The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-21
n PONTIUS REPLIES
r Denies His Wife's Charges
n Scandal0us Conduct
caAnes CRUELTY ON HER Pant.
- lssSssstfng I1taGns1sa ARsuang
evw ~ Manner In which thu Tsse-
Uuph Lost Money for It's Ownssu.

- answer OF Frank A. Pontius to tsss
~ff<fs complaint for divorce was nie1 II.
- superior court Yesterday. In substance
: oonsisis Of denlals Of hix wIfs's allexz-
eleaS 81 improper conduct with another
~sasxn, q claim that all the real estate n
- e<psrats property and rot community
psrfy. and counter charges Of cruelty.
s earo asks for = divorce and custody q
- minor children
rhs answer commences with q denial
tlsf the property mentioned in the conn.,
slslns Is community property. On the con-
rssy, he claims that IL n hts sole and
sspsrsie property. except = very small per-
-. and Was given him by his parents or
ecnuired prior 70 marriage. He claims
that bis commission "a executor o. Gard
r<r KeDyen's will win not exceed Eao
n admits that he has occupied q separats
xwelllnx 0hls efzlcel from plaintiff. bue
elslms that he Wa csnpellsd TO On no by
reason Of cruel and inhsman treatment
fald<fed upon him by plasntifY. He admits
nat be discharged ths servant gsri. but
ssys be Old 50 because his wife waa fully
- 70 do the work. and there was no
ne<sss:ty Of mourning thu expense. He a.
ms ali tbs remainder OF PLAINTIFFS charges
egnv<ctsLx conduct with the unnamed
widow, and cruel treatment
Ne admits that he has not paid taxes on
~ property. and also that he issued In
stracfiens 10 merchants not 10 permit hsa
utfs TO incur bills. but says that he tis 50
ely 10 rreveat her mourning lsres and
mnscssssry Indebtedness. a. he believed
h wzs her purpose TO do Hs admits thu,
~ sndebtrdnsss OF the community 10
sbosf si7.seo.
For : separate answer ana cro~~-corn-
paint Mr.. PonsisH alleges IN suhstance
mat the plaintiff for more than a year
Nj passed has treated him In q cruel aad
hhuman manner, and inflicted personal
indisnities which have rendered mis- lifs
turdsnsome- and thus asienatesf his afrec-
tons. 80 that they can no longer live
o. husband and wife. and there 10 an
utter incompatibiiity OF temper between
thsm- That her conduct has been such a.
% bring him into dlsreputs. and she has
0arp<fualiy harasred and annoyed him BY
ssatsments made to friends and aequaint-
ences
~ specific instances, he claims tina, ehs
hss stated she no longer desired TO live
wffh him and would be happier II rid Of
hin, she has repeatedly accused him Of
Drunkenness. Notwithstanding the fact
that hs did not drink 10 excess or at all.
and has told neighbors ard acqualntances
81 an intention to commit suicide, all with
intent TO bring him into dIsrspu,o. She
NO wrote MIN anonymous letters TO har-
- and annoy him. She also employed
professional detectives to dog his foot
asps with view TO entrapplng him and
thus secure evidence to enable her 10 OBJ
tsn divorce. an 10 his great annoyance
end embarrassment She has also neglect
q her family for the purpose OF doggsnx
end watching him. and has increasingly
talked about and DETAINED him. She has
also. with a view 20 embarrssx him in his
business refused TO execute any papers
1ecsaxary for the conveyance ~ real estate.
He claims that all the property he nov
svns. except what he admits was COM
uunity property. was given to him by his
father and mother or was acquired before
marriage. or was the proceeds OF the sales
q other separate property. ana claims thu
he property is not OF any greater value
than tss,Do.
He claims further that the plaintiff has
. spltefai and highly vengeful feeling to-
wards him. and II given the custody OF
The children she viii exercise every effort
n her power to ALLEVIATE their affections
from him.
He asks for decree of divorce ans that
there he set aside to him snfflcient of tn.
property 60 pay the Indebtedness OF NT.ooo
Re asks that four-fifths OF the remaining
property claimed by him a. his SEPARATE
property be set aside 10 him. the remain
der TO 20 20 the plaintiff. and that he have
ne exclusive guardianship and control af
me children.