The San Francisco call., 1899-08-26
WIFE STEALING
NOT ADVISABLE
AMONG MINERS
John Raven Is Found
Not Guilty.
HE THREATENED HIS lODCER
HIS WIFE NOW SEEKING A
SEPARATION.
Coal Workers Advocate Bullets for
Men Who Lead Their Friends
Wives Astray-Tragedy
Daily Expected.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call.


90S Broadway, Aug. 25
1t is not crime in the jurisprudence of
the mining town of Tesla for one man to
threaten the life of another when such
threats are induced by the stealing of a
wife's affections
John Raven has been acquitted for the
charge of threatening the life of Antoine
Hartman but it is likely that more will
be heard of the incident as Mrs. Raven
has flown from the Raven nest ana mas
applied for a divorce.
During the examination the little story
underlying Ravens desire TO decrease the
nhabitants of the mining town by one,
concerned Antoine Hartman, a friend
whom Raven had boarded at his house,
and Ravens wife Soon after Hartman
commenced to live with the Ravens
croakings were heard between Mr.; and
Mrs. Raven. Raven thought that Hart
man was altogether too attentive and et-
fusive in his behavior toward the hostess,
and while satisfying himself on this point
Raven became convinced that these atten-
tiOnS We're not only acceptable, Dut were
reciprocated.
Hartman and Raven are expert miners.
A few days ago they met in the coal mines
and Raven suggested 10 Hartman that 1t
would be a good thing to seek lodgings
esewhete for if he entered the Raven
nest again there might be a tragedy.
Hartman did not take kindly TO Raven
advice and the testimony showed that he
was so angry that he cut up a window
screen in the home of the Ravens and IS
now under arrest for malicious mlschlef.
This arrest led to more quarrellng, and
finally Raven repeated his suggestion as
to how Hartman could avoid dying an
early death. All the sentiment at the
mines was in favor of Raven, and some
of the miners who were witnesses IN the
case asserted that in their opinion man
should promptly shoot any other man
who destroyed his domestic happiness, in
stead of wasting threats upon him.
The magistrate declined to hold Raven
on the charge made by Hartman. Mrs
Raven has packed up her personal be
longingS ana left home TO obtain dl-
vorce. The people in the mining town are
living in hourly expectation OF something
occurring, when Raven and Hartman
have their next quarrel.
The divorce case of the Ravens is a
second edition of a divorce case nled some
time ago by Mrs. Ufken, also OF Tesla.
cause 10 be jealous of a fellow miner, and
made life so miserable for his Wlte that
She was forced to seek a separation.
Annie Skinner also filed suit to-day Tor
divorce from William Joseph Skinner,
alleging statutory grounds.
In the divorce case OF Is. ). '. Merle
against Florence r. Merle, default OF de-
fendant for failure TO appear or answer
was entered to-day. The plalntin was
formerly a mOtorman on the Alameda
electric railway, and he alleges tnat MS
wife deserted him for another about
year ago.
Captain Martin Johnson was granted a
divorce from Elizabeth Johnson by Judge
Greene to-day on the ground OF 1nhdeHty
These parties were married IN san tran-
the captains complaint the wife some
time ago left him, transferring her affec-
lions to one A H. Borlin, who is named
as correspondent.