The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-11
MANY MARITAL WOES
The Court of Chancery
Hears Various Phases
Of Several Divorce
Cases.
VICE CHANCELLOR PITNEY An EXPERT
Mrs. Knammer Loaned Her Hus-
band Money and Mrs. Soefke
Smashed the Dishes.

Domestic lnf1llc1ty occupied large por-
ton of the time of the Court of Chancery
this morning. George McEwan renewed
his application before Vice-Chancellor Fit
ney on behalf of Cecilia Soefke for coun-
sci fee and alimony pending her suit
against her husband for divorce. Mrs.
Scefke charges extreme cruelty and the
affidavit read by Mr.. McEwan set forth
her charges with realistic minuteness.
On February g. 1885, he squirted tobacco
juice in her face, tore her clothing from
off her, and beat her naked body until
she was covered with bruises and was
confined to her bed several days. On
several occasions he beat and kicked her.
He also locked up the provisions so that
she had nothing to eat all one day, and
at another time he locked up all her
clothes so that she could not go out Mrs.
Soefke also charged that her husband did
not provide properly for her and when her
child was born she was obliged to borrow
some fuel for a neighpor to heat her bed
room properly.
Mrs. Juha Alte, sister of Mrs. Soefke,
made an affidavit to the effect that she
saw Soefke strike his wife with such force
as to throw her against a closet wall and
bruise her. An affidavit by Christian
-Alte. the womans husband, was also read,
carroborating the wife's testimony and
the charges of Mrs. Soefke.
George Ryerson, as counsel for Soefke,
vigorously opposed the motion and read
The defendants answer and several affi-
davits. The answer was a general denial
of the allegations of the complainant,
singly and collectively. The affidavit,
after solemnly denying all the charges
declared that Mrs. Soefke was not desti-
tute. On one occasion when he was
obliged to borrow some money for use in
his business, his wife told him that she
had money in the bank and would lend
him some. How much she had or in
what institution 1t was deposited Soefke
said he was unable to ascertain, but he
had been informed that she had 500. He
was an fceman, he said, but owing to the
5act that the season was over and he was
doing very little business, he did not
clear over S. a week when he had paid
for the keeping of his horses and other
legitimate expenses. He said that his
wife complained to the Overseer of the
Poor of the Town of Union that he was
rot supporting her, and he had a hearing
before the Recorder. On that occasion he
agreed to pay his wife s. per week. This
he paid until about two weeks ago when
his business became so poor he could not
live up to his agreement. He then sent
a letter to his wife asking her to return
home to him. Mr.. Ryerson also read
several affidayits by neighbors which
showed Mrs. Soefke to be possessed of a
not over angelical disposition.
Christian Soefke, a brother of the de-
fendant, said in his affidavit that one night
he heard a great crash about midnight
coming from the rooms of his brother
George. He ran down stairs and asked
George what was the matter and he said
that his wife was breaking all the dishes
in their rooms. Witness said that he saw
Mrs. Soefke out in the road in her night
clothes.
The Chancellor looked very grave
during the reading. of the affidavits and
when Mr. RyerSon had finished he direct
ed Mr.. McEwan to read those he had read
over again. When Mr.. MeEwan had done
cation was that Mrs. Soefke was a quar-
relsome. woman and had provoked her
husband.
There are no afidavits to that effect"
Il am an old hand, Mr.. McEwan," ex-
claimed the Vice-Chancellor, "and I say
Quarrelsome. No man would have done
what you charge. the man with unless he
had been severely provoked"
He then put the application off two
weeks.
Mr.. James F. Minturn, of Hoboken, as
counsel for Mrs. Bertha Knammer, ap-
piled for counsel fees and alimony, pend
ing her suit for divorce against her hus-
band. Her ground is desertion. In her
petition, Mrs. Knammer sets forth that
she was married in Hoboken October IA,
1884 and has lived in Hoboken ever since.
Prior to her marriage she had some small
means, and although her husbands in
come was sufficient to employ servants,
he compelled her to do all the housework
and pay out of her means for the ser
wants she was obliged to engage when she
was unable to do the work on account of
I'll health. Her husband keeps jewelry
store at No. 412 First street, she said, and
did good business. He had borrowed
from her sums of money for use in his
business and did not repay them. Soon
after their marriage she discovered that
her husband was a diSSipated man, and
spent his time in saloons drinking. He
would get drunk and call her names.
At the request Of the defendant the ap
plication went over.
Vice Chancellor Pitney granted Emily
Scheide $25 counsel fee and IS a week ali
mony, pending her suit for divorce against
Henry E.. Scheide. There was no oppo-
N4kion to the application.