The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-09-24
NO AL|MONY.
Mrs. Mary Knapp Fails
to Make Out Her
Case.
CONTRADICTORY AFFIDAvlTS
Some Tall Swearing in a Suit
for Divorce for
Cruelty.

! In the Court of Chancery, yesterday,
Vice Chancellor Stevenson heard the ap-
plication of Mary A. Knapp, through her
counsel, Weller & Lichtenstein, for all
mony and counsel fee pending her suit
for divorce against her husband, Smith
Marshall Knapp. In support Of their ap-
plication Messrs. Weller & Iichtensteln
read number of affidavits. Mrs. Knapp
swore that she was married October IL,
| 1894, her husband at that time having
seven children by previous marriage.
The youngest of these children IS hfteen
| years old and the Oldest thirty-four. The
four youngest lived with them after the
marriage. OF her union with Knapp
Mrs. Knapp says twin children now hve
years old were born. Three weeks after
their marriage her husband began 10
abuse her by calling her foul names. A
month before her children were born ne
abused fher and threw her down upon the
floor. He often came home intoxicated as
1 late as one o'clock in the morning ana
abused her. In November, 1897, Mrs.
Knapp accused her husbands daughter
4 Jennie, of having taken fifteen cents'
whereupon her husband struck her in the
| face so that it was discolored for SIX
/ weeks. She had him arrested and he was
convicted of assault and battery before
Police Justice Potts, who is his counsel
in the present case. On several occasions
he kicked her and threatened to kill her
| He became so violent toward her that
she lived in fear of her life and could
not sleep nights, 80 that on August 10
she left him and has not lived with him
/ since.
! At the time she married Mrs. Knapp
kept dry goods store in this city anu
supported herself. She. had about sz,Voo
| in the bank, which her husband squah-
dered by his intemperance and lnois-
| cretion. Knapp, she says, sells condenseu
milk on commission and makes ABOUT NV
| q. week. He also makes considerable
/ money as a whiskey agent. He allowed
/ his wife IS a week for the support OF the
family, besides buying the butter ana the
children's shoes Knapps daughter,
Grace, worked and paid $3.50 week poaro
for about five years, before Mrs Knapp
tleft her husband. Grace lett nome iase
Iulv since which time Knapp has allowed
his wife Sc per week.
| Flora Carmichael, who lives next ooor
\ to the Knapps, made an a11iuavie ~
| which she said that she heard 1requeht
ouarrels between the Knapps, ana one
evening in the month of November sne
heard Jennie Knapp cry out, come Mrs. ;.
| Carmichael, papa is killing mamma
| She ran to the house and hearo MI .
| Knapp say HE is killing me. She aiso
| baard Knapp say with, an oatn, VIII
! ill Won ;, to his wife. Mrs. Carmchaei
| also swore that she had frequently seen
tynann under the influence of liquor ana
| sbe had often seen Mrs. Knapp crying ana
hoard her complain of her husbands III
+raa+n,ent She also heard Knapp call ms
own daughter a vile name
Annia n Russ, of Hoboken, a friend OF
the complainant, said that she saw Mrs.
Knapp's face greatly discolored anu was
fold bv her that her husband mad
caused it.
| In reply to these, ]. Herbert Potts reau
| a batch of affidavits. Knapp denleu an
allegations of cruelty made by ms wiie
or that he ever called her opproprious
4 names. He also denied that ne was du-
| dicted to the use of Intoxicating hquors ,.
| On the occasion when Mrs. Knapp accuseu
his daughter, Jennie, OF taxing tne ~
/ +aon eents he says she flew into a terri
| bla rage and came at him with uplllleo
ibards endeavoring to scratch his face,
and that he caught her for the purpose OF
! uuieting her.
she had him arrested and the Court
!, held that he was technically guilty. lie
alleges that his wife, in her violent nts
of temper. has threatened to XIII nlil-
frequently after he had retired for the
nieht his wife would come to MS peo
and denounce and call him indecent
names.
After his wife had left him Knapp
swears he wrote her this letter.
"Dear Mrs. Knapp-My heart ear aches &c sss for 4.
! those who are near ana GEAR " uS "
AtsWhv can't we come together again and
| do right by each other ! know we can
/ arrange to the satisfaction OF po,n. l
Would like to meet you this P. M or
/ ev,ng at Mrs. Longs & let US talk over
/ the matter, are you willing II 50 name
time truly &c NJ KNAPPn
She returned the letter with profane
message, whereupon Knapp sent her TINS
| letter.
.Mrs. S. M. Knapp:-Listen to reason.
Hast chance. don't don't be lost allow in
] teryiew for you sake children's sakes ana
sake of all. Today ! make my papers,
sitter. nothing can withheld. The secret
| is exposed Think think before you go
iuranse .Iad adieur -oi''e n S. M. KNAPP
The wife refused to accept this letter
and sent word that she would never live
/ with him again on earth, that she would
go to service first He declared that his
home was ready for his wife any time
she wanted to return to it and his total
income was SIS or SIG a week. He also
thinks his wife is not in her right mind.
Jennie Knapp denied Mrs. Carmichaels $
statement and said that her step-mother
told her to tell her father she would
never come to his house again. The other
children swore that they never saw their
| father intoxicated and denied MRS
! Knapp,s charge of cruelty.
/ Sarah j. Foster, who once lived next
door to the Knapps, said Mrs. Knapp had
/ 4 violent temper and she often heard used
vulgar and abusive language 70 her hus-
hand. Several other affidavits of the
same nature were read.
/ Anather AFFIDAVIT by Mrs. Knapp was