means deficient in good looks and occu-
pies a good position I'M life Shortly after
their marriage, Mr.. Stiefel says. mot
withstanding his desire to live with his
wife she refused to do SO, and that
since. the said marriage they have not
lived together as man and wife"
In his bill for divorce, he says that
after their marriage he contributed to
her support for several years, and in
1880 she went to live in Plainield. and
subsequently in Bayonne and Greenville.
About that time. 1880. he lost trace of
her and only saw her when she came to
him for support. In closing his petition,
Mr.. Stiefel charges his wife with Illicit
relations with Frank Schwartz, known
sometimes as Murphy, and that she is
now living with Frank Schwartz as his
wife at No. 40 Linden avenue, Green
vile. Murphy is a variety artist, who
has frequently appeared in the Bon Ton
Theatre in this city.
Judge Puster for Mrs. Stiefel, has filed
and answer to these charges. and that
danr1paanf contains q conoaWhat remark
! able story of domestic infelicity.
AT the outset of her answer she denies
that they separated after their marriage
or never lived together. She also en-
phaticaliy denies any improper conduct
between herself and Frank Schwartz.
Then Mrs. Steifel tells the story of their
lite and she is of German extraction. Her
husbands father is engaged extensively
in the furniture business in New York
City and is very wealthy; StelIel ana
bands request because of the difference
in their nationality and station. 1t was
also agreed between them. she said, that
the marriage should be kept a secret.
so far as hds parents were concerned, and
that he should live at his home with
them and she with her parents They
met frequently and only went to Plain
field because her parents removed there.
While there a boy was born, but her
hn Mrs.. st aeSar s sane that io sse ssl nsr Submitted OF nit.
quietly to her husbands cold treatment,
believing that in the end he would do
justice by her and because ne had told
riage he would disown him and cast
him off. -Four years g Mrs. Stiefel
said she came to Greenville and began
earning her livelihood in the fancy work
business. Finally, she adopted the the
atrical business and took part in vaude-
vile performances. Her instructor in that
business was Frank or Herman
Schwartz, whose stage name is Muir
ply" and that When She became pro-
fcient in her art she formed a partner.
ship with Schwartz and played with him
several times in SpecialtieS under the
name of Murphy and Field.
Mrs Stfefel admits that frequently,
the theatrical business that she was call
ed Mrs. Murphy and was often addressed
as her partners sister: but all this, she
says, was known to her husband, and
ne approved of it because it saved her
from annoyance and insult under the
circumstances. When she was not actu-
ally engaged in the theatrical business
she kept b~oarders, and when her the
atrlcal side partner" was not ION the
road" he was boarding in the Linden
avenue house at the same rates as the
other boarders. Although a star, he was
not a star boarder.
Continuing, Mrs. Stiefel charges her
husband with wholly failing during their
entire married life to support her or her
child, and when it died some years ago
It was with difficulty that she prevailed
on him TO pay the expenses of the burial.
He never contributed, she says, towards
clothing for herself and the child, and
only on rare occasions had he given
her money, and that was in sums of
s. at a time. The biggest sum he ever
gave her was S.. Often Mrs. StiefeI says
she asked him for money for necessari3s,
but he declined, excepting on rare oc-
casions when he gave her 81, and add
ing that when their marriage was made
public he would amply provide for her.
Finally" says Mrs. Stiefel, "he told
me he never intended to acknowledge our
marriage and suggested hat we should
be divorced. If l made no defence against
his action for divorce he said he would
pay $500 in consideration for such ac-
tion."
To this proposition Mrs. Stiefel return
ed an indignant answer that she would
assert her rights and compel him to
recognize her as his wife.
Vice Chancellor Emery will hear the
Testimony shortly and it will be brim-
full of sensations.
AS a sort of '4side show" in this theat-
Tical case MIR. H-ermann-Frank Schwartz
murphy, 1t is said on good authority, has
either begun or is going to begin divorce
proceedings against his wife vino lives
in New. York, and Mr.. Steifel's name will
figure in the case. Mrs. Schwartz Muir
ply, it is said, was not proper1y divorced
from a husband she had before she mar
ried the gentleman who does the speciality
act with Mrs. Steifel under the firm name
of murphy and Fields"