The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-30
CHARGES ARE MYSTERIOUS.
Nellie w. Wnlther Sues Rich Hus-
band for . Divorce.


band for y Divorce.
A sensational divorce suit, paralleling in
many respects the famous Hanson case
now pending in the same tribunal, was
filed In the superior court yesterday. The
defendant in the case Is William John
Walther, a wealthy resident of Dawson,
the metropolis Of the Yukon gold fields.
The complaining wife is Nellie w.
Walther, who with her three daughters
now resides in this city.
What the actual causes leading to the
commencement Of the action are Is not
stated in the divorce complaint. In that
document only vague charges of unnat-
ural cruelty and persecution are made. the
plaintiff stating that she will, II thought
needful by the court. state their nature
fully in a bill of particulars. In the
meantime she refrains from making them
a matter of record. Mrs. Walther states.
however, that her husbands conduct has
rendered 1t impossible for her to longer
live with him as his wife, and she asks for
an absolute divorce, half of her husbands
alleged fortune of 700, temporary all
mony amounting to 5000 and $1,000 as
attorneys fees.
Walther, according to his wife's COM
plant, has many valuable interests In
Dawson, most Of which, she says, are held
under the names of wv. J. Walther &
Co.. and yukon Iron Works Their
value she says. is not less than $4,000,
and she has, she says, right to COM
munity interest in them all, they having
been acquired during her married life. She
estimates that her share of the property
would not be worth less than $4,000. Be-
sides, she claims that her husband is in
debted to her in the sum of $1,000 for
money loaned him last March.
According to the wife's complaint, the
Wafhers were married in Fond du Lac,
Wis Noyambar II 1919 Their family
consists, She says. of three daughters.
whose ages are nine, six and five years
respectively, and who are now living with
her In King county. She desires to keep
their custody, she says, until they reach
an age at which they can make their own
choice of guardian. OF her married life
between the wedding day and November
l. 1898, she has but little to say. All her
husbands alleged ill-treatment was with
in the year subsequent to the latter date.
AS to the nature of this ill-treatment,
Mrs. Walther is very noncorhmittal. She
contents herself by saying that her hus-
bands strange manner toward her, his
peculiar. unnatural and abnormal charges
against her while living with her at Daw-
son and later at Port Townsend, in this
state: his taunts and mental tortures, and
his false and unjust accusations produced
In her a nervous excitation and general
ill-health which forces her to abandon
him and will prevent her ever returning
give a bill of particulars of the exact
charges made against her by her husband.
Mrs. Walther bases her claim for large
alimony and attorneys fees upon the fact
that her husband is now In foreign
country and that the trial of the case
will to a great extent have to be had on
DISPOSITIONS taken before magistrates in
the foreign country.
Judge Moore yesterday signed an order
granting permission to Mrs. walther's
lawyers to serve process upon the de-
PENDANT by publication.