The age-herald., 1900-02-23
BERTRAM CLAYTON SUED BY HIS WIFE 
Former AIabamian Brought Into
 New York Divorce Court.
IS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS
Also Brother of Congressman Henry D. Clayton of Third Alabama Dis trict and Colonel Besides.
 Sensational Charges

Colonel Bertram T. Clayton, native Alabamian, brother of Congressman Henry D. Clayton of the Third Alabama district and himself the representative in congress for the Fourth district of Kings county, New York. has been sued for divorce by his wife, Louise M. Clayton, on the alleged grounds of cruelty and non-support.
 Both the bill and the answer of Colonel Clayton are sensational ill the extreme The following story of the proceedings ap- peared in the New York Herald of Wednes- day:
 Colonel Bertram T. Clayton of the Four teenth regiment, who during the war with Spain was commander of Troop C, which saw service in Porto Rico, and who is now the representative in congress for the Fourth district of Kings county, has been made defendant in an action for a legal separation brought by his wife, Louise M. Clayton, whom he married twelve years ago.
 Mrs. Clayton, avery attractive woman, is a daughter of William B. Brasher, a wealthy retired manufacturer now living in Tarrytown, where Mrs. Clayton has been since she separated from her husband sev-
  William B, Il years old, and Bertram Tracy, years old, who are now with their fathers relatives in Alabama.
 Cruel Treatment Alleged
 Mrs. Clayton, through lawyer, applied to Judge Dickey, in special term of the su- preme court yesterday for $3O week ali- mony and $50 counsel fee, and decision was reserved She accuses her husband of cruel treatment and non-suppo1t. The former, she alleges, has extended over the last seven years, and became more marked after he was elected to congress, in 1898. She al- leges that he has constantly cursed her, her with violence, shown her no respect or affection, and melted her children to disobey and disregard her. ''Finally, in May, 1S99 he ordered her to aeave the house, she asserts, and he has re- fused to devote to her support any portion of the $5O00 he receives from the govern ment as salary. It Is also stated that dur ing the last seven years she has given her husband more than sl2, 900 received by her as an allowance from her father, and dur ing that time she has net had for personal expenses more than s1,OO0 Her husband is said to have never purchased anything for her, not even a Christmas remembrance, spending the money derived from her fath- CT for his club dues, horse. military, and political disbursements. "Her only share in ihis daily life was abuse. blows, lack of all respect, and continued neglect" the com plaint ayers.
 Dressmaker Sued for Bill
 Tn the later part of 1899 the colonel was sued in the municipal court by dressmak- er to recover the amount of a bill for cos tun es made for his wife. He repudiated the bill, but was obliged to pay it eventually.
 Mrs. Clayton received a yearly sum of s2.OoO from her father until her husbands S election to congress, when the amount was recueed cne-half At one time their home was in Flatbush, where the wife alleges she acted as cook and chambermaid while Ter husband was posing a soldier and a public character.
 Tn reply. Colonel Clayton makes counter charges of the use of liquor and states that his wife has been confined in an asy- lum for ine5riates selected by her father s physician. He had, he says, to put an advertisement in the newspapers warning merchants that he would not be responsi- ole for any debts she contracted such as she was constantly mourning. Referring to an occasion when he took her ito Ala bama to visit his parents, he says:
 "'While there she acted in a most shame full manner, obtained money on the credit of my brother upon false representations, incurred unnecessary debts, met men clan destnely, writing and receiving letters from them, and, in short, created such scandal tf,a Fav away in the latter part of February, 1893. She then came back to New York, but l was at a loss to know what to do with her. I took her back to live with me on her promise that she would do different Her father gave 4ner the $2000 a year with the understanding that I was to have the disbursement of it. It was to be expended for her benefit, in accordance with a mu- tEal contract
 During the Campaign
 < While he was in Porto Rico, states Col onel Clayton, anis lawyer was authorized to collect his/ salary and the allowance from MT. Brxsher and pay the household and Mrs Clayton's expenses Between August l. 1898. and February l, 1899, she, as alleged, contracted dressmaking and millinery bills amounting to nearly $1.00O. It is said that she borrowed money from Troop c mem- bers, and that she either sought to nave members of the troop come to her house or else she met them in Prospect Park. The children became afraid of her when she took to drink, it is asserted
 Colonel Clayton denies that he ever ltreated hds~ wife with cruelty. She circu- lated,' he says, all kinds of scandalous ! stories concerning friends of mine, and has 'lbecome so notorious in that regard that she