The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-04
GOT HER BABY BACK
The Odds We're Heavy
Against Mrs. Smyth,
But She Was
Plucky.
BAD END OF An AVENUE ROMANCE
"A Girls First Love Routed by 2
Dashing Ex-Major Of the
Salvation Army.

A tale of a young mother who was
forced to abduet her own child, Wn1ch
had been torn from her arms by her
heartless husband and who committed
burglary and fought four persons In DONG
it. was unfolded to Justice Potts IN the
First Criminal Court, Jersey City, TINS
morning, when Mrs. Smyth applied TOT
warrant for the arrest of her huspand'
Robert Smyth, of No. AZ Coles street.
Smyth, his wife alleges. stole her papy
from her on Sunday last, robbed ner OF
all her clothes with the exception OF
thin wrapper she had on at the time,
turned her out of the house and beat
her She recovered her baby and Sc
cured her clothes, as will be told later.
Her object in appearing IN court TINS
morning was to compel him to contribute
to the support of the child. The story
of the troubles in the Smyth housenoio
and what led up to it reads ike piece
of fiction of the style affected by Laura
Jean Libby.
Two wears ago Blanche Woglom, a
seyenteen-year- brunette, lived with
her parents over the Boston clothlng
store on Newark avenue. She was pretty
and petite and had many admirers Sne
was engaged to be married to an estl-
mable young man who lives on the Hii-
The engagement was OF three years
standing. The wedding was postponed 10
give the prospective husband chance
to earn enough to provide home. Thlngs
were in this state when, on day IN
April. year ago, Miss Woglom' Whiie
walking down Newark avenue with a
friend. Miss Edith Bailey, met Roperl
Smyth. clerk in a clothing store dl-
rectly opposite her home. They lmme-
diately formed strong attachment 1or
each other. Smyth called frequently on
Miss Woglom, and before two months
had passed had won her heart so COM
pletely from her other, suitor that Sne
consented to become his wife. They were
married on June rs, 1896, by Rev. Dr.
Snyder. of No. 2O9 Second avenue, New
York at his home. Neither of them let
their parents know what had occurred
until two weeks had passed. The bride $
parents chided her for marrying SO young,
but forgave her and determined to make
the best of it.
The Wogloms had in the meantime
moved to Bayonne and were living on
Fifty-second street. Blanche renamed
with her parents for month after the
marriage, as her husband said he was
not quite ready to provide home for
her. At the end of a month they went
to live in a furnished fat on York street,
near Grove. They had been Keeping
house but month when they had their
first serious row, and Mrs. Smyth re-
turned to her parents. Robert followed
her and begged her to return to him.
She replied that she would do SO when
he had provided a home of his own to
take her to. This he did in one month,
when he rented the fiat at No. AZ Coles
street and fitted it up on the instalment
plan Things went on all right after
this until their baby was born, on April
80. last. The child was named Edward
Elmer Mrs. Smyth was forced to rear
her son on the bottle, because, she al
leges, her husband would not supply her
with proper nourishing food. About two
weeks after the baby was born Mrs.
Smyth says, it's father wanted to give it
away to his brother Sam, who has been
married = number of years and has no
offspring, but she refused to do so.
Since that date the real troubles of
the couple began. The baby was a
month old when one of Mrs. Smyth's sis
tiers, Mrs. George Foster, and her parents,
invited her stos visit them at their home,
Neptune avenue and Second street, Coney
Island. While. there, Mrs. Smyth says
her husband had men shadow her and did
1t himself. to try and catch her with
other men or in concert halls. While he
was looking through the low concert
halls, as he declared, to find her, she
was at home and in bed with her baby
While at Coney Island he told her, one
day. that the best thing they could do
would be to part. He<lost his position at
this time and was out of work for more
than three weeks, during which time his
wife remained with him, although at
times there was little or nothing in the
house for her to eat Finally his brother
Samuel, who keeps shoe store at New
ark and Railroad avenues, gave him a
place as clerk at $40 a week. The story
from that time to the present is best told
in Mrs Smytfl s4own words.
Although his brother paid him enough
to keep US comfortable. my condition was
had been married he had never given me
q cent that he could avoid giving me.
After he got back to work he was even
money and wouldn't let me leave the
house. One Saturday, couple of weeks
ago, told him wanted TO go on Sun
told me that If went he would lock me
out Of the house. I thought he was jok-
Ing ! went and returned at nine O'Clock
as took tea with one of my married sis
tiers on the Heights. 4 found the door
locked against me. went right to the
store where he was waiting, on several
customers and before them all demanded
the key to the parlor door, He gave it to
me- When he got home that night he
said:-sI wish you would go home to
your folks IL take care of the baby
II replied that my sister had told me
that he could not take my baby from me
until it was seven years old. Last Sat
my sister, Mrs Ridley, and asked Rob
If ne would not please let me go out. l
was afraid to tell him where wanted to
go so asked him for carfaTe to New
York to see my chum who lives there.
He gave me permission to borrow six
cents from Mrs. Mead, our next door
neighbor. He told me not to borrow any
more When ! got back ! found the doors
fastened again. A key had been thrust
in the lock of the door had key to-,
from the inside. I managed to work it
out and got in. Rob came in about mid
night. bringing in his brother Fred, who
is much younger than he is with him.
ness l asked him of what, and he said
would see soon enough
eHe went back and forth to the saloon
with Fred and was under the influence OF
liquor when he went to bed was afraid
he was going to do something desperate.
took dollar from his pocket and hid it
in my wrapper. took the money to buy
medicine for the baby who was very
sick Bob would never give me money
for medicine and once before. when the
baby was real sick, he said he wished t