The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-10
It Was Raised in Divorce
Case Heard Today.
Mr.. GOOdenOugh Makes a
Statement to the Court.
Results OF Hearings on Other Petit
tiOns In Appellate Court.

The hearing of uncontested petitions
for divorce was finished this afternoon
by Justices Stiness and Tillinghast. The
number granted is about the same as
when similar petitions were In order last
fall Very few cases were continued for
further hearing.
AT the hearing on one petition counsel
for the petitioner asked for alimony
though nothing was said about II In the
petition for divorce One case where de-
sertion was charged was denied on the
ground that the evidence offered did not
show that the desertion was OF suillclent
length Of time
The most interesting point during the
three days hearing on these petitions was
raised before Judge Tillinghast this morn
ing. The case was that OF Adoniram j.
Goodenough VS. Hattie NJ Goodenough.
The only ground on which the divorce
was asked for was that the parties had
lived separate and apart for over 10 years.
Section of chapter 195 OF the General
Laws provides that whenever at the trial
of any petition for divorce from the bond
of marriage, IL shall be alleged in the
petition that the parties have lived separ-
ate and apart from each other for the space
of at least 10 years, the court may IN It's
discretion enter decree diyorcing the
parties from the bond of marriage and
MIR. Goodenough married his wife in
1S62, and he last lived with her in 1879
and i'm 1856 he was informed she was liv
ing in Worcester, Mass. Since the latter
date he has not heard from her
Judge Tillinghast questioned Mr.. Good
enough about the reasons he and his wife
separated The petitioner Informed his
honor that for some years before the sepa-
ration his wife was very extrayagant and
once when he was sick he turned over TO
her all his property and when he recovered
he had 20 pay the excessive bills she had
contracted against his wishes during his
illness.
In answer to other questions by Judge
Tillinghast Mr.. Goodenough said his wife
wanted TO be boss of everything. His OBJ
ject in securing divorce was to be re-
lieved from indirect demands made on
him by his wife for money.
Judge Tillinghast informed Mr.. Bean,
the counsel In the case, that the provis-
ion granting a divorce on this ground
had not been passed upon by the full
court. His homer said III the Legislature
meant that ten years living separate and
apart was sufficient ground for divorce IL
would have said nothing about the dis
cretion of the court, and he thought
something was necessary TO set the dis
cretion of the court in motion. He finally
held the matter for conference with his
associates.
Inquiry among attorneys shows this
To be the first case in which divorce
was asked for on this ground alone In
some cases 1t may have been joined with
other causes and the court not have stated
the exact ground in which the divorce
was granted.
Before Stiness. j.
Phebe Reddy vs.. Thomas Reddy Ex-
treme cruelty. Granted. Page & Owen
for petitioner.
Minnie Il. Leonard VS. Harry Leonard.
Non-support. Granted Page q Owen
Catherine swift VS.. Arthur A. Swift
Desertion, non-support and extreme
cruelty. Granted. j. j. Fitzgerald for
petitioner.
Nellie Smith VS.. George A. Smith.
Non-support. Granted. 4. +. Cosgroye
for petitioner.
Further heard and granted. Il. A. Will
cox for petitioner.
Charles A. Grant, Jr., VS. JennieK. Grant.
Adultery Granted. Ballou a Tower for
petitioner.
Ida L. whipple VS. Albert T.. whipple.
Adultery Heard. G. ;. smith for petit
tioner.
Annie G. Raftery VS.. Matthew j. Raf-
terry. Non-support Granted. Page d
Owen for petitioner.
Amanda b. Marcett VS.. Louis Marcctt.
Adultery and extreme cruelty. Granted
Page * Owen for petitioner.
Carlos VI. Budlong VS. Jennie :. Bud
long. Desertion and extreme cruelty.
Denied and dismissed. +. III. Wildes for
petitioner
Before Tillinghast, J.
Albert II. Carr VS.. Elmira Carr. Adul-
terry. Further heard and granted. w. A.
Champlain for petitioner.
Rosana Gauvin vs. Avila Gauvin. De
sertion and non-support. Granted. A.
Choquet for petitioner.
Adoniram j. Goodenough VS.. Hattie
NJ. Goodenough Living separate and
apart for ten years. A. ID. Bean for Pc
ttioncr.
Gertrude Harrington VS.. Charles $. Har-
rington. Non-support. Granted. j. NJ.
Brennan for petitioner.
Emma f. Robinson VS. G. Eugene
Robinson. Non-support. Heard. There
was some discussion as To alimony in
this case, though none was prayed for in
the bill. This will be passed upon later
on by the court. 4. +. Cosgrove for pc
titioner.
Horace L. Brooks W, Jessie Brooks
Dcscrtion and gross misbehavior. Grant