The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-30
MRS. D0UGHER4Y 5 WOES
Divorce Suit Before Vice Chan
eellor Pitney This Morning
Amusing Scenes

The lobby of yice-Chancellor Pitney's
rooms in Chancery Chambers this morn
ing was crowded with women, young
women. old women, fat women, fair wom-
en-, women of uncertain age, wise and
otherwise. The occasion was the hearing
of the suit for maintenance brought by
Mrs. Elizabeth D~ougherty against her
husband, Patrolman Thomas Dougherty,
of the First precinct, and when Mrs.
Dougherty was on the stand and telling
the story of her husbands attentions to
a widow with as much color as possible,
the ladies shook their heads approv.ngIy
and looked daggers at the poor defendant
who sat beside his counsel, Messrs. Gill
bert Collins and John ]. Muivaney.
Mrs. Dougherty's story was SO mixed
up as to dates and time of alleged mis-
conduct, and the charges SO general that
both Court and counsel were sadly mixed
up.
Now look here, madame said Vice
Chancellor Pitney, with an ominous tap
of the gavel on the marble block, your
testimony is simply worthless, and you
might just As well not be sworn
Mrs. Dougherty looked as if she would
like to indulge in the feminine luxury
of a good cry while the temperature of
the rear seats, where the women sat,
fell below zero. 1t rose again though
when Mrs. Dougherty told a tragic story
about her husband coming home one.
night under the influence of liquor and
firing two shots from his revolver at
her and striking her IN the jaw. The re-
cital of these acts SO affected one little
woman, with Il profusion OF blonde curls,
a Mrs. Metz of Baldwin avenue, that when
one of the lawyers asked Mrs. Dough-
erty if these were the only acts of cruel
ty little Mrs. Metz bobbed up in her seat
and IN a shrill treble voice said, .sOh,
lots more. your Honor's Honor
Leave the room instantly said the
Vice Chancellor, angriiy, pounding with
his gayel. i won't awe any omp
ing here and poor little Mrs. Metz left
the room deeply mortined that she
teresting testimony. The effect of this
was instantly noticeable among the other
and when they looked at each other they
elevated their eyebrows in a significant
Mrs. Dougherty resumed, and said that
She met her husband one night in New
York with another woman, and she, Mrs.
Dcughsrty, whacked tina other woman
over the head with her umbrella and de-
manded of her what she meant by break
4IE Up tiCi liOlllC.
MIR. Collins interrupted, saying that the
testimony was Irrelevant, because the
wife had not charged adultery. It was
simply a case of jealousy.
oh, the idea" muttered one of the
ladies in the rear seats, q remark for
tunately not heard by the Vice Chancel-
lor.
Proceeding. Mrs. Dougherty said that
she received an ncte, telling
her that her husband was too attentive
to a widow, Mrs. Latimer, and she, Mrs.
Dougherty, r~esolver TO follow him the
next day he was off duty. She did so.
and discovered her husband in the COM
pany of the fascinating widow. On ken
return home she was so much exasperated
at her husband, she proceeded to correct
him by snrowing a lighted lamp all HIM.
You threw the lamp?y asked Mr..
Pttney.T
Yes. your Honor, and set fire to the
house" added Mr.. Gilbert Collins.
The case proceeded with Mrs. Dougher-
ty on the stand until recess at noon.
Patrolman Dougherty will enter a general
denial. He has filed a cross bin praying
for divorce because of his wife's infdelity
and cruelty.