The times., 1899-07-10
HUSBAND ASKS A DIVORCE.
DIR. John r. BurwelI Bcgins Pro-
ceedinGs Against His Wife.

DR.. John Page Burwell, of 9O4 Four
teenth Street, has filed a cross bill to the
suit for divorce instituted nearly two years
ago by his wife, May w Burwell. On ac-
count of the prominence of the parties to
the proceedings and the circumstances pre-
ceding and following Mrs. Burwells deser-
tion of her home and husband the affair
became the talk of the hour. When she
left her home she took her two children.
a boy and girl, with her, and since then
it is alleged has kept them so secretly
housed that their father with the assist
ance of the officers of the law, has been
unable to find them.
On account of her refusal to obey the
mandate of the Supreme Court of the Dis
trict to produce the children, Mrs. Burwell
has been adjudged to be in contempt and
an effort to have her petition dismissed
has been set aside by the court.
DR.. Burwell states in his bill of COM
plant that his wife deserted him on the
first day of July, 1897, and since that time
has remained away, although frequently
importuned to return. From information
since received he now believes that she
is residing at Ocean City, Md. He says
that he was married to the defendant in
1884, and that they lived together until
July l. 1897, when, accompanied by the two
sible purpose of spending the summer at
Ocean City. A short time after her de-
parture, he having heard nothing from
her in the mean time, he was astounded
by having served upon him a subpoena in
case for divorce begun by his wife. A
great many of the allegations and specific
charges made by her, he says, were so
scandalous and libelous that they were
expunged from the record by order of the
Tba of ba ri oil ebn,
| that Mrs. Burwell was ordered to produce
| the children, but, failing TO do so, she
| was held to be in contempt and is now so
held. That it is evident, DR.. Burwell says,
that his wife never intended to prosecute
| her suit further than to have the court
award her alimony is shown by the fact
| that she failed to submit any evidence in
| support of her bill for divorce. After the
court had allowed Mrs. BurweIl alimony
| during the pendency Of the cause, it is
alleged that, through her counsel, she
secretly tried TO dismiss her bill for di-
vorce. Upon this being called to the atten-
| tion of the court, the order of dismissal
was set aside and further payment of ali
mony TO Mrs. Burwell or any counsel fees
| on her behalf were stopped.
Since his wife deserted him, Dr. Bur-
well states he has written repeatedly to
her at every place where he learned or had
|
| for the sake of their children to return.
| He also says that he wrote hundreds OF
| letters of this kind TO their friends and
even had the pastor of her church to write
| to her asking her to return, but that she
never responded to any OF these communi-
cations. He says that he also made re-
| peated efforts to see his wife and their
children, but by reason of his wifes op-
position he was unable to do so, and now
he does not know, except by hearsay,
where his children are or whether they are
! living, although by the decree of the Su-
! preme Court of the District he is consti-
tuted their guardian.
A year ago, Dr. Burwell says, he went to
Ocean City, and in the course of proper
jurisdiction filed a petition for habeas cor
pus. asking for the custody of his children
but they were hidden away by Mrs. Bur-
well so that the officers of the Maryland
courts could not reach them. In October
last he made another similar effort. but
was again unsuccessful because OF the ac-
tion of his wife.
DR.. Burwell now. not only asks fora di-
vorce from his wife, but that the courts
shall take such action as will give hin
the possession and custody of his children