The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-23
RAWHIDED
HIM NAKED.
Mrs. Hicks Hates Her Husband
Because He Thrashed
Their Little Boy for Not Wax
ing Up Quickly.
HICKS RUNS AWAY
With the Boy and Mrs. Hicks
is HeartbrOken.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wells Fall Out
Over Cherries.
HICKS RUNS AWAY
Mrs. James B. DaiIey's Hus-
band AbandOns Her.


For three weeks Mrs. Alice Hicks of 4O7
Locust street has endeavored to induce
some one to help her find her year old
son Henry, and for three weeks she
has been baffied and disappointed.
While her own heart was breaking
she could not understand why every
one else should be so Indifferent to her
trouble.
The story of Mrs. Hicks troubles will
be told in the divorce court. A warrant
will be issued soon for the arrest of her
husband, J. D. Hicks, and if he can be
found he will be prosecuted for theft
and probably for kidnapping.
When the Festival week opened Mr.
and Mrs. Hicks and their son were liv-
ing with Mrs. Hicks mother Mrs J.
H. McClain, at 4O7 Locust street. On
Wednesday, Mrs. Hicks came up town
with friends to see the Santa F'e parade.
She spent the day up town and at the
fair grounds and did not go home until
Z o'clock. She left her friends near the
house and went in.
Mr. Hicks was not in the house and
their son was also missing. The team,
which was kept in the shed on the lot
was gone and the wife supposed that
her husband and son would soon re-
turn, and she spent the night without
feeling uneasy. But the next morning
when they had not appeared she for
got all about the Fail Festival and
started out to have the officers appre-
hend the man and child.
When Mrs. Hicks went to Chief of
Police Steele, he told her that he might
have cards printed and send them to
different points in the state with a de-
scription of the runa ways. But when
she went to the police judge she was
told that the police department could
do nothing for her. Then she went to
the county attorney but again she met
with disappointment. She called on
her friends, but no one would lend a
helping hand, while every day the dis
tance between the mother and her child
became greater. A week ago Mrs Hicks
received a letter dated at CoffeyvilIe.
It was from her husband and he said
that he might send for her if she wish
ed. But he also told her that she must
not write to him, for he would be hun
dreds of miles away when the letter
was received. She wrote al once beg
ging Mr.. Hicks to bring back their son,
but no reply has been received.
Today Mrs. Hicks appeared in the
clerks office of the district court and
filed suit for divorce. She charges
cruelty and desertion. At the same
time her attorney went before the
county attorney and asked for a war
grand larceny. The warrant will pro-
badly be issued this afternoon, and
then the machinery of the Law will at
last be set to work to apprehend the
man.
Mrs. Hicks is a woman of slight f1g-
ure with regular features and clear
blue eyes. If can only get back my
boy" said she, Il would not care
do not care to have my husband with
me because he has miStreated me but
he has stolen my boy and I want him
back. The team belonged to me and
he stole it when he went away. but if
could get the boy back 1 would be
satisfied.
i was visiting at the home of my
brother, A. NJ. McClain at Ottawa when
met Mr.. Hicks. He was working
there and was doing we'll; we We're
married soon afterWard but after that |
he lost his place and he has never pro-
vided for me since that time. Last
August we came to Topeka and went |
to live with my mother. He left in
short time and said he was going to
Admire to get work but l found that
he went back to Ottawa instead. I |
then sent for my team but he came |
back too.
4 have washed and made so cents
a day to keep the family and he SEEM |
ed willing to have me do that but he |
would never work himself. 1 loved my
husband once but hate him now. I !
have hated him ever since he whipped |
our boy.
1T was last November and we had |
been out to some entertainment. The |
boy was left at home and he had thumb /
bolted the door. He was asleep and |
was sleeping soundly as a boy of that |
age does and he did not hear US when |
we ratified on the door. When the door !
was opened my husband was very mad |
and he threw back the covers and took !
a little rawhide whip he had and whip |
ped the boy numerically. I interfered |
because I could not stand to see him |
that way Then my husband /
caught me by the throat and pushed |
me back against the door and choked |
me 1 have hated him ever since and /
I wanted him to go away, but can't |
bear to lose our boy"
A peculiar story of domestic infelici- |
ty is told in the divorce petition of Har- |
~ J. Wells filed in the district court to- /
day. Wells is a blacksmith and was /
married in 1898, and the year following |
trouble commenced.
The couple had a horse and Mr. Wells !
wanted to loan the animal to his moth /
er to drive. Mrs. Wells objected and |
the horse was not loaned. This is one |
of the grounds that forms the basis |
for the petition. At another time Mr.. |
Wells bought some cherries. Mrs Wells |
objected to keeping the cherries be |
cause they We're in crate. He took |
them up town and sold them and she /
but he sold them just the |
same. AfterWard she bought a bushel
of cherries and had them charged to |
him. This was a breach of marital du-
ty that was not to be tolerated. and so /
it forms the second ground for divorce
The last statement in the petition is a |
Mr.. Wells mother charged |