The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-22
PETITION is FILED
Lease Divorce Matter in the
District Court.
USUAL CHARGES STATED
Mr. Lease viii Not Contest
the Action.

The papers in which Mrs. Mary z.
Lease petitions for divorce from her
husband, Charles Lease. were filed in the
district court yesterday by Mr.. I. P.
Campbell. Of the firm of sankey & Camp
bell. The fling Of the petition had been
expected for some time. but owing TO the
fact that Mrs. Lease mas been out of
New York for some weeks. the papers
were not signed by her until recently.
As was announced in the Eagle some
time ago. the proceedings were to be be-
gun as soon as possible. Then It was in
timated that perhaps the matter had
been settled. This was not denied by
Mr.. Lease, but he would say nothing
further then about the case.
The petition is not very long one. but
it contains the usual number of charges
against the defendant. The stipulations
in the petition are as follows:
Comes now plaintiff and for cause OF
action against the defendants herein al
leges: Plaintiff and defendant are wife
and husband; were married at Usage
Mission, Kansas, on the 30th day Of jan
uary, 1873, and ever since said marriage
have been, and are now, wife and hus-
band.
Second, plaintiff alleges that she IS
the mother of four children, born to her
since her marriage with the defendant
Third, plaintiff IS a resident Of Sedg-
wick county. Kansas. and has been for
one year next past.
Fourth, plaintiff charges the defendant
with being guilty q gross neglect Of
duty towards her in this, to-wit, that
the defendant has failed and neglected
for more than twelve years last past 70
support this plaintiff and her family, and
to supply her and them with the ordinary
and necessary comforts and convent
ences Of life such as the defendant as an
able bodied man was competent and ca
pable Of supplying and furnishing; that
this plaintiff has been compelled to, and
has. by her own exertions and effort
supported herself, and largely and almost
entirely supported her family Of four
children almost wholly and continuously
for more than twelve years last past,
notwithstanding the fact that the de-
PENDANT was able bodied and was capa-
BILE Of giving to this plaintiff proper and
legitimate support.
'FWherefore plaintiff prays that she
may be granted an absolute decree Of d.
vorce. forever dissolving the bonds Of
matrimony heretofore existing between
her and the defendant. That the de-
fendant may be barred from any and all
interest in and to any real or personal
property that she may now or at any
time hereafter have or possess. and for
such other relief as to the court may
seem Just and equitable
Mr. Lease, 1t is said, will not fight the
case at all. 1t is understood that he has
to appear. but now comes the
question whether or not Mrs. Lease can
secure a divorce without making her ap-
pearance before the court. There is a al
versity Of opinion in the matter, and
some Of the attorneys in the city state
that the question has never been decided
in this court
Mr.. Campbell viii present the matter
to Judge Dale within the next few days
for az opinion on the matter If he
should rule that it is necessary for Mrs.
Lease to appear here IT might delay the
proceedings to some extent
Mrs. Lease is well known in the city;
in fact she has a national reputation. .
She has been in New York for some time /
and her son and daughter have positions [
there at the present time. Charles Lease, !
the husband, runs a drug business down I
near the Rock Island depot and has his
circle of intimate friends He rarely ever +.
says anything about Mrs. Lease Both I
parties IN the case have many friends in (
the city While the filing Of the petition
was not unexpected, vet the friends had
hoped that the matter would be settled
up. The case VIII probably not come up /
for some time, or IT may depend entirely (
on the decision Of Judge Dale regarding
The annearanca of Mrs I.easa