The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-30
EACH WANTS A DIVORCE.
TROUBLES OF "DLAMoNDD sMITH
AMD HIS WIFE A0AIM IN COURL
Was She Lured 20 tho Vanderbilt Hotel
Through n Conspiraoy TO Disgrace Mert
The Kidnapping OF Their hild Brought
Ahnnf. He ThlnhaL hr H. AInah..

Was she Lured 10 tho Vanderbilt Hotel
Through n Conspiracy TO Disgrace Her .
The R~idnnppinE OF Their Child Brought
About. He Thinks. by 1ts Mother.
Melvin Smith, who lie popularity known as
Diamond " Smith, ia suing Kato NJ. Smith for
an absolute divorce in tho Supreme Court in
Brooklyn, and yesterday application was made
for alimonya and counsel fee. Mrs. Smith not only
denies all the allegations against her but brings
n counter charge against her husband, which. II
III bbtanttate! will entitle her to an absolute d.
vorce. Before the marriage of tho couple
In Canada, In 1875, an agreement was made be-
tween them by which the wife was to receive
$1,000 n year II she survived her husband and
remained unmarried in lieu of dover. In 1884,
two years after tho birth Of their fourth child,
Mr.. Smith sued for an absolute divorce In
Montreal. He failed in his suit, but a separa-
tion was granted to his wife. Her husband then
made q $50, 900 Investment for her support and
that of the four children.
In 1889 Mrs. Smith and her children went to
Brooklyn to live. Her husband followed and
induced her to live with him again and also TO
surrender the S20, 900. He soon, as 1t is alleged,
resumed his i'll treatment and there was another
his wife $3.50 n month, but no has managed, II
IL SAM, to evado the payment OF it, and Mrs.
In her affidavit Mrs. Smith says that her nus
band owns several houses in Brooklyn and also
mas considerable money invested In mortgages.
She says:
He has diamond studs and rings, a watch
with twenty-five diamonds in 1t, a lucket with
rubies, diamonds, snpphires, and emernlds, and
le investing money In diamond all the time.
Some OF the gems which he possesses are worth
$4,000. He wears n large number OF them on
his person, enough to make him conspicuous.'
His entire income of 81. 900 n year or more Ia
spent. Mrs. Smith says. in dissipation and
riotous living. In response to the charge of i'm
proper conduct, Mrs. Smith says That she was
brought into an apparently compromising POSI-
ton In the Vanderbilt Hotel In this city, through
o conspiracy between her husband anu n private
detective. She was trapped into n room. she
says, In the hotel, which she visited To sec IA
piano she Intended to purchase. and detained
there by force until her husband and two friends
came, and knocking on the door were admitted.
Mr.. smith, on the other hand, AYERS that his
wife's misconduct has been the cause of all the
trouble. He says he suspected her and followed
her TO the Vanderbilt Hotel. where he discov-
cred her in a room, in which there was cham
payne ind beer, with n man named Lamb. He
said to the latter: This is my wife and she has
been such FOR twenty-five years. but you can
have her now"
He also says that in 1884 their youngest child
was kidnapped and held for ransom. At the ur-
gent request Of his wife he paid the $4,000 de-
manded by the kidnRppers. and the child was
quickly restored. subsequently some of his
diamonds were stolen and at his wife's sug-
Restion he paid $500 for their return. He be-
lieves that his wife was mixed up in both trans
actions.
Justice Osborne reserved his decision on the
question of alimony. The children all side
with their mother in the litigation.