The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-21
A REAL LIFE
MELODRAMA.
Urban Horton Was the
Star Performer.
HE THREATENED TO KILL.
DisembOwellei Cushions and Tore
Draperies 10 Tatters.
BOUND OVER TO KEEP PEACE,

A melodrama in real life was rehearsed
IA the Sixth District court this morning
on the merits of which Judge Sweetland
sat In Judgment According to bis ruling
tho domestic discord OF shattered lives
and hopes will not be finally sounded un-
I'll divorce proceedings, now pending.
estrange the couple involved.
The climax OF the play rs heard at this
morning : rehearsal consists OF the total
destruction of the household furniture by
the infuriated father and husband, who
in lit of fine frenzy, as one OF the
characters in the real drama stated,
''made total wreck of the place.
FOR five years Urban j. Horton and his
wife Leonora have been on the ragged
edge OF despair. Urban was employed at
Brown a. Sharpe's for four years and
managed 10 earn about Sl3 week. HIS
health or his strength gave out and his
earning power dropped 90 81 week.
The revenue was not sufficient 10 keep
the domestic wheels CREASED properly ana
the wife worked at dress making and was
successful in obtaining work from we'll
to-do persons Sne purchased piano
and some attractive furniture.
The husband was appare ntly dissatisfied
the premises contained belonged 10 his
better half he nursed his wrath ard med
itated on his hard lot. Quarrels were more
or less frequent and the Deighbors SYM
pathized with the wife.
The family lived at ~ Bolarder street
Previously they lived in otner sections of
the city and the moving was always sup
erinduced by quarrels. Last September
f.es l.t. h..fa la.
threatened to XIII his wife lie would
knock her brains out and have hor hearts
blood. He would also have his child, deal
or alive. lie said it just as they do In
the stage ''drammer"
This state of affairs kept the wife i'm con-
slant fear of her life, as she says. The
husband says that twice before inns he
been bereft of all the comforts Of home
and thrown on his own resources in a
csld, calculating world.
Finally no could not bear to think that
all the household furniture was beyond his
jurisdiction and that in "a suit TO recover
ne could not claim even the paper on the
wall
The thought was maddeping All, ba
He would go TO that house ana fixIthings
Working himself into fury he went to
the Bolnnder street tenement and pro-
ceeded TO work off the weakness brought
on by il-health. Iia grabbed the mahog-
any furniture, and with a big carving
knife he disefn boweled the cushions Then
ne seized the frames hNu uSshUu tiIUu ID
pieces. The lace curtains were torn into
ehreds, draperies of all kinds were torn
from their fastenings and ruthlessly
dumped in the pile.
Inc carpets wero ripped from the floors
and cut into strips with the carving
knife. Every thing but a large mirror, a
cooking stove and one UT two other things
were included in the cyclone of destruc-
tion. The strength of the sick man had
returned, and NJ he gazed at the ruin be
had wrought he said that II was good.
Then he took all the stuff and placed it
in the centre of the floor for ready in
spection SO that the neighbors would
comprehend at glance that ne was no
slouoh with goods Belonging to someone
else.
The neighbors saw the product Of
Urban's rage and they We're in the Sixth
District Court this morning to testify to
that fact. Mrs. Horton had her orazv-
acting husband arrested for threateninp
her with bodily harm, and when the case
was finished she felt secure ior time M
least.
The wife told her story OF trouble in n
simple, direct manner and her husband
maintained his theatrical reputation by
conducting the case with about as much
sense as playwright's invest their char
acters witE In meiodrama. Ii he has
"wneels' they whiri in the belief that
the furniture smasher has talent for the
law, for he conducted his case with "A
had Imitation OF lawyers whose practice
seldom goes ahead of the limit OF the
lower courts.
Mrs. Sutherland, one of the neignbors
testified That the furniture smasher had
said to her that he would have his boy III
he had to take him at the point of a re-
yoiyer.
George Reader, owner of the house
where the Horizons guarrelled, described
the Impression he had of tho house after
the husband had laid violent hands on
things and remarked that it was total
wreck. hev. A.. ;. MOodwurth, pastor
Of the Highland chapel, told OF the gooc
character of the wife and her industry i'm
caring for herself ana child. lie also de-
scribed the condition Of tle house after
the furniture had leen DESTROYED.
Horton himself testified ana admitted
breaking the furniture, but said that no
had never threatened his wife aud tnat
he hau always spoken kindly of her. lie
began 20 tell the court OF his bliRhted
hopes. wrecked domestlcity, parental lovs
and worked In soms side trimmings of
emotion that were nippod in the bud by
the judge who remarked that theatricaIs
did not cut much OF u figure in the castle
on Fountain street. He was of the opin.
ion that his love for mis- boy was trlne
oyvrdrawn and that his wife mad good
reason 20 feel apprehensiye OF her safety.
Considering all the circumstances tho
udge placed the accused under $500 bonds
To keep the peace for the next ensuing
nine month. Horton lacked the necas-
eary $500 and he viii spend Christmas
ana few other holidays at the Crnnston
jail. lie was taken there by Deputy
Sheriff Franklin BRYAN Ham. aud the
fnf m IL H. q 4.
ia the dungeon.
HEAVY FAILUBE IN AUSTRALIA.
London. Dec. a. A special dispatch
from Melbourne, Victoria suys L. Il.
James has failed for $50 100 pounds Tho
snusa of lfa ffouNfsa A.. s.fa A.. a.. b..