The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-10-17
Mrs. Dixon Bored Holes In
Order to Watch Her Husband.
She SAW HIM KISS A WIDOW.
Woman Was In Her Night Robe al The Time.
Some Startling Testimony al The Trial
Of a DIvoTcs Case.

Boston. Mass. Oct r7-Mrs. ]. K
Dixon, wife of the Rev. Or. Dixon. for
ner pastor of the Warren avenue church,
who is now suing her husband for di-
vorce, obtained most OF her evidence by
boring holes in the ceiling OF the room
occupied by her husband and from a
piazza of the house in which they lived
in East Hampton.
Mrs. Dixon said during the trial that
she saw Mrs. Amermann, widow of a
Pennsylvania representative, kiss DR..
Dixon Mrs Dixon added that she could
not tell the court all she saw.
Miss Katherine Calvin. a nurse, said
she had known the Dixon family eight
years, during Dr. Dixons pastorate in
Philadelphia She had heard Dr. Dixon
use violent language to his wife. she
had seen the doctor kick his wife and
kiss Mrs Amermann She saw the kiss
ing through a keyhole.
DIR. Dixon once told her, the nurse tes-
titled that Mrs. Dixon had thrown a
syrup cup at him. He had also charged
in witness presence that Mrs. Dixon had
gone 10 places Of ill-repute.
Or. Dixon was very much devoted TO
his wife the first six months she was with
them, Miss Calvin said. Mrs Dixon was
cold, but witness never heard her use
violent or abusive language TO him or
the children
II had followed Or. Dixon 10 Mrs
Amermanns house at. night" said Miss
Calvin. II saw him enter and thought
Mrs. Dixon was TO blame up 10 the time
OF the church trouble in Philadelphia
Then saw why she was so cold TO him."
BORED HOLES IN THE CEILING.
Mrs. Dixon told OF going 10 East
Hampton i'm the summer OF 1898 to spend
a vacation at the house kept by Mrs
Amermann, the correspondent, who is
now dead. Previous TO this. Mrs.
Dixon had had trouble with her husband
and had occupied a separate room.
In East Hamptnn some of tho children
were taken i'll with diphtheria and quar-
antined on the third floor of the house.
Mrs. Dixon remained in quarantine. Dur
ing this time DIR. Dixon went up stairs
only once.
Mrs. Dixon testified that the boards in
the floor of the room directly over Dr.
Dixons room did not extend clear TO the
wall. but left the rafters and plastering
exposed. The witness bored three holes
In the plastering on August in order to
have view of DIR. Dixons room.
On the second or third morning after
the quarantine was established she saw
Mrs. Amermann in her might robe. Mrs.
Amermann walked down to the end OF the
hall and disappeared. She could have
gone nowhere except TO DIR. Dixon's
room. Nearly every day for three weeks
Mrs. Dixon said. she witnessed similar
occurrences.
Mrs hat cha
peeked through the holes in the plaster
ing and saw Mrs. Amermann I'm her night
robe In DIR. Dixon's room. The minister
was writing letters, which he would pass
10 Mrs. Amermann. Witness saw Dixon
embrace and kiss Mrs. Amermann sew
eral times. she spoke to Mrs. Amermann
in the presence Of Dixon regarding their
conduct. Mrs. Amermann replied:
"You are a woman of low mind. When
tho man comes TO fix the ceiling, 7 shall
tell him how the holes came there. He
will know what kind of a woman you
are and spread reports about YOU broad
cast over the country"
WATCHED THROUGH A WINDOW.
Mrs. Dixon said that she and Jennie
pearson. a servant, climbed out Of win
dow late one night and crept along the
piazza roof as far as the window OF DIR.
Dixon's room. There was a light in the
room and the window was up, but the
shutters were closed.
Witness turned the shutters So that she
and the servant had a view of the room.
Mrs. Amermann. clad in her night gown,
was In the room. DR.. Dixon was similar
ly attired. Mrs. Dixon declares she was
so shocked by what followed that she was
unable 10 describe IT,
Mrs. Dixon testified that before Mrs
Amermann's illness DR. Dixon took hei
driving several times. and treated hel
Ike a princess" Mrs Amermann, hei
two stepchildren. DIR. Dixon and his two
daughters ate at the same table. Wit
ness ate I'm the pantry and in the kit
chen.
Mrs. Amermann occupied DR.. Dixon,
room I'm the rear of the house. the wit
ness said. Mrs. Dixon bored holes in tn,
door which led from Mrs. Amermann',
room into the hall Upon looklnJ
through the holes early one morning sh,
was greatly shocked by what she saw.
NURSE SAW NOTHING IMPROPER.
Mrs. Jane Relnhard testified that sh
was called upon by Dr. Greene to nurs
Mrs. Amermann In December. 1898. r.
direction OF Mrs. Amermann the witnes
locked the doors leading 10 her room. ex
cept the one connecting with DR.. Dixon
room DR.. Dixon used to spend abou
half the day time in Mrs. Amermann'
room.
~ saw nothing out % the way done
said Mrs. Rcinhard OR Dixon entere
the room several times when was bath
ing Mrs. AInermsnn. I asked him 20 70
tire. DIR. Dixon used TO tell mo that Mr.,
Amermann had been very kind friend
the family. He also told me that Mr.