The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-23
QUEER SUIT FOR DIVORCE.
GROUNDS FOR sEPARATIoE THAT
HINT At HYPNOTISM.

n1rs. Elisnbeth smiieJ's Complaint AEainst her
Husband. Charles w. suiiey. Publisher ef
the American Menthiy Microscopic Sour-
nal ana the Microscope or Washington.
WARRINGTON, Nov. 22.-one Of the queerost
suits for divorce In the history Of tho courts Of
the District Of Columbia was fled to-day by
Elizabeth Smiley against Charles w. Smiley.
Mr.. Smiley In q publisher Of this city and .
man Of means. In her bill Mrs. Smiley hints at
hypnotism and theosophy, and the fight for q
divorce will DO made on the grounds that the
peculiar ideas entertained by her husband, and
which he succeeded In engrefting on her mind.
have been the source of 80 much trouble to her
that she is forced to apply for q separation. She
recites a number of ridiculous incidents Of their
married life.
They were married April 81, 1893, by tho Rev.
Alexander Kent, pastor Of the Peoples Church
Of this city. They arc frst cousins, and she
says that on this account ho had been her prin-
cipal adviser prior to their marriage. She says
that he has secured her fortune Of several thou
sand dollars and still retains 1t. She further
alleges that some time prior to their marriage
he had inoculated her with ideas not in ac-
cordanco with modern civilization, and that
such was the influence he gained over her mind
and will that she saw things only in the light
he presented them to her, rarely exercising
h0h " JuikhOht. ~ hiuSA "a thip
so that she would put In writing requests
TO him to do many things utterly at
variance with common sense. and admissions as
to her conduct which, based on his require
ments, would seem bad, but which, judged by
the standard that she is now advised ordinarily
governs marital relations. would have no such
Significance. He said her conduct untitled him for
business, and thereby he failed to make as much
money as he otherwise would. He also made
out a list OF her petty offences against him
which she still has. for which she should pay
fines varying from 5 cents to 81, requiring her
to agree to pay the same cheerfully, and without
any appeal or argument az to the right or
wrong thereof.
She further AYERS that he has made her mar
ried life one continuous self. placement and alb
negation and bending to his will. and she has
been made to believe 1t to be her duty to yield to
the slightest wish Of an arbitrary and exacting
self-appointed judge and master; She must not
move Il he desires her to be still. or speak II he
meals unless he requested It, the mental pain
and anguish she has suffered by reason OF his
cruelty in this respect being heightened by rea-
son OF his false teaching. She thought she do
served such treatment in order to become
worthy to move on the same high plane on
which he has led her to believe he moves"
Mrs, Smiley says that about March II, 1896.
he took for her q house In Linden, Nd, where
she has since lived. He came out occasionally
10 see her, but has lately forbid her t. como to
her homo in this city because her presence dis
turbed the atmosphere in which Il was neces-
sary for him to live" Smiley is publisher Of
the American Monthly Microscopic Journal
and the Microscope.