The evening times., 1896-08-04
BRUTlLlY Beat HIS WIFE
Saloon-keeper Clark Will Be
Arrested For The Act.
THE woMAN'S SAD STORY
Nine Years of Married Life Have Pre-
matureiy Aged Her and Filled Her
Cup OF Misery to overfIowing-He
Is Good Fellow When Sober, But
Lately Has Been Drinking 60 Excess.
THE woMAN'S SAD STORY


Nine years ago last October Annie Brodi-
as Iaborer in the public grounds, married
John F. Clark.
Atthattirne Annie was only fourteen years
OF age, but she was so well developed that
she looked older. She was IL shop-girl. aud
earned So week when she met John
Clark. He was widower with three
children, a saloon-keeper and the owner of
real estate.
Annie was not contented with her lot.
and when Clark came along she sa W what
she thought was happy means OF escape.
Visions of fine ratnent and luxurious liy-
ing made life pleasant to her, and accord
ing to hef own admission now, it was for
such things that she married him, and not
for love.
The awakening came soon after she was
Installed in his home as the step-mother OF
three children. the eldest not many years
younger than herself.
GOOD FELLOW WHEN SOBER.
Johnnie Clark, as he is called, has
kept the saloon at No. 1022 Seventh street
south west for many years. and his father
kept it before him. He is a good fellow
when he is sober and ready to give any
body helping hand, but when he gets
drink in him, so the neighbOrs say, his ma
ture updergoes a Transformation. All his
bad qualities-arc then in the saddle and the
man is sadly changed.
Ii was only rev weeks after their mar
riage that Annie, SO she told Tines re-
porter today, found this out to her sor-
row. Whenever Clark got drunk she had
good reason TO fear and tremble. She often
carried for days the marks OF his violence
upon her body.
Sometimes he would put her out into
the street in the middle of the night, and
she would be forced to seek refuge at her
brothers house, few doors away.
He would beat her and call her names
and do other things which a man in a
frenzy is apt to do.
OF fcourse, there were happier times, which
made a silver lining 10 the dark cloud that
hung over Annle's head. John did not i'll
treat her when lie was sober. His conduct
then was never brutal or unkind, She de-
clares.
Two years ago a boy was born to the
Clarks, and for a time the conduct or the
husband improved, but he soon iapsed
into his old habits. On one occa 81 on,
after he had beaten her and turned her out
into the street. She remained 4 way from him
for two months.
on the night of January 20 be. shot
Robert FitZhugh. a negro. tearing boie
| through the mans breast with "A heavy
| load OF buckshot, fatally wounding him.
1t was claimed that the negro assaulted
| Clark first with razor, and that the
latter shot in self-defense.
Clark was acquitted, but since the kill
| ing he has been drinking more heavily
than ever Mrs. Clark says he has not
| drawn a sober breath since that time.
| Early Monday morning last he beat his
| wife and drove her out of doors, and
| he then inserted b notice in the papers
stating he would not be responsible foi
any debts contracted by her, as she had
| left him without provocation.
| Mrs. Clark was seen this MORNING by a
| Times reporter at the residence OF hel
| brother, j. +. Brodigan, on L street, near
| Seventh street southwest. She is short,
I stout, rather plainIooking woman. WHO
| looks cider than she is. Her left eye WIS
bIackened her right arm badly bruised. and
! the left sleeve OF her waist had Been half
| torn OFT.
'He beat me like this" she said, 'eariy
| Monday morning. and I bad 10 run away
| and leave m baby behind me. Then be put
| a notice in the paper saying that he would
| not be responsible for any of my debts. be-
| cause I left him without any provocation.
| Don't you think this is provo cation enougb2'.
| and she pointed to her bruised face and arm.
He has done that two or three times
| before: published notice 3bout NE after
| he nut me out of the house, and he would
| turn ME out at any hour of the night when
| the fit is on him. He is terrible man
| when drink is in him.
This tit began early Saturday morning.
| The baby was sick and the doctor ordered
| SOME medicine to he given him every half
| hour during the night Johnnie and l
! STAYED up, and he took first one drink and
then another. until early In the morning