Richmond planet., 1899-07-22


Clement B. Wolf, the stenographer
in the employ of the Civil Service Com
mission who is being sued for mainte-
nance and support by his wife, Nellie
J. Wolfe, yesterday made answer to
the charges contained in her peritisn.
His reply is q lengthy one, made
through his attorney, w. Preston WI.
Aiams, and contains some rem arkable
accounts OF their marital life which
are not brought out in the wife's bill.
The couple have two children, and this
Tact and others concerning their mar
riage as to the time and place are ad
mitted by the defendant. BE then
goes on to relate q considerable nuuber
OF abuses which he claims his wife has
heaped upon him for long time. and
makes charges concerning her conduct
and the character and standing OF her
family. Among other things, Mr..
Wolfe makes the somewhat astounding
announcement that he discovered some
time after his marriage that his wife
was Of Negro blood, and that her
grandfather was q 1ull-blooded Negro.
. To substantiate his statement regard
ing Mrs. Wolfe's colored ancestry, the
defendant files q copy of letter from
mis- mother-in-law to his wife which
practically admits the truth of it.
Mr.. Wolf declares that about two
years after their marriage his wife be-
gan systematic and habitual course of
intreatment toward hi a, sighting and
humiliating him in every manner pos
sible, and using toward him the moSI
coarse and profane language. 10 ad-
oitlon, he says that she had puhlieiv
threatened his life and assaulted him
without cause, save that aroused bv an
upgovernable temper.
KNOCKED DowK AND WALKED OK.
Upon one occasion last winter, while
they were living at $50 E street north
east, he relates, Mrs. Wolfe struck him
in the presence of q guest knocked him
down upon the floor, and then kicked
and stamped upon him with her feet
and rained blow after blow upon him
in the most vicious and relentless man
ner, at the ssms time cursing aud
abusing him, and declaring that II she
could not drive him to suicide she
would herself kill him. Wolfe says
that he is q hard-working man of deli
cSsions, when he has been i'll, sne has
kicked him out of bed and compelled
him to sit up all night in the Kitchen.
The defendant further declares that
his wife endeavors by threats end at
tacks OF violence upon him to compel
hlm TO sign an agreement to give her
$40 month, and permit her without
molestation TO commit acts in viola
tion OF her marital vows. He declares
that she desired this agreement for one
reason, in order that she might become
housekeeper for o millionaire bachelor
who would give her plenty of money
and diamonds. All of these attacks up.
on him, Mr.. Wolfe says, he endured
without retaliation in a single instance
out OF regard for his children and in
the hope that his wife might relent
and permit them to live in peace. The
eerning the Negro antecedents is as
follows:
HE BLAGEs HER ANCESTORS.
That defendant cannot account for
the extraordinary actions and manners
OF complainant, as it is entirely incon-
slstent with the conduct and manner
that obtains among decent and respec-
table people, and cannot be accounted
for in any other way unless it be on &C
count Of bad blood which she inherits
from her ancestors, and defendant
ayers and charges the truth to be that
the grandmother of complainant de-
serted her husband, David Baird, and
took up with . Negro man with whom
she lived and cohabited for some years
having by him a large family of child
rem that Mrs. Cora Baird Horton, the
mother Of the complainant, and who
IS half-breed, as fully appears by let
ter filed herewith. was one OF the child
rem which sp7sng from this inter-
course. That defendant had no knowl-
edge OF the said facts that his mother
in-law was half breed and the Off
spring of Negro, but believed that he
was marrying into good and honest
family, and that his mother-in-law as
we'll IS mis- wife were highly respecta-
bic and good people, but since the mar
rings defendant has not only discov-
cred that his mother-in-law is Of Ne
gro blood, but he has also discovered
thas she deserted her second husband,
Charles E. Cole, on the 4th day Of Au-
gust, 1888.
In consequence of this snd the repu-
tation Of the family, Mr., Wolfe states