Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-09-18
Mrs. Grace Matherly Prose-
cuted by Her Husband.
CHARGE WAS ADULTERY
The Wife Was Taken to Des Moines
Thursday, But Was Released-Huss
band Said to Have Been Jealous Of
an Old Lover.
Iron Fridays Daily.l

A story or insane Jealousy coupled
with the prosecution of an innocent
wife on the charge Of adultery, comes
from East Ottumwa, where the injur-
ed lady lives with her parents. The
scene is laid in Des Moines from
which place an officer came few days
ago and took the lady back to face
her accuser in the person of her hus-
band. Her attorney, B. W. Scott, of
this city, accompanied her and sue
ceeded in clearing her of any incrim-
mating charge, and has commenced
an action for a divorce for her.
June 6, Miss Grace Lynch and Rob-
ert Matherly, of this city, were united
in marriage, after an acquaintanceship
of but one month. The couple seem
ingly had no home of their own and
spent the time living with the parents
of each other. For time they lived
at the home of the wife's parents, Mr..
and Mrs. j. T. Lynch, No 205 South
Evergreen street. Mr.. Matherly was
employed in the packing house and
his wife says was model husband.
After time they concluded to go to
Des Moines where they resided with
the husbands parents. The mother
in-law and the wife had trouble and on
August 80 the latter took French
leave" and came to the home of her
parents in this city. The husband be-
fore this had exhibited signs of jeal-
ousy, which Mrs. Matherly says she
cannot account for. After his wifes
departure he became convinced in his
own mind that a former lover, whom
he says is Frank Miller, of this city,
was concerned in her departure. Ac-
cordingly he instituted search of no.
tel registers and found that couple
had registered at the Briggs hotel as
J. F. Miller and wife, of Ottumwa, on
the evening of August 80. The OF
tumwa directory, by the way, fails to
disclose any ]. F. Miller. AS soon as
he made this discovery Mr.. Matherly
went to the police judge at Des Moines
and filed an information charging his
wife with adultery. A warrant was plac-
ed in the hands of Chief of Detectives
| Smith, of Des Moines, and coming to
this city last Thursday night he took
Mrs. Matherly from the home of her
parents in this city and conveyed her
to Des Moines to answer to the charge.
A search was also instituted for
| Frank Miller, but the Des Moines, Off.
Ger found, upon investigation that the
| charge was not likely to be substan-
| tiated, hence he took no one, but the
woman, who was accompanied by her
attorney, B. W. Scott, Thursday the
prosecution threw up its hands when
the case came to trial and dismissed
the case after the porter and night
clerk of the Briggs hotel had been
summoned and fatty denied that Mrs.
Matherly was the woman with the
man registered at the hotel as j. F.
Miller and wife, of Ottumwa.
Mrs. MatherIy's Story.
Mrs. Matherly was seen by Cou.
rier reporter this morning and she
stated that she had commenced an &C.
ton in the Wapello county district
| court asking for divorce, in which
she alleges that her husband had been
insanely jealous of her and that it was
this species of insanity which resulted
in his having already procured di
vorce from one wife, altho he is but
1 % years of age. She makes the start
/ ling allegation in her petition that il
became his custom when retiring with
1 her at night to place razor and
butcher knife under his pillow and
/ give her a peasant reminder that he
would cut her head off some day if she
4 didn't be careful. Once she says he
drew knife on her and in attempting
to wrest it from him, her hand receiv
ed cash. Under the circumstances
her dreams were troubled and she
couldn't get as much rest as she fell
her health demanded. Accordingly
on August 80, two short weeks ago
she took French leave" of her spouse
terminated their honeymoon then anC
there and fled to the home of her pa
rents in this city.
| Mrs Matherly denies that she is &C
quainted with Frank Miller, but final
ly admitted that she knew William
\ Miller, of this city, and that she hat
kept company with him about -four
months prior to her marriage with Ma
therly. She says that Miller is in the
railroad service out of this city bu
that she has not seen him for Ions
time. She denies that there is any
foundation for her husbands allega
tons and says that she left De!
Moines the evening of August 80, ar
irving in Ottumwa about 10 o'clock
hence she could not have stayed at the
Briggs hotel that evening. Her pa
rents bear witness to the truth of thi!
statement which was also brought ou
on the hearing in Des Moines.
Mrs. Matherly is but 10 years O
age and lays the blame for the whole
trouble upon her mother-in-law ant
says that that lady treated her shame
fully. She lives with her parents OF
North Evergreen street, and has al
ways borne good reputation.
Attorney Scott has not filed the pc
tition for divorce but has it prepared
in his Office and will file it in time TO-
the next term of court.
1t Saved His Leg.
P. A. Danforth, of LAGRANGE, Ga.
suffered intensely for six months witt
J a frightful running sore on his leg blu