Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-11-23
SUPERIOR COURT.
November Term, Mon. 0. q. Hall, Pre-
siding.
w. 8. Choate, Clerk.
y. u. Norton, Sheriff.
+. A. Small. StcnOgrapher.

Caroline Getchell. c. +. Johnson for
plaintiff, w. c. Philbrook and c. w
Hussey for defendant. This case was
taken up before the jury. this morning,
and is libel for divorce on the ground
lof adultery and cruel and abusive
treatment. Counsel moved for specif
cations OF persons times and places in
connection with the charge Of adultery
and the court ruled that plaintiff should
specify persons. Accordingly counsel
for the plaintin named as correspond
ents, Hartwell W. Lyon of Augusta,
and Harry Kemp of East Vassalboro.
The parties to this suit were married
in 1852 when he was 33 and she Is and
went to live with his father on farm
in Winslow, near East Vassalboro viii
lage. They resided there until five or
six years ago when they went to live
on farm of his fathers short dis
tance from the homestead. They have
two little girls six and eight years of
|age.
Mr.. Getchell claims in his testimony
that for the last six years his wife has
been in the habit of going out nights
sometimes not returning until IL
O'Clock, and sometimes even later, and
that last summer she went to Barnum S
circus at Waterville and was gone all
night: that Hartwell w. Lyon had
visited his house frequently, and that
about three weeks ago he had been in
formed that there We're improper rela-
tons between his wife and Lyon: that
Kemp, the other respondent was
frequently in Mrs. Getchelrs company
and he finally demonstrated with her
in regard to it few weeks ago which
occasioned a row and she left the house
with her children, going TO one of her
relatives in the village. finally coming
and carrying away what of the furni-
ture she claimed belonged to her He
also testified that she had struck him
and admitted on cross examination that
he had struck her on one occasion He
claimed he had not lived with her as
his Wife since he had reason to believe
her guilty Of inndelity. She had also
called him names and threatened to
put him behind bars and wished he
was under ground 10 feet.
Albert =. Plummer of Winslow, testi-
fled that in the summer of IS he was
at Boothbay Harbor. a week and stop
ped at the Weymouth house kept by
two maiden ladies; that Hartwell w
Lyon Was there. and also Mrs. Getchell
and that Lyon introduced her as his
Wife. and addressed her as his wife as
did other people in the house: that the
two occupied the same room together,
and that she told witness she and Lyon
were there in 1894. and that while TAX
ing stroll at Ocean Point she pointed
out 10 witness a boarding house down
on the Point kept by Augusta people
where she and Lyon boarded in the
summer of '95. He had also seen Lyon
often at Winslow within the last few
years. He also testified that he (wit-
ness went to the Weymouth house
with Mrs. Crowthers of Vassalboro.
Mrs. Mary Crowthers corroborated |
the testimony of the last witness as to
Lyon and Mrs. Getchell being at the |
Weymouth house together. and also |
that she had seen her sitting on Lyons |
lap and that he was hugging and kiss !
ing her. on cross examination she ad- |
mtted that While at Boothbay she &C. |
cupied room with the witness Plum |
mer. III
Charles H. Herbert of Winslow. tes-
tilitu tlldt he 1tu Setll d man KNOWN |
as the boss carder' at the Vassalboro |
wooden mill identified by description /
as the correspondent Kemp sitting by |
the side of the road one evening, late
this summer in company with Mrs.
and that he had seen Kemp |
walk by her house and Mrs. Getchell |
come out and join him.
This closed the testimony for the
ibelant and counsel opened for the de-
fcndent. Her defence is a square de-
NAL of the allegations brought against
her and recrimination. Also that if
she has been guilty of the charge of
adultery. her husband has condoned the
Mrs Getcheli was the first witness
in her defence. She denied that there
was ever any criminal relations be-
tween her and the correspondents or
anything improper. but admitted that
She was at the Weymouth house as tes-
tilted. and on cross examination that
She went there with Plummer and Mrs
Crowthers. meeting at Augusta, Mr.
Lyon who went with them. though it !
yas expected he would be met at Gar
liner. She also admitted on cross ex-
people in the house as Mrs Lyon. and
hat she did not correct the error She
ienied occupying the same room with
lm. and claimed that she paid her own
BOARD bill which was SO. She also
claimed that her husband struck and
'hoked her and at one time went away
o Boston and was gone several weeks
Without providing her and her children
With the necessaries of life. She also
explained that the night she went to
he circus at Watervlle she STAYED
With female friend, and that when
she was out evenings as claimed by her
husband it was to go to the post Office
n her sisters. On cross examination
he admitted that her husband was of
rood habits and that the income of the
arm. about 125 acres. went to the sup
'ort of the family.
Mrs. Josie Sturtevant. a sister testi-
led as to acts of violence of Mr.. Getch-
ii toward his wife and as to his leav-
ng his wife with only flour and pota-
oes in the house when he went to Bos-
on.
Harry Kemp. called by the defend
mt, denied the allegation in the libel