The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-06
THEIR LIFE OF MISERY.
sTEINACKER's TROUBLES WITH
HIS WIFE AIRED IN COURT.

His Answer Filed and Hearing Upon
His Wife's Petition for AIimony
Begun Before Judge Barrow-stei-
naeker Denies the Charges of
Cruelty Made Against Him by His
Wtfe-Has Never Threatened to
XIII Anyone Save the Correspond
emit I'm His Suit for DivOrce-Judge
Barrow Reserves Decision to Sc
cure Additional Evidence.
The hearing upon the application of
Mary v, Steinacker for temporary and
permanent alimony from her husband,
George T. Steinacker. was begun in the
Superior Court. before Judge Barrow,
yesterday morning, but was continued to
permit counsel for the plaintiff to intro
duce evidence of the amount of money
now being made by the defendant.
The answer of the husband, which
was filed yesterday, is a rather pathetic
document. He alludes to the time when
he attempted his own life, which &C
ton he says was caused by the mental
suffering and agony which he at that
time endured, by reason of the long
continued marital unhappiness which
had existed between the plaintiff and
himself. The more immediate and
actual cause for his attempt at self
destruction was the knowledge brought
home to him that his wife had been
guilty of the wrongful conduct set
forth in his petition for divorce against
herf and the threat made to him at that
time by the plaintiff that in the future
she expected to lead the life of an inn
moral and abandoned woman.
The defendant says that the reunion
effected between the plaintiff and him
self was made with the most sincere
wish and desire on his part that all
past misconduct might be eventually
forgotten in the course of time; but
his hopes and desires in this respect
were not realized, and latterly facts
have been brought to his attention
showing a return on the part of the
plaintiff to her former misconduct.
He denies he has ever been harsh or
inconsiderate to his wife and daugh-
ter, or threatened to kill or harm either
of them, as is alleged in the petition
against him. The only threat of this
character he ever made referred to the
correspondent in his original petition
for divorce.
On the other hand, he AYERS that his
wife has several times attempted to
kill him, especially on April 26, 1888.
in Baltimore, Md, when she assaulted
him with a butchers knife.
An account of the marital unhappi-
ness that has been the portion of the
Steinackers since they were married,
twenty-four years ago, follows. The
husband says he and his wife have
been separated already seven times,
and that the present separation is the
eighth that has occurred. He has
worked hard all his life to support his
wife and family. but largely because
of the unhappiness that has come to
him and the agony and suffering he
has had constantly to endure he has
not been able to accumulate property
and is now encountered and pressed
down with the weight of debts he is
unable to meet.
The property which she charges him
with intending to destroy he claims is
his, not hers. He is willing, however,
she should have it, with the exception
of a picture of himself, which he AYERS
the plaintiff has recently boosted she
would use to adorn the walls of a
house devoted to immoral purposes
which she threatened to establish.
The averments as to neglect and
cruel treatment made by the plaintiff
were supported by her affidavit, detail
ing long story of alleged misconduct
on the part of her husband. and by
the affidavit of Mrs. Elizabeth Cohen,
substantiating some of these charges.
Steinacker seemed to have no desire
to fight the proceedings, but on the
contrary to be content his wife should
go her way and he his. His counsel,
Mr.. R. M. Hitch so stated in his be-
half. Judge Barrow said he could not
act on the question of alimony without
being given some information as to
the amount of the defendants income,
and to secure this testimony the case
was continued.
supplementary affidavits in the case
were filed during the afternoon on the
part of both the wife and husband.
Mrs. Steinacker AYERS that her hus-
band makes from IS to Sc per day as
foreman of a gang of carpenters, in
which employment he is almost con-
stantly engaged, and that when he is
at work as a contractor his earnings
are very materially increased.
She further takes the opportunity to
deny the charges made against her by
her husband. She says she has never
been unfaithful to him or guilty of the
improper and immoral conduct he i'm
putes to her, but, on the contrary, has
always striven to act towards him the
part of a dutiful and affectionate wife,
so far as his cruel treatment and vi
cious and unfounded charges against
herself and their daughter would per-
nit.
In his supplementary affidavit Stein
acker says he has not averaged 80 a
day for the past month and that when
he takes a contract he takes also the
risk of loss. He is not able to pay his
own lawyers, save by their concession
of a reasonable time to his necessities,
and is, moreover, incumbered with
debts.
An AnRI. ErnnI. SAYS GIrERRY