The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-17
Judge Hiles UndOes the Labor o
The Famous Dan Cupid.
DIVORCE MILLS BUSY DAY
DESsERTIoN AND NoN-sUpPoRT
PRINCIPAL ALLEGATION.
Theckston Case Has Bit of Salac-
iousness About It-Youthful
House-breaker-The Bunting Case
Comes On For Trial, After the
Separation Business Is Ended.

II Seslei Qay IN running the divorce nlll.
Twelve pairs We're separated, and two
more ordered to appear before a ref
cree to tell their troubles.
1t was a full house which greeted the
court when he mounted his woolsack
yesterday morning. There were many
plaintiffs present, and corToborating
witnesses galore. They were all sorts
and kinds. from frail-lool1ing ladies to
laoles who were not frail-looking. Some
We're handsome and others pretty, while
a lew were neither. Some were emo
uonal and others calm. In all cases
heard, decree was entered by default,
there being no defense, save in the ac-
ton of Theckston VS. Theckston, a mo-
ton to modify a decree previously
made.
This days work does not complete the
task the judge has. There are. nine more
billed for today, while for Saturday
five are on the slate. 1t will be
busy time all around.
The court rushed business when he
got started. 1t was evident that his
honor did not desire to dwell on the
details. He acted like a man who
wanted the cases tried soon. without
reference to unimportant detail, and
many times unimportant questions
fsfe ruled out, while garrulous wit
Iesses were instructed to confine them
selves to the facts.
LAZY JOHN FOSTER.
Ellen H. Foster was the first woman
10 secure a decree. She testified that
she and her husband, John H. Foster.
were married in this city in 1890. Two
children We're born to them. Her hus-
band had done nothing worth talking
about in the matter Of supporting her
since 1892, and she had not seen him
since last spring; did not know where
he was, and did not care. Her husband
was lax and lazy, and would not work
when he could get it to do. The de-
cree granted the wife the custody of
the children, and docBeted a $25 attor-
ney fee against John, who will now be
swooped down upon by the sheriff with
an execution.
Ethel Van Dewater had the cruel
story of the day Her husband, Gilbert
Van Dewater, and herself were married
In Dakota in 1890, and soon after came
to this city, where they lived together
until about a year ago. According to
her story, Van Dewater is a bad. bad
man He called her bad names, ac-
cused her Of inf1delity, and, in June,
1897 drew knife on her and threat
ened to take her life. He did not sup
port her as he should have done, and
she was compelled to work as a printer
IN one of the city offices in order to
make a living for herself and two chill
dren. Other evidence was taken in the
matter, and a decree, with the custody
of the children, made.
RICHARD DESERTED HER.
Winifred Mathews obtained a divorce
from her husband. Richard Mathews, +
whom she married in 1888. The cause
was desertion and failure to provide,
Richard having left her two years ago.
MIS-. Bangs the mother of the plaintiff,
was in court and edited the spectators
WEh the honest manner in which she
declared her daughter was too good
FOR the likes of such a man.
Anna Jackson is no longer the wife
of George H. Jackson. She married him
in 1884, and ten years later he left her
He did not tell her where he was go
ing, or when he would be back, and she
had to go to work in a candy factory to
keep herself and baby. The court asked
Mrs. Jackson if she knew where her
husband was, and she replied she did
not Asked if she thought he was still
alive she answered: "Oh, yes; he's
alive. This is not the first time he has
run away"
THECKSTON VS.. THECKSTON.
Twice during the session, the pro-
ceedings of the court were given a sort
of Police Gazette flavor by the testi-
mony adduced. The first was when the
issue between Eva Theckston and Rob-
ert Theckston was being heard. Eva
obtained a divorce from Robert some
time ago, the decree including the Gus
tody of the two children and alimony.
Robert was absent from the state at
the time, and upon mis- return filed an
application Cor a modification of the
decree, asking for the custody of the
young ones. and praying that he be
- ia 4 - L.
tributing anything to the support of
the eX-wife.
The testimony developed the fact that
Mrs. TheckStoh since the divorce, has
become q scarlet woman, and has
piled her vocation in this city, Mercur
and Bingham. Detective Sheets and
another officer were about to be sworn
10 prove this point when the attorney
for the woman declared he would ad-
e1es. M @ anu '
<0heckston took the stand to give evil
&eIfce Of his claim, and told the court
what a rambuncuous little woman his
wife was. He averred he had tried to
live with her in oeace and quiet: had
contributed TO her support the best he
cculd, but she would not stay with him,
and quit.
on his REORGANIZATION, Attorney
Harrington made a vigorous attempt
TO snake the evidence given. III WHICH
he was given aid and comfort by the
former spouse of the witness, who per-
sisted in audibly cOntradicting every
thing Theckston said, until the court
was constrained to tell her she would
have to hold her tongue. The children
are il the custody of the maternal
grandmother, but Theckston maintain
ed she was not q fit person, IN his
judgment, to have them, aud he was
perfectly able and more than willing II
care for them. Thecks+on produced
friends who swore his reputation was
good for chastity, and then the case
was taken under Amusement until Sat
urdaT, while Mrs. TheclCston was led
sobbing and shrieking from The room,
having AZ attack of hysteri& Which
broke cut whsn the proceedings closed.
SEPARATED FROM SADIE.
Another case Mhich had Il degree of
salaciousness about it was that of
Francis Mitchell VS.. Sadie Mitchell
Francis testified that he married the
girl in San Francisco, in 1895 After
coming to this city Sadie got frisky
and went out with other men. and in
two instances committed a violation of
the seventh commandment. the core
spcndents being named The HUSBAND
l was able to give dates ana places, and
Afis testimony in relation to character
Twas corroborated by Police O9icer Tai
bot. 1t appearing that SADIE is now in
a maison de joie in HALEY, the divorce
was granted. One child, Harvey i
aged 3, was adopted by Mrs. Mary A
Shafer Immediately following The.
granting Of the decree. the father con-
senting.
Maria Nordqaist had a sad story 10
tell. She welded Neifs Nordquist on
March p. 1895, and sour days later
her liege lord said April i9olr 10 her
and left Since that time he has failed