The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-06
HIT THE DOOR
WITH AN Ak.
Mrs. Veronica Baird Tells
of Her Husbands
Violence.
TERRORIZED THE HOUSE.
He Was Addicted to Throwing
BeefSteaks at the
Servants.
THEY TESTIFY AGAINST HIM.
Mr.. Baird Alleges That His Wife
Destroyed Her Mothers Picture
in Fit of Temper.
THEY TESTIFY AGAINST HIM

Veronica Baird took the stand in
Judge Sanderson's court yesterday to ex-
plain why she was entitled to divorce
from her husband, Benjamin III. Baird.
She had complained that her husband
was habltually intempera1e and withstood
every art and persuasion that she knew
and practiced to reform him; that under
the influence of liquor he wasted her
substance-she is worth upward OF a mil
lion-and treated her cruelty and neglected
her by turns.
Mrs. Baird has been married twice.
Her first husband was an uncle of her
present husband. From the former she
became possessed of her large fortune.
She had borne children by her first hus-
band, and 1t was her eldest daughter that
short while ago created social sensa-
ton by clipping with the minor son of
United States Marshal Barry Baldwin
Mrs. Baird was married TO her present
husband, Benjamin H., as short while
ago as the 18th of Decem Der, 1894. AL
most immediately, she testified yester-
day, he began the course of intemperance
that has now led her into the divorce
court. Day after day he was accustomed
TO coming home either helplessly or
belligerentlY intoxicated. She pleaded
with him day by day to quit his evil COM
pany and conduct himself as became a
gentleman of his standing-as her hus-
band. Every morning she would beg OF
him before he left the house not to drink
any LIQUOR that day. He would promise,
but almost as certainly as the sun went
down and evening brought him home he
would be discovered to have broken the
promise: She went to New York, taking
him with her, IN the hope that separa-
ton from the boon companions that were
supposed to lead him astray might effect a
reform.
They had scarcely been day in the
Eastern metropolis before Mr.. Baird had
found new companions-or demonstrated
that companions were not essential in the
premises. He returned to his hotel in the
evening in the same inebriated condition
IN which he was given to returning to his
home on Franklin street in this City. After
short stay in New York they returned
here and Mrs. Baird, in the hope that
business occupation might do for Mr.
Baird what her pleading had failed to do,
made him director in two or three cor
porations in which she is interested
But still 1t was the same old story. He
became worse and worse, according to
Mrs. Baird's testimony. He grew violent
and abusive and she and the children be-
gan to fear for their lives. He would
chase them about the house, and one night
when she had run upstairs and locked her.
self in room with the youngest child he
pursued her and with an ak broke in the
door.
He terrorized the whole house." said
Mrs. Baird, land I was in constant feal
of my life. On one occasion he broke into
q rage at the table and threw beefsteak
at one of the servants"
Mrs. Baird s daughter, coachman and
sewing-maid testified for the complain.
ant, rroborating much of her testimony
The case will go on to-day.
Lawyer Hurd represents Mrs Baird and
Reel Terry is attorney for the husband.
Mr.. Baird was in court and is fighting
the petition. He has filed a cross-com.
plant, denying many of the allegations in
that of his wife and declaring that she is
woman of violent and ungovernable
temper. He cites one instance of heI
being in passion and his attempt to re.
monstrate with and then to restrain heI
from committing any violence. She broke
away from him, and before he could again
restrain her she destroyed large and
valuable painting of her mother which
was hanging on the wall.