The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-19
JOHN M'COMB MAKES
ANSWER In EARNEST
concluded from age 3.l


phasize some of her assertions by the aid
of poker which seemed to invite her
to act the amazon. / possessed MYSELF
with a cane and watching my chance
struck the poker. The poker was knocked
from her hand, and the cane being cross
grain was broken. To make out case
my wife tried to interest people with the
story that | broke the stick over her.
During the last year of our coniugal re-
lations my wife has frequently desired
me to make bill of sale OF certain prop
erty which she coveted. To her or her
mother she insisted 1t should go. Then
she harped on my making will in her
favor and insuring my life for her bene-
fit My wife has some prudent notions.
but they were never suggested In way
to dispel my doubt of her fidelity Her
recent conduct has verified my estimate
Of her sclhshness. She has too frequently
tried to initiate women who live unhap-
PLY with their husbands.
SEARCHED HIS EFFECTS.
She has tried searching my pockets,
delving through my business papers and
books, secreting and Withholding impor-
tant papers when she knew that I was
annoyed and perplexed and put to in
| convenience thereby.
l deny that l ever beat her!
l deny that / ever pounded her!
| deny that 1 ever knocked her down
with chair or hit her with n chair, or
in any way used personal violence to her
at any time or in any place, except when
she was the aggressor, and when it was
necessary for me to exert force to thwart
her from malicious mischief
l deny that 1 was in the habit of using
profane or opprobrious language to her!
on the contrary l aver that my language
| to her at all times, except when she had
spell on, was as polite and chaste as
| the amenities of social life require. When
| her blood was up and she forgot to act
| as lady have given her the benefit OF
| n vigorous and pungent vocabulary.
did not surrender my manhood nor re-
nounce my independent individuality
when / became the husband of Ida Eu-
| genie Hunter Neither did l acknowledge
my mother-in-law as a censor of my con-
duct, nor my wife a dictator of my ac-
| tions. BY arrogating to themselves the
| functions of censor and dictator, respect
| lively, they assumed more than the pre-
| negatives of mother-in-law or wife, and
| encroached on my right, inherent and
| constitutional of having representation
| as well as taxation.
Among the ladylike and refined pro-
ceedings of the evening she spat in my
| face. That made me warm, and / eau
toned her to deny herself another i'm
| pulse of that kind. Then she got the
broken cane and threatened to kill me.
| l picked up a small pressing board and
volunteered the information that If she
undertook to do it would smash her with
the board. Then she relinquished the
| cane, and l started out of the house. She
! tried to prevent my exit. Failing to do
| so she followed me into the street
| gave her u walk down, and then a walk
| up, and then walk back into the house.
| With clothing disarranged, and INSULT
| Client for the weather, she there exposed
| herself to illness and the gaze of the
neighbors; and by her loud talk attracted
| attention to us. which added to our
| fame as gratuitous entertainers. While
| In the street she announced in a loud
voice that She would go where | went"
| After some of the excitement had sub
| sided she and her mother resumed the
| conflict as allies against me, and the
mother-in-law whom | had sheltered and
fed for nearly twenty-five months with
out expense to herself had the gall to
say: II wish l could do or say some
thing to make you leave this house for
| good l let her have her say, and
| started for the kitchen TO fix the fire
and make the house secure for She night.
WIFE'S COMMAND.
As ! was descending the stairs my wife
commanded: Go and get me some
whiskey." I refused to go and get it,
Then my mother-in-law was heard to
| say, "You will -" as though The
mandate would bring the liquor. Ten
| O'Clock p. m,, and the lady of the house
calling for whiskey, and the man of the
| house refusing TO get it. Then mother-m-
law arrayed herself for the street and
went out for the panacea, She got it!
And delivered il. Our wordy war became
| tripartite until We turned in for the
| night.
| / slept in my own bed in the front room
| of the house. My wife had selected an-
other bed in another room, which was a
| voluntary Withdrawal from my bed and
| consequently makes her a deserter.
| AT o'clock a. m. began to dress N.Y.
| self. She came into the room TO oppose
| II. Not being successful she clutChed my
| shirt and tore IL so that l deemed it nec-
| essary to make change of linen. While
| doing so she landed one OF my shoes In
my face. Then the other shoe followed
with a like result. While putting on my
shoes she threw my slippers at me. but
| they were light weights, and less hurt
| ful. Her fury increased and she reached
| for a heavy ornamented toilet bottle of
my dressing case TO throw at me- But
| disconnected her by giving her a boost
with the inside of my right foot on the
most solid and prominent fleshy part OF
her anatomy.
| Not satisfied with the variety and re-
| suits of the skirmsh. my wife Withdrew
| to her own room. between myself and the
| stairs, and found other articles of briC-a.
bare which she hurled at me. ] told her
| to cease her nonsense and behave her
self She disregarded my request, and e
show her contempt for my authority
she made a grab al my beard. TO put an
| end to the exec Ssive heat of the encoua-
! ter, and to reduce her temperature
resorted to a hydropathic remedy, anc
dOuscd her tender form with water which
was in the wash-stand pitcher in my
| room. About thTee-quaris We're used
with GOOD effect.
MADE A DASH FOR HIM.
Then my esteemed mother. in-law made
n dash for me from an adjoining room
with another pitcher of water, and an,
nounccd THAT it is time for me to TAKE
a hand in!'
l simply parried her onset and let hel
tire Of the effort.
Then mother-in-law bethOught herself
of clever mode to injure me. She
grabbed my vest from off chair and be
gan rubbing IL into the water on th'
carpet. Vest and contents of pocket.
were nicely saturated, and my watch anC
some memorandum papers Of importance
10 me were scattered In tho water. Ny
watch chain was then out Of service, my
wife having wrenched II out of plac,
and broken it in former trial Of
strength.
During the lull in hostllitics my wife
aided by her mother, denuded herself
and for half an hour entertained her hear
eTs with a vocal medley.
on her knees. before the dressing cas-,
in the room which had occupied she re
viled and she raved' then she invoked
heaven to send curses and plaques OF
me and all people bearing my name, ex
cepting herself.