The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-17
THE CnY OF POTATOES.
A Disturber i'm the Cress Fnmily-Hus-
boud,s Scene I'm Court.

A nisturber i'm the CFess Fnmtly-Hus-
bands Scene I'm Court.
One of the busiest man in the courthouse
Yesterday was Judge Carter, OF Room 8, SUI
perior Court The divorce suit OF Fatlma
Cress against William H. Cress was on trial,
and Judge Carter had his hands full hold
ing down the defendant, who is fifty years
of age. and a man of excitabe tempera-
ment. During the afternoon Cress expressed
n strong desire to assault Attorney Black
ledge. who was appearing for his WIFE ana
the court had to threaten to call In the
sheriff Mrs. Cress is several years
Younger than her husband. The family
lived on Brookside avenue until the hus-
band and wife separated, and Mrs. Cress
went to live on Dorman street. She charges
her husband with cruel treatment. She
says he has been untrue to her, has failed
to provide for her. and in many ways has
failed to keep his marriage vows.
Cress brings counter charges against his
wife, and asserts that her associations have
not been of the kind that would attract a
good woman. He says that a vegetable
peddler by the name of Jordon has been
very fond of Mrs. Cress, and the husband
charges that the wife has not looked upon
Jordon unkindly Mrs. Cress denies all Of
these things. Yesterday afternoon during
the examination of a witness by Attorney
Blackledge, Cress became very much irri-
tated and so much enraged that he started
toward the attorney.
''Tll spoil your good-looking face" he ex-
claimed. springing from his chair and adj
dressing Mr.. Blackledge. Lawyer Patter-
son caught Cress by the coat and pulled
him down again. The incident caused a
good deal of excitement in the courtroom
and Bailiff Phipps went around and stood
behind Cress ready to stop him if he made
another advance toward Attorney Black
ledge.
Your Honor" remarked the attorney,
after Cress had cooled off, this is not very
pleasant. to say the least. That man has
been shaking his fist at me all afternoon"
Attorney Patterson began to sharply criti-
else Mr.. Blackledge accusing him of treat
ing CresS unfairly. The judge then took a
hand in the proceedings He raped loudly
on the desk and called for order.
Mr.. Patterson, please address your re-
commanded the court. with considerable en-
phasis. IF we are going to have scene
here want the sheriff to be in it. and he'll
be called If this thing is repeated The
proceedings were then resumed.
Cress was put on the witness stand to tell
about the trouble with his wife; He was a
voluble witness and was inclined to talk too
much. Attorney Blackledge was on his feet
half the time objecting and the court was
kept busy eliminating improper evidence.
Cress said he lived happily enough with his
wife and children for twenty years His
trouble began when he moved TO Indian
apolis. My wife got in with a gang of
did not like. They rushed the growler.' and
don't low no wife of mine TO do that"
Cress went on TO say that his wife had
people at his house TO play cards when they
lived on Brookside avenue. and if there was
any one thing he objected to it
was card-playing. This was also a
cause of their trouble. His wife,
he said, went away from home
frequently and visited house that had not
the best reputation. When he inquired why
she went away so often she told him that
picions were aroused when he noticed that
whenever Mrs CresS went away 10 do these
washings she always attired herself in her
best garments. He could not understand
why she always made an elaborate toilet on
these occasions. CresS said that his conf
dence was abused by a man named Jordon,
who had always professed to be his friend
Jordon followed the occupation of pedding
vegetables. CresS finally concluded that his
wife was becoming too much interested in
Jordon, and he watched. The Crosses sepa-
rated and the wife went to live on Dorman
street, occupying rooms in a block Cress
said he had followed Jordon's potato wagon
about the city for day at a time. Jordon
did not usually cry out what he had to sell
as he drove through the streets. He would
become remarkably energetic however
whenever he drove into Dorman street in
the neighborhood of Mrs. Cress's rooms
Cress described how Jordon would cry out
n loud voice. "Potatoesw "Applesi" ''ro-
matoes!' and instantly Mrs. Cress's head
would protrude from an upstairs window
;ress interpreted this conduct on the part
I his wife and the peddler as a precon-
serted arrangement to see each other and
ais jealousy was aroused. on one of these
occasions he followed the peddler up stairs