The sun., 1896-08-19
MRS. ABBEY GETS ALIM0NY
HER HUSBAND ORDERED TO PAY
HER $500 YEAR.

HER $500 YEAR.
The Opera Manager Denies the Charges OF
Cruelty and Excessive Drinsiue-Incoa,e
from the Metropoiitan 1O.OOO-Said d
TO Have Money from Other sources.
Tho motion of Florence Gerard Abbey for
counsel fee and alimony. pending her action
for separation from Henry 4. Abbey. the the
atrlcal manager, was argued before Justice
Smyth OF the Supreme Court yesterday, and at
It's close the Judge directed Mr.. Abbey to pay
her $4,000 n year and her counsel, Charles w.
Brooke, $3.50. She had asked for Sl0o week
and counsel fee of $500. 1t was conceded that
the income of Mr.. Abbey. ns one OF the manage
mcnt OF tho Metropolitan Opera House. was
$4,000 q year.
Mr.. Brooke in making tho motion went over
the allegations sot forth in the complaint and
the moving afldavits. Mr.. Abbey had not
answered tho complaint, his time not having
expired. Abbey was widower when he mar
ried his present wife, who was an actress. He
had two children by a former marriage, ono OF
whom q boy, who was q cripple, has died Since
His daughter he took with him when he parted
from his present wife on April 20 last. Mrs.
Abbey has no children. Mr.. Brooke said;
Mrs. Abbey has always boen kind and
loving and virtuous wife to Mr.. Abbey" He
said that Mr.. Abbey has become addicted to eI-
influence of liquor he had choked his wife until
she was almost unconscious, and had also
threatened her with q razor. He had slapped
her face, he said. and had used vile aud insult
ing language to her. He declared that Mr..
Abbey had tried to destroy the affection which
his young daughter had for her stepmother by
rejecting on the chastity OF his wife In his
daughters presence. He had locked her out OF
their room in a hotel in London so that she had
to get a servant to open the door. lie said that
Abbey had not contributed to her support for
six weeks.
A letter written by George L. Rives. Of olin.
Rives & Montgomery. counsel for Abbey.to Chris
topher Fine, former counsel for Mrs. Abbey, on
last May 4, was read by Mr.. Brooke. 1t was aug
Eested in the letter that articles Of separation
DO agreed to and that Mrs. Abbey take $4,000
In cash and $3.50 week until next October and
SIPS week thereafter. Mrs. Abbey was to give
up any claim to their household effects at 100
West Fifty. ninth street, but sho was to have all
her personal effects. Mr.. R!ves said further in
the letter that Mrs. Abbey's counsel must not
have the impression that Mr.. Abbey was acting
In a vindctive spirit He said that tho trouble
between them had existed for three years and
that Mrs. Abbey in their troubles had taken the
initiative.
without means to support herself or to prose-
cute the action. He said he believed that Mr.
Abbey besides his salary of $4,000 was re-
ceiving money from other sources. but he was
not prepared to give particulars.
In opposition Lawyer Rives said that Mr..
Abbey was not opposed to n decree OF separA-
ton on the ground OF abandonment. but that IL
the allegations OF cruelty. which were without
foundation. were insisted upon. Mr. Abbey
would fight the case. He said the charge OF
drinking excessively Was too absurd to be con:
siGsred by the court He said he had 8, several ,,i
sor; OF man and that he attended actively to
his business, He said that Mr.; Ab6.y had been
erousIy with money, which sho had disposed of
Mrs; Anbey; he said, was suspicion, and tsal-
guage In the presence OF her stspdaughter: 1t
was because OF this language that.Mr. Abbey
Hampton. where they are supported by Mr. Abb
hey at an expense OF $50 week MI. Rives
the crandmoth that Mr.. Abbsy had always
acted kindly. Mr.. Brooke began to read a letter
from the daughter. Which said said: ul uDsriing
ised he would on Saturday. but this morning he
said"
saying IL was only question Of amount OF ali
mony. Mr.. R!Ies said that owing to the other
lis income would be a sufficient allowance pend
ing the suit. Justice Smyth decided the ease
"I jennie 4. Regain am moved move" for counsel fec and
altmony before Justice smyth in an action she
has brought for sepsration from Thomas
$500. 900 He says he is not She is occupying
room In his house. 10 Lexington avenue.
which sh. says shs cannot leave. rs she has no
means. They were married twenty-five years
ago and have eight children. She says he has
not provided sufficient food for her and that he
has treated her badly. Once. she says. he
threatened to knock her brains out. and In 1889
he drove her ont at A NJ. She sat on the
ind uctd her husband to let her in. She says he
dragged her about tho floor by the hair. she los
ing several hnndtua Of II. His language. she
says. has impaired the mind OF ono Of their
children.
Rcgan denied her charges OF cruelty and pre-
sented lot OF bills TO show that he has made
large provision for the house: In May he
showed he bought 342 quarts of milk. In June
"A and IN July 63l. HIS milk bill for August
to the middle OF the mon IN was Sl2. He also
presented butcher and baker bills Additional
time was given to submit further afidAvitR.
Referee Edward SChenck has reported In tho
Supreme Court that Pauline Davis Is entitled
to an absolute divorce from Wentworth 7.
Davis on the ground OF his relations with n
woman whose name IL not given. HI has Sung
in opera with Pauline Hail. Francis Wilson. and
At The Casino.