The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-12-19
WOOD DIVORCE CASE.
Trial Begun Before Full Appellate
Bench This Afternoon.
Mrs. Wood Charges Husband, Deacon
Wood, With Cruelty and Non-Support.

After many postponements the trial
of the noted divorce case of Mrs. Vir-
gina Wood against her husband. "dea-
con Mark III. Wood was begun before
Chief Justice Matteson and Justices
Stiness and Tilllnghast late this after
noon. Mrs. Wood seeks "a divorce from
the deacon who was for many years
town clerk of harrington on the ground
of non support and cruelty Mr. Wood
denies specifically the charges of cruel
~ and non support and alleges that his
wife had another husband when she
married him.
There are unmbcr OF sensational
features i'm the case and the church So
ciety of which Mr.. Wood was mem-
ber tried the case once and a new
town clerk was elected i'm harrington
chiefly on account OF the charges. The
testimony of witnesses as far west as
the state Of Washington was sought
and a good deal of money spent on de-
position. Mrs. Wood was formerly a
school teacher i'm the west and while he
was a delegate TO IA religious conven-
ton Mr.. Wood met her and the ro-
nance that had so disagreeable an end
eliminated in marriage.
The court room was crowded when
the court came in after the noon recess,
and the taking of testimony began.
Both sides had "A number OF witnesses.
Page & Page represented Mrs. Wood
and James A. Williams was counsel for
Deacon Wood
In his opening address Charles II.
Page. Jr, said il would be shown that
Mr.. Wood married Mrs Wood in ST.
Paul Mimi. In 1895. and had come To
harrington, where she was subjected To
many acts of extreme cruelty. and as a
final act Of cruelty. that Mr.. Wood had
done everything i'm his power To have
her committed to the insane asylum at
cranston.
Mrs. Wood testified she had a large
school and very profitable business in
-. Paul. I'm the summer of 1896. she
testified Mr. Wood had first treated
her cruelty. There was trouble about
which door they should go into the
house by. When they got in he grabbed
her by the throat and pushed her
against the door. After the pushing he
refused to let her out. because he was
afraid she would tell somebody. There
were disputes between her and her hus-
band about her nephew, whom she
brought here. In st. Paul Mrs. Wood
claimed her husband found fault If she
saw or spoke 10 a gentleman friend and
interfered with her business.
Her husband on their return to Bar
flnStOn H1tef the Nlsl To Sl. faui III
1896 had been all the time cruel In his
talk to her and pushed her against
doors. He accused her Of trying To
make friends with men. and her body
had been black and blue from the ef-
fects of his blows. Mrs. Wood said her
husband har put his knee on her chest
and dragged her along the floor. once
he had pulled her out of the bed be-
cause she wanted TO go on n visit.
Once he whipped her severely. This
was i'm October. 1897, shortly after her
return from Europe. When over there
he had also spoken cruelty to her and
a woman who was travelling with her
witnessed many harsh scenes, accord
Ing to the witness. Mre. Wood was go-
ing out on some work for the church
and he told her people were talking OF
her going out so much, and when she
said she did not think so, he Knocked
her down and whipped her. and she had
To run to a room, and in his passion
Mr.. Wood broke the knob.
once Mr.. Wood had locked her In his
room. other times he locked the house.
His reasons were he did not want her
To meet men, Mrss Wood would not
guage. but said he used dreadfully
abusive language. The secondary rea-
son. Mrs. Wood s~id. for her leaving
her husband was heard people say
he was going To put her i'm an insane
hospital. and she said she had money
when she married Mr. Wood. The ex-
penses of her school were $500 per
month.