The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-02-26
FAMILY
TROUBLES.
Aired In The City Court
This Morning and
Settle By Judge

morning nun was charged by his wife
with assault and battery. A flEe OF I'D
and costs was imposed. He left tho dock
with smile On his face remarkihg that
no would rather spend the remainder Of
his life In jail than live with his wife.
Attention might here be called to tho
bill that came before tho Virginia Legis-
lature on Saturday when Representative
Powell OF Brunswick, said that women
boat their husbands on the question Of the
passage Of bill Furnishing wifo beatsrs he
came up.
You mean tn pass bill like THU. that
will give to he world tho impression that
Iueu In this state beat their wive,9 That
would DO an unfounded aspersion upon
the reputation of the men who sent you
here. There Is no wife. boating in Bruus-
wick county, whore come from. On the
contrary, there are few women there who
do net systematically thrash their hus-
bands on tho slightest provOcation and
frequently without any provocatlon at all.
IF we arc to protect any one In this
state from corporal punishment" he won't
on. tit should certainly bo The Virginia
husbands Tho custom Of husband beat
ing In this state Is growing more general
every year. Up in Brunswick county u
man cannot look cross-syed Mt his vito
without gottinga sound thrashing. All
the women have clubs and whips aud
monest sights in my district is that of an
angry wife chasing Il blnbbcrins husband
up tho high street."
"a eloquent was Mr. Powell that tho
bill was defeated. A canvas OF The legis.
lators brought out tho fact that wife
beating 10 practically unknown in Virgin.
Ia, but that there is plenty Of husbands
beating.
One Of the legislatures confessed shyly
to Il reporter that his vito frequently In.
flloted punishment upon him with shin
gle, "Butonly when ! we'll desery it,"
he hastened to add.
"Do Nu think many of tho legislators
are beaten by their wiveI!' he was asked.
"More that half Of them, he whispered.
"They are not whipped every morning or
anything like that. but every now and
then the wives mako a break for them
with broom or something. Tho women
are impulsive, and will not stand any
nonsense from the men. l think ii Is u
very good thing too because, ~ arulc.
when husband is beaten he deservesi'.
Some people think that any man who t.
his wife whip him deserves what he gets
anyway, but don't know about that"
Representative Powell was asked If he
inten ended to introduce bill furnishing
husband. beal ers mot much!' he re-
piled" / wouldn't dare to go back to
Brunswick county if did. The right to
boat her husband when he deserves 1t Is
ono that the brunswick county woman
values above all others.
Dayton T.. Pierson was charged with Z
neglecting his children. Eta Plerson tes.
titled that shu was 4 years of age and that
she had charge Of tho house at No 1914
Scarles street and rook care of her BROTH
ers, Harry aged O. Frank aged 8. She de-
nicd that hcr father bought any clothes
for her. He was sick for eighteen weeks
and during that time no borrowed money
and kept the house ard paid the rent Ho
has purchased clothing Tor The other chill
dren.
TO tho court she stated that the children
did not sutfor for want of food. He has
never been away from home at night He
has beaten her on former occasions and
has boatoD the two little hoys.
Agent Stout e,tifiod that he visited the
house and the interior was very dirty. lie
did not consider itsa healthy place to live.
The members of the family have all slept
in one bed and the bed clothing was very
dirty Thoro was no fire in the house al
though there WIS both coal and wood
there.
Pierson stated that the principal trou-
bio was that there was no mother Hs
loves his children, worked when he was
able, and tried to keep d home for his
family.
But his wife refused to come back lis
did net wilfully neglect his children He
is willing to support his wife and Chi Ircu.
lie Inns done everything in his pow + TO
keep his home Ho has spent Sunlr'. ut
work repairing their clothes, He hn ne
everything possible to live In u resp TO-, lls
manaer. TO the question as to W. II,
didn't put u hOusBkceper in thera - iii
that he did rot want 70 do so as h, S ot
the opinion it was not proper. o tnfto
sickness he earned on an average '1nt ~
u week and tho house ront is 81 'nGnti.
In nm swer to the charge that hr struck
his child's head with piece OF X ,aling
wood no was very sorry that 1t cve' occur
cd. Willard Hall Portor of the society
Of Prevention of Cruelty to Childr n ask
ed that the children be placed in charge
of tho Society for few weeks. On thu
charge OF assault he was fined $40 and
cost. 1t is hoped thut the man and wife
will be abe to arrange matters amicably
so that thoy can live together.
In the course Of three weeks or n month
the case will he taken up again and tho
Chil dren will be returned to Pierson.