The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-21
NIECE OF sen. BLACKBURN
Has a Divorce Suit in the Shawnee
County District Court

The Blackburns of Kentucky and the
thompson family of the same state are
involved in a divorce proceeding
concluded a noon today before Judge
Hazen Ex-Gov. Click was one of the
witnesses.
The parties to the case are Mrs. A. B.
Thompson, now of ST. Louis, and Geo.
G. Thompson, one of the head clerks
in the pension office. Mrs Thompson is
niece of Senator Blackburn of Ken
lucky and Mr.. Thompson is a member
of one of the most artist stocratic blue
grass families. MF. and Mrs. Thomp-
son were married nearly 35 years ago
and the eldest daughter who was in
court with her mother, is over 80. She
is married and lives In Chattanooga,
Tenn. Two other daughters are with
their mother. the youngest, a pretty girl
of 16, was a babe when her father left
home. The oldest daughter, Mrs. Ses-
sions, is separated from her husband.
Mrs. Thompson has been doing news
paper work in st. Louis since her Sepa-
ration and has supported the family
assisted by remittances from Mr.
Thompson.
The suit was originally brought by
Mr.. Thompson in Atchison county for
divorce. His wife prevented a divorce
and then she commenced suit in the
Shawnee county district court for So,
900 alimony. Mr.. Thompson at once filed
cross bill asking for a divorce and
both branches of the case are involved
in the present trial.
Mr.. Thompson left home in 1885. He
testified that he did so because of the
extravagant habits of his wife and be-
cause he was unable to keep the family
in the style demanded. He said that
at one time she went to his employer
j. S. Sweet-and asked to have $500
advanced to pay for her daughters
trousseau. Mrs. Thompson said she did
so at the suggestion of Mr.. Thompson
and that only $50 of the money was to
be used for the trOusseau and $3.50 of it
to pay a mortgage on the furniture.
Governor witness.
said that Mrs. Thompson had sent for
him at the Hotel Throop. He went TO
the parlor and saw her She begged
him to try to persuade Mr.. Thompson
to withdraw the proceedings for d1-
vorce 'She told me- said Governor
Click, chat she was a high-spirited
southern womanand did not want the
disgrace of a divorce, but she did not
want to live with Mr.. Thompson. 1
told her that I could not interfere in
affairs of a husband and wife and re-
fused to do anything" Governor Click
said that he had received a letter from
Senator Blackburn about the matter,
but he was not allowed to tell what the
letter contained. He teSt1hed to the
good character of Mr.. Thompson.
Mrs. Thompson said that she saw Mr.
Click on the advice of her attorney.
She said: Il was impressed with his
utter want of sympathy and cold
bloodedness." She denied that she had
told him that she would never live with
Mr.. Thompson again.
home life of the family in ST. Louis and
they placed the blame of the separation
entirely on the father. Not word
was spoken between the daughters and
their father. They paid no attention
to one another and acted like strangers.
When Mr. Thompson was on the
stand he broke down and cried. He
said that his daughter Ida, Mrs. Ses-
sions. and Marie, the youngest child,
had been in Atchison repeatedly with
out notifying him that they We're COM
ing and he did not see them. 1t was
while telling about ignoring him that
he gave way and wept.
Mrs. Thompson and her daughters all
testified that the family is in almost
destitute circumstances and that all
the money they had was spent for the
expenses of the trip to Topeka They
were all neatly dressed and are evil
IDENTIFY cultured people.
The case was contested bitterly by
City Attorney Bird for Mrs. Thompson
and S. B. Isenhart and o. E. Hungate
for Mr. Thompson.
1t was completed at noon and Judge
Hazen took the case under advisement
and will announce his decision next
Monday