The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-02
DIEHL'S UNHAPPY DEAL.
Woes of Fort Lee Couple Up
Before Vice Chancellor Pit
ney This Morning.

Fort Lee must have been depopulated
this morning because a delegation of its
inhabitants flocked into Chancery Cham
bers here today to hear the divorce pro-
ceedings before Vice Chancellor Pitney of
Mrs. Minnie Diehl against William Diehl
well-known resident of that quiet little
village. Mrs. Diehl, in substance, says
that her husband is a brute. and he says
she is no better than she should be, in
deed, great deal worse.
The parties were married by Rev.
James Cameron, now rector of the Church
of the Ascension, on Jersey City Heights.
in November, 1881, but then in charge Of
Christ Church, Edgewter. After the mar
riage they went to Fort Lee where her
husband had foundry. They lived hap
PLY, said Mrs. Diehl, for some years.
when her husband developed a tendency
to coming home at all hours of the night
and explaining his dilapidated. condition
in the time-honored way:-rBeen at the
lodgsh, m'dear." That worked for q
while until Mrs. DiehIs stock of patience
ran out and she treated him to a series of
c0rtain lectures, at which he kicked and
finally left her, with s. to meet several
months rent and satisfy the demand of
an army of clamoring creditors.
Friends took hand in her trouble and
succeeded in bringing the couple together
again. Things went along smoothly and
lodge meetings were left unattended un-
til the night of February TO- 1893. when
Mr.. DiehI came home in a decidedly rick
city state, and when his wife upbraidef
him he replied, SO Mrs. Diehl swears in
her petition:-
If you don't get out quick-dam quick
I'll throw you by the heels downstairs
Can't go to lodsh, meet respeet-spec-table
gemmen, but you cut up. Unrea-reash-
.nable new woman, b'gosh.''
If that had been the last of it Mrs.
Diehl wouldn't have minded, but her hus-
band picked up knife and said he would
cut her throat, and afraid that he would
do so she fed from the house in her night
robes to the home of neighbor. A Sec
ond and third time she forgave him. but
his cruelties continued. and often he beat
her. She was obliged to leave him altos
gether and engage Prosecutor P. w.
Stages services to secure her divorce on
the grounds of her husbands ill-treat-
ment.
Mr.. William DiehIs version of his do
mestic troubles differs materially from
that of his wife. He says that he never
got drunk, never threatened her, never
told her he would throw her downstairs
and never deprived her of the neeessaries
of life on the contrary, he says, in his Pc
tition, he provided her with everything,
and: Even all the luxuries of her whim-
steal temperament
Having disposed of that part Mr.. Dfehl
answers, as lawyers call it, by way Of
cross bill, and makes some very grave
charges against his wife. One .of these
is that what with Women's Clubs, New
Women's Organizations. Daughters OF
This and Danes of That, his wife often
did not return home until three o'clock in
the morning. Mr. Diehl goes further
and charged that Mrs Diehl was in tha
habit of associating with dissolute char
acters of the male sex, and her conduct
became so fragrant that he demonstrated
with her and rebuked her, but She on
these occasions merely .contented herself
with suggesting that he should at once
pay visit to Mr.. Satan's abode. This so
angered Mr.. Diehl that he left the house,
not on his wife's errand, but to take lodg-
ings elsewhere, and since that time he
has lived apart from her.
Prosecutor Stagg moved this case this
morning, but owing to the absence of Mr.
Diehl and his witnesses the hearing was
abruptly postponed for one week.