The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-16
INHUMAN
Treatment of An
Aged Wife.
DIVORCE COURT
Listens to a Pitiful Tale of
Senile Depravity.

! hH@t was CldIdCleTized by the court
as very extraordinary and unusual
| divorce case was heard before Judge
Aiken in the ,jury-waived session of
the superior court yesterday afternoon.
After 50 years Of marital life. two well
known residents of the old town of
Sutton, the birthplace of Mrs. Henry
| Ward Beecher, now seek separation for
| the remainder of their days
| Angelina Thompson is the name of
the lIbellant, and George w. Thompson
from whom she wishes a divorce. is
now 20 years of age. Yet so hale and
hearty is he, that he was recently ex-
amlned for a life insurance policy at
that advanced age, and is to take out
> policy for $1,000.
Such a tale Of heartless cruelty and
inhuman treatment of a wife has sell
dom been unfolded, and the advanced
years at which the husband, has begun
his alleged brutal conduct towards the
wife casts veil of horror over the
whole affair. The passionate outbursts
on the part of the husband are alleged
to have been confined to the last wear
and half of their married life, and
| uhls after an apparently happy union
of five and thirty years.
Another most singular occurrence is
ma sven at the present time both wife
ana husband are residing in the same
mouse in Sutton. The residence is oyvnad
! py Mrs. Thompson, and during ali The
TIME OF the divorce proceedings yvbinb
nave oeen pending, they have eaten at
the same table, and slep: unde,, tha
same roof. 'iAe
MIS-, thompson, who, though younger
| thah her husband, shows a life of care
toVh me stand in her own behalf, She
Sa1u tHat she and her husband We're
| married IN the town of Millbur.v "a
years ago, and that her life had NOT
been out of the common until wear
| ana half ago. Since last Septemher
| When the conduct of her husband he
came unbearable, he had struck her.
ana threatened her life. He had gen
orally assaulted her and kicked
| When the divorce proceedings first be-
| gun, and he was served with a COW
OF the libel, he had burst into violent
| passion, and said: I will knock your
| brains out on the floor"
one particular Sunday morning he
mad struck her. He had placed some
| hsh on the stove, and when she re-
| monstrated with him for putting the
hsh on the stove and making it un-
cream ne had drawn off with his fist
ana struck her over the eye.
| Judge Aiken asked her if she did
not know that she could go away if
| ne abused her and she said that she
| ala, but preferred TO remain at the
mouse, as it was her own. The court
| asked what was going to become of the
| husband IN case the wife left him. and
remarked that the case was out of the
! ordinary state of things.
AT the close of Mrs. Thompson's tes-
| tlmony, Miss Woodbury., whose home
| adJolns Mrs. Thompsons, and who has
taught In the Sutton schools for a long
| series OF years, testified that Mrs
| thompson had come to her house once.
| and that at the time her eyes was very
| much swollen and inflamed. She said
| that Mrs. Thompson was a regular at
tendant at the Congr agationil Church
| OF mat town, in good standing, and her
| character was good in the community
She said that Mr.. Thompson had a very
! quick temper, and that he did not work
| hard
1t was claimed by the libellant that
| the husband had called her names out
! OF character and that he had told her
ne was not the father of the two BOYS,
that she had no children by him.
! Inc two sons gave their testimony.
| Alvin Thompson, the younger son. Is
| years of age, testified as to the man
nef IN which their mother received the
| swollen left eye which was made black
| and blue by the father in one of his
| fits of temper His mother had shovpd
| him also where the father kicked her
III the ankle. He said that his father
was vicious, and yet in good health.
ID hoo
| as TO his physical condition, and had
taken out a $1,000 policy on his life
He said that he and his brother car
| ried on the farm, the father not liking
| to work.
He testified as to asking his father
! what he was doing once when the lat
| ter struck his mother, but had never
| interfered.
| Lewis A. Thompson, the second son
said that his mothers face was dis
| figured and her left eye closed through
being struck by his father. His father
| had kicked his mother in the ankle, and
| he related the incident of the fathers
| putting fish on the stove. His father
at one time followed the mother into
! the pantry and pulled her out by the
| hair of the head.
| He had asked his father what he
! was trying to do, and had told him to
keep away and let her alone, but had
| not otherwise interfered He said that
| his mother was in fear of him and her
| life at the present time.
| Agnes T.. Alderman asked for separa
| ton from Charles II. Alderman on the
ground of deserton. The parties We're
married in Woodstock Conn, in 1890
and they resided together for only
nine months when the husband de-
serted his wife. c. S. Dodge appeared
| for the libellant, who is allowed to re-
sumo her maiden name.
Della Fredericks asked for separa-
ton from Edward Fredericks of North
Oxford, for desertion, it being testified
that they We're married five years age
and lived together for two months and
a half when the libellee left for parts
unknown, and has not been heard from
since. The libelee was called and de-
faulted, a decree nisi for deser.ion be-
ing granted. Dodge e. Taft appeared
for the libellant.
Aultery was alleged in the case of
George e. Hadley against Cora e.
Hadley and upon the evidence a de-
cree nlsi was granted, the libellee be-
ing called and defaulted. Wood &
Wood appeared for the libellant
Emma c. Obs alleged that her hus-
band, John II. Obs, was guilty OF gross
and confirmed habits Of intoxication
The parties were married in Sweden IN
1884 and have lived in Worcester for
seven years. II. Spencer Haskell APP
peared for Mrs. Obs.
In the case Of Elizabeth i. Buckley
against Elijah Buckley, the llbellant
Of oxford and the libellee Of Worcester
gross and confirmed habits Of intoxica-
ton, cruel and abusive treatment