The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-04

REV. ALIENS CROSS
His Wife Sues Him for
Divorce on the Ground
Of Desertion.
A SEPARATION Admitted
Church Committee Investigated the
Matter Before He Was
Elected Pastor.

Church circles in this city were stirred
yesterday afternoon by the announce
ment tina the Rev. ]. c. Allen, pastor
of the Bergen Baptist Church, had been
sued for divorce by his wife, Mrs. Anna
Sloan Allen.
Mr.. Allen has been pastor of the Ber-
gen Baptist Church for a short time.
Previous to his being received as pastor
he preached and conducted the services
on probation. He preached before the
congregation last September. and the
members were pleased with his manner.
When a committee were appointed to
procure a pastor they Immediately open
ed negotiations with MIR. Allen. He
asked a salary which the committee
feared the church would be unable to
pay. Finally the matter was arranged.
and the committee spoke to Mr.. Allen.
1t was then he told them that he was
married, but was not living with his
wife, and suggested that the committee
look into the matter and satisfy them
selves. This the committee did and at a
meeting held in March Mr.. Allen was
unanimously called to the passionate.
Yesterday afternoon Sheriff Toffey
served Mr., Allen with a subpoena in his
wife's divorce suit. The petition was
filed by Richard v. Lindabury of New
ark.
In it Mrs. Allen sets forth she and her
husband were married on May 2, 1887, in
the Hanson Place Baptist Church, Brook
Ign, of which her husband was then
pastor. They lived together until June.
1889, when her husband deserted her.
For two or three months he contributed
to her support, and then stopped in
September of that year. In August, 1880,
In hnrot N - n " GEA o. -aanfh hfn hn
continued to do for about a year, when
the amounts became smaller.
She alleges that during those two years
he paid her about $500. In May, 1898, he
ceased the payments altogether, II
she has received nothing from him since.
During that time, although often re-
ouested so to do. he has refused to live
with her as her husband, the petition
says. and She is now living with her
brother-in-law. ]. Madison Watson, in
Elizabeth.
M Allen wss seen BY a News re-
charges Of 6essrtion and non-supporl
brought by his wife, said, Our separation
was by mutual agreement At the first
wife desired, but finally after a great
deal of persuasion l permitted a paper
to be drawn up providing that I pay ner
a certain sum for a certain length of time.
This was for her support. This paper
has, according to it's terms, become null
and void"
would not talk in regard to the answer
he would make to the charges.
Mr.. Aliens church held its annual meet
ing last evening. but took nc action in
the case whatever.
We're elected:-Trustees, Mr.. Charles
Maxon, DR.. H. Melville Smith and Mr..
]. J. G.. Warner; Deacons, G.. Whaadon,
6. W. Wagner and F. Woolsey.
Reports were received from the Score
tary of the Board of Trustees, the La
dies AID Society, the Young Peoples
the Sunday school,
Resolutions were adopted providing for
the appointing of four corrnittees:-A
tion, one of civic questions and one on
missions
The church will be closed from the
second Sunday in July until the second
Sunday in September. During that per-
iod prayer meeting will be held every
Wednesday evening in the chapel.