The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-18
John 0'HaIe's Story of Desertion
Soon After the Wedding Cere-
mony One of the Saddest Tales
of the Divorce Court
PITIFUL STORY IN THE
B00MH0WER CASE
The HuSband,a Drummer With an
Income of Between $50 and
$50 a Week, Left a Sick Wife
to the Charity of Others
Court Will Adjourn TODAY

of the time of Judge Frederick w.
Lawton in Superior Court, jury waived
session, yesterday. Court came in at
o'clock. Recess was taken from 1
o'clock until 2.30 when the sitting was
resumed until 43O o'clock. Adjourn
ment was made until 9 o'clock this
morning Today the odds and ends of
the docket will be cleared up.
The inhumanity of man to woman
was strikingly developed in the stories
of some of the witnesses, and the in
consistencies of women no less so.
John OHale of Worcester told the
court that his wife, Martha j. O'Hale
left him five minutes after the wedding
ceremony, saying that she would on no
account live with him. According to
the witness no adequate reasonwas CIV
en- by her for this action. The witness
had always desired to live with his
wife. The court granted a decree nisi
for desertion. The couple were married
Oct 5, 1897. Sullivan & O'Connell ap-
peared for libelant
Anna W. Place of Baldwinville was
divorced from George w. Place. The
decree nisi was granted for desertion.
The couple were married July l, 1871.
The husband left his wife for the last
time in 1891. Mrs. Lizzie E. Simpson
and l.. E. Turner of Baldwinville tes-
titled for the libelant. Her attorney
was Edward L. Hill.
Sarah E. Boomhower VS.. Archibald
A. Boomhower disclosed a pitiful story.
The evidence showed that Boomhower
is a furniture drummer, and that he
has an income of from $50 to $50 week
He has failed to support his wife since
January, 1900. In the first three months
of that year she was sick and nearly
died. She was dependent for care and
medicines on the kindness of others.
She said that her husband sold her fur
niture and gave her none of the pro-
ceeds. She lived on Pleasant Street
until she was ordered by her doctor to
go where there was more sunshine and
less noise. Then she lived on Piedmont
Street Her husband came to her with
a paper which he asked her to sign.
In 1t she agreed not to look to him for
support. She began proceedings for
separate maintenance in the Probate
Court, and received an introductory
decree, which could not be enforced, be-
cause the libelee stayed without the
state. DR.. S. E. Herrick testified to
these facts Mrs. Addie L. Gould was
also a witness. officer Charles F. Gould,
said that he knew Boomhower, that he
was always well dressed, and had mon
ey. A decree nisi was granted for
gross, wanton and cruel neglect to pro-
vide proper maintenance. Sullivan &
OConnell for the libelant.
Maria A. Thompson of Worcester re-
ceived a decree nisi from Olson Thomp-
son on the ground of desertion. M. NJ.
Taylor for the libelant.
In the libel of Melinda White of Wor-
cester VS.. John E. White decree was
granted for gross and confirmed habits
of intexication. The couple were mar
ried in 1887. Libelee had not support
ed his wife since 1895. Lucy Humph-
reys and Emma McKennon testified for
libelant. She was represented by ]. H.
Meagher.
Mervin C. Gilbert of Kansas City re-
ceived a decree nisi on ground of adult
cry from Annie Gilbert. The couple
were married March II, 1895. Worces-
ter police officers testified to the arrest
of Mrs. Gilbert, who was found in a
room in Worcester with Frank
Reynolds. Sullivan & O'Connell for
libelant
Euphemia o. Peterson of Worcester
was given a decree nisi on ground of
desertion and permission to resume her
maiden name. She was married in
Fitchburg. On her wedding night a
policeman appeared at the front door
of the house and Peterson walked out
of the rear door This was the testi-
mony of the libelant, Oscar Nelson,
Hilda Olson and other witnesses. The
husband, Gustaf Peterson, is of resi-
dence unknown. ]. F. Jandron for
libelant.
Michael Dubois of Worcester was
divorced from Rose Dubois. The court
gave a decree nisi on ground of deser-
ton. The couple were married in
1887. When Rose left the home, said
the libelant she took 5000, the furni-
ture and the clothes belonging to her
self, her husband and her two children.
The children she left behind ]. F.
Jandron for libelant.
Della Godue of Worcester was
granted a decree nisi on the ground of
desertion from John Godue. They were
married March q, 49,, in Spencer.
Libelant said her husband left her after
their first child was born and again
after the birth of the second child.
Elvena Duhanel of Spencer, a sister of
the libelant, corroborated her story. J.
R. Kane for libelant.
To George A NJ. Blenus of Worces-
ter the court gave a decree nisi by
which she is separated from Arson
Blenus, of parts unknown, the ground
was desertion. A decree for alimony
of SO a week was made Counsel said
to the court that it was doubtful if the
decree could be enforced, as the
whereabouts of the libelee could not be
ascertained. Wood & Wood for hbelant.
The libel of Ida o. Estabrook vs..
Sylvester Estabrook, contested, was
continued until the November term of
the court. The court refused to make
modification of the decree allowing
alimony. Marcellus Coggan for plain
tiff and H. o. Smith for defendant Mr..
Coggan was temporarily represented
by ]. r. Kane.
MANY DEFENDANTS HELD