Evening star., 1898-08-02

PRELIMINARY DECREE.
Mrs. Crump Given Alimony and
Custody of Children.

After hearing lengthy argument by coun-
sel Justice Cole late yesterday afternoon
delivered preliminary decree in the di-
vorce suit of Mrs. Edith Allan Crump
against Frank H. Crump, awarding to the
wife the custody of the two children, Edna
and Gladys, little girls aged three and six
years. BY order of the court Mrs. Crump
is to be allowed s75 per month alimony
during the tendency of her suit and is
also to receive $75 as counsel fees There
was no fight over the alimony question, and
in deciding to give Mrs. Crump custody of
the children Justice Cole said he had not
attempted to go into the merits of the case,
but all things being equal, he thought it
best that as the children were little girls
they should be with their mother. Mrs
Crurnp is the daughter of Gen. Edgar Al
Ian of Richmond and Mr.. Crump is the as
sistant auditor of the Southern railway.
In the bill of Mrs. Crump ii Is set forth
that she and the defendant were married
in Richmond November II, 1856. Four
children were born, two of whom died.
The couple lived together, 1t is alleged, un-
til May 81 last, when, it is claimed, the de-
fendant drove her from home and she went
next door to live with her parents She
charges her husband with being quarrel
some, irascible, domineering, petulant.
acting, abusive and cruel in his treatment
and conduct toward her, citing many al
legged incidents of such conduct. Mrs.
Crump also charges that her husband ex-
'iii1ileu SuCt 1cI young WOiUdH
who resided in their house that the most
unpleasant rumors about them were con-
tinually brought to her attention. She de-
clareS she has been a sufferer from nerv
GUS disorders for seven or eight years past,
and that the cruel conduct of the defendant
has been injurious to her health.
Gen. Allan was present and read his
daughters bill to the court in fervid man
ner, dwelling dramatically on the recited
instances of alleged cruelty of the words
and deeds of her husband. MILAN & Smith
appear as solicitors for the complainant.
Mr.. Colbert, who is associated with Mr.
G. E. Hamilton, solicitor for Mr.. Crump
read the defendants lengthy answer iii
which was denied every allegation of the
complainant. Mr.. Crump declares that he
and his wife lived together until June 4
last when the latter deserted him. He did
not propose to be coerced by her father into
leaving his place of abode He told his wife
he did not want her to leave him. She said
she was going to live with her father. He
thereupon gave her So all the money he
had, and that was the last thing that took
place before their separation. He had been
asked to board with his wife's father, Mr.
Allan, but refused. He declares that ne
has attended to their children because his
wife refused to be annoyed by them and
says further that he never laid a yio-
lent hand on his wife.
Mr.. Crump says that as assistant auditor
of the Southern railway he receives a sal
airy of 2,4O0, all of which he has expended
on her family. He says he has always paid
her board ana doctor bills, except once
when she went to a Philadelphia sanitar-
lum and contracted debts to the amount OF
5000, which he could not pay.
On one occasion he admits he did tell his
wife that he felt like kicking her out of
the window" In the course of his married
life he says he has spent SIS 900 on his fam
lily. Mr.. Crump denies that he is an i'm
proper person to have the custody of his
children. He is ready and willing to receive
his wife whenever she expresses the inten-
ton of returning to live with him, but he
declines to reside in the same house with
her parents, who are. he believes, the cause
of his present domestic trouble
Many affidavits We're submitted on both
sides Mr. MILAN of the PLAINTIFFS counsel
and Mr. Colbert for the defendant had
wordy bout over the affidavits Mr. MILAN
claiming that his character as an attorney
was being 'villainously assailed" by an
affidavit OF the defendant