Evening star., 1901-09-03
HELD FOR CONTEMPT
Paymaster Rodney Placed in the
Custody Of the Marshal.
OWED SIT ON ALIMONY ACCOUNT
Counsel Says His Client Wants to
Be Judge and Jury.
AGAIN ARRAIGNS W
WIFE

o-
An order was issued by Judge Anderson,
sitting in Equity Court No 1. this morning,
committing Paymaster Robert Burton Rod
ney, u. S. N, retired, to the custody of the
marshal of the District unless he pays his
wife the sum of SIT by 2 o'clock today.
This amount is due to complete the S45 ali
mony ordered paid by the court for the
month of August The amount stated, SIT,
was paid by the defendant shortly before
the hour designated.
Although neither Mr.. nor Mrs. Rodney
was IN court today the hearing in their
case not devoid of spectacular fea-
lures. Two affidavits were presented by
Attorney Devices, signed by Mr.. Rodney,
in which he prays to have the amount of
aimony which he is ordered to pay his
wife reduced from s45 to s2S per month.
The Rodney case was the first business
before Judge Anderson this morning. At
tOrney Devices, representing Mr.. Rodney,
made a preliminary statement in which he
said that as the prosecutors of his client
seemed to be after blood, he (hiS clienO
proposes to give them all the gore they
want" Judge Anderson interrupted coun-
sci at this point and informed him that the
courts were not kept open for that pur-
pose. Mr.. Devices then presented his affi-
davits and as the counsel for Mrs. Rod
ney were not present the case was laid
aside for other business temporarily.
Terrible Effects Of AIimony.
The affidavits presented today were as
follows:
After the misery and wreck which ALI
mony has caused in his home and life by it's
unhinging the mind of his thoughtess,
foolish, young, foreign wife. he implores
the court to be specially considerate toward
him. Madame Recamer defining marriage
as promotion, his erratic wife imagines ali
mony the next promotion after marriage.
And he suggests the risk of turning the
institution of alimony itself into travesty
and ridicule, to bestow it in such an in
stance as this
This order of the 10th instant was stated
by the court as Judge Hagner's order re-
vived. which order is clearly erroneous,
having last January II, been based on an
erroneous affidavit. viz, that of w. Tyrell,
January 7. superseded by that of the same
affiant (TyrelD. January H. The court Au-
gust last admitted and decided this lat
ter affidavit, superseded the former, yet
the court overlooked the inevitable result
of the superseding, viz, the invaidatng
of the order which had been based thereon.
Besides, Judge Hagner could not have
known the abandoned life by which the
courts beneficiary, Mrs. Rodney, was 60
Ing to abuse and dishonor the courts boun-
ty during the former temporary alimOny
period (see affidavits) this alone should bar
any renewal.
An Itemized Account.
THE plaintiff is in debt to the defendant
as follows, viz: Forty-eight days support
during her second period of wanton deser-
tion from him, June % to August 10. date.
Judge Hagner's reinstated order of jan
uary II last now takes effect. At the
rate of at least 81 day, which her support
cost the defendant, here is a sum of S4S
which should be returned him from this
renewed alimony. That this desertion cf
him was wanton is proved by no less than
four affdavits-Mr. and Mrs. lift and Mr..
and Mrs. Poivret. But as he advanced for
her keep the aforesaid money while she had
forfeited all claim upon him, SO, in the
same loving kindness, he will not enforce
this debt against her, while the court al
lows him to continue as before to provide
tor her support. without any ahmony.
The alimony of $40 is anyhow excessive
and tntolerably burdensome on defendant
he being thereby deprived of any chance Of
saving money for absolutely necessary legal
expenses, in which her monomania in
Volved him; move it be reduced to, say $2S
AS the government does not pay in ad-
vance, but only at maturity, move that the
first payment be deferred till September l.
then a half month accruing at maturity
and so 1t is a climax of Injustice to
extort money in advance from a payer who
himself can get that identical money only
at maturity.
Severe as are the afidivtis against
plaintiff, all the atlantis can easily make
them still more So"
Still Another Financial Statement.
Another affidavit sets forth the amounts
paid Mrs. Rodney during August as fol-
lows:
The plaintiff in the rule to show cause.
as usual, comes forward with what is need
less, VeXatious and malicious. The follow
ing statement shows she has been taken
care or right straight along without any
alimony order and Notwithstanding her sec
ond wanton desertion of her husband:
July 20 last order NJ. Edith Rodney SO
August last, order NJ. Edith Rodney. 7
August 13 last, order NJ. Edith Rodney
August II last, order NJ. Edith Rodney
August = last, Mrs Mary Foley....... Z
"All through the United States Express
Company's drafts. the remitter being r. B.
Rodney, defendant.
'As the defendant on August G was re-
ceipted by plaintiff, 'deductabe from any
future payment it is includabe with the
payments since August 10 date of courts
order, making s2S paid plaintiff up to Au-
gust 81, and which are to be credited on
said courts order The draft Of August q
was to her landlady's order (Mrs. Foley,
as the latter notified defendant that Mrs.
Rodney was Withholding her board money.
Comment of Counsel.
When counsel for Mrs. Rodney appeared
they asked that Judge Anderson sign an
order committing MIR. Rodney to the GUS
tcdy of the marshal until he should pay the
amount due. Judge Anderson asked If the
defendant was in court, but his attorney
said he was not. He prefers not to come
here" said Mr. Devices. Commenting far
ther upon the peculiarities of his client
Mr.. Devices remarked to the Judge: HE is
the most peculiar client / ever had He
wants to be client, judge, jury and counsel
all at once"
Judge Anderson concluded the case by is
suing the order asked for by Mrs. Rodney's
attorneys.
CONDENSED LOCALS.
William Henson. colored, twenty-eght
years of age, who said he lived at 13 7th