The herald., 1896-01-18
A BRUTE AND HIS WIFE
The Woman Helpless Victim OF q
Drunken Husband
FrenZied With Liquor the Fellow Treats Her
ShamefuIIy Three Days Before Confine-
ment and Endangers Her Life

Ike Calvert, a teamster, formerly in the
employ of the Ganahl Lumber company,
stands fair show of taking a trip to the
penitentary for unspeakable cruelty to his
wife. He is now in hiding, but there will
be no trouble in arresting him, should the
result of his cruelty justify the measure.
Calvert and his wife reside in small
three-room cottage on Vernon avenue, way
beyond the end of Central avenue and out
side of the city limits. There is hardly
any furniture in it, and that of the cheapest
character. On Saturday night Calvert
came home i'll very drunken condition,
and as was his wont when in that state, he
immediately proceeded to beat his wife in
a most heartless manner, Notwithstanding
that she was within a few days of her con-
finement. After having maltreated her
by knocking her down, braising her face
and blacking her eyes, the cowardly fellow
took his departure and has not since re-
turned to his home.
On Tuesday Mrs. Calvert was confined,
but her child was dead, Whether this was
due to the fathers inhuman conduct or to
other causes is as yet unknown, although
the unfortunate woman claims that the
birth was not premature. When the neigh
bors heard of the shameful treatment to
which Mrs. Calvert had been subjected by
her drunken husband indignation ran very
high, but it was not until yesterday morn
ing that information reached the police Of
tice.'
Officer Benedict was detailed by the chief
of police to investigate the sad affair, and
after a long search located the house quite
a distance outside of the city limits, i'll
Vernon. He was told by Mrs. Calvert, who
was lying in bed, surrounded by several
women. how her husband had brutally
naltreated her last Saturday night. She
said that her child was born on Tuesday,
and that she had been assured that it was
alive at that time, but died almost immedi-
ately afterward.
She was attended in her confinement by
Mrs. DR.. M. S. Ertle, homeopathic ply
sician, whose husband has butcher shop
at the corner of East Jefferson street and
Central avenue. This lady signed the
death certificate of the baby. and it's little
body was buried on the same day. Officer
Benedict endeaVored to find Mrs. Ertle,
but as she had gone to Pasadena in the
morning with her husband her version of
the confinement could not be obtained. A
Mrs. Shipley, who lives near the Calverts,
saw the babes body soon after its birth,
and said that it's neck was broken and that
it had q large bruise on the head, but il
such was the case the child was certainly
not born alive and the injuries may have
been the result of the use of forceps.
Mrs. Calvert and her mother, Mrs. Henry
Hood of East Jefferson street, while both
admitting Calvert's cruelty to his wife.
were reticent, and it is believed that the
latter is doing her best to screen her hus-
band. The ill-treated woman is in some
what precarious condition at present, but
unless she should die it is not believed that
Calvert will be prosecuted, as she has reso-
lutely refused until now TO bring charge
against him.
AS the offense was committed outside of
the city limits, Chief Glass was powerless
to act, but he notified Sheriff Burr, who
will look after the matter. Coroner Camp
bell also investigated the case, but dropped
it when he discovered hat Mrs. Ertle is
a regularly registered physician.