The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-08
'TWIXT LOVE AND DUTY
RAN WRIGHT COMPELLED TO TRY
TO SUPPORT TWO FAMILIES.
Unusual Circumstances Attending a
Case on TriaI-Grand Jury's Re-
p~ort-Other Court News.

IT would not give up my children for the
best man in the world" This was the ut
terance Of Mrs. Lilly Terrell on the witness
stand in Judge Leathers's court yesterday,
where her former husband, Frank Wright.
was being tried for contempt Of court. Her
second marriage proved a failure. trouble
arising over her two children, and she pre-
ferred to stand by them and let her hus-
band go.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wright were divorced on
Jan. %. 1899. In granting the decree Judge
feathers ordered Wright to pay 81 a week
for the support of his children, who were
given into the custody of their mother.
Wright took up his residence with his
mother, Mary Lebarth, on Eleventh street,
after the separation Mrs. Lebarth was
the wife of Charles Lebarth, commonly
known as French Charley" and was a
fortune teller. She was in i'll health when
her son came to live with her and had a
woman nursing her. She became greatly
attached TO her nurse. and. thinking she
would make a good wife for her son, adj
vised him to marry her. He complied with
her request and was married about six
weeks after the first Mrs. Wright secured a
divorce. On July 6, 1899. his former wife
had him cited to appear before Judge
feathers to show cause why he should not
be held for contempt for not paying 81 a
week for the support of their children, as
ordered by the court. Wright Is a paper
hanger by trade. He told the court that
his trade had been dull and that he had
been unable TO make the payments. The
judge released him upon the promise that
he would keep up the payments.
The next chapter in the course of events
was the marriage of the first Mrs. Wright
TO a man named Terrell. This marriage
was not satisfactory TO Terrell, who COM
planned about supporting the children. He
contended that Mrs. Terrell had represent
ed TO him that her former husband woul
provide for them. Wright failed to pay the
regular installments and matters grew
worse in the Terrell home until Mrs. Fer
rell left her husband n filed a suit for di-
Vorce, which Is now pending. In the mean
time Mrs. Lebarth died, leaving her prop
erty as a life estate to her son Frank. Two
children have come TO Wright by his second
marriage, and the money for the support OF
his children in the custody of Mrs. Terrell
was paid ~irregularly.
The climax came yesterday when Mrs
Terrell again had her former husband cited
TO appear and show cause why he should
not be held for contempt for not paying "a a
week. Wright told Judge feathers that
his business had been dull and that il took
every dollar he earned TO support his sec
ond wife and their two children. The judge
was puzzled for some time as to what &c
do. There was the former wife, with two
children, who needed assistance, on one
hand, and the second wife and two chill
dren, who also needed assistance. The
judge finally modified the former decree
and ordered Wright TO pay $50 a week tc
his former wife, and told him that if he
was ever again cited TO appear before him
for contempt he would be punished.