Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-03-14

Douglass II. Forester VS.. Walter b.
Johnson-The plaintiff and Cora Ella
Johnson, daughter of Moses Johnson of
West Jamaica, were married In 1885. They
had six children born to them, four of
whom are now living. They lived at West
Jamaica and in Jamaica village till June,
1899, when, as the result of trouble be-
tween them Mrs Forester took her three
young girls and went to her fathers home.
soon afterwards beginning proceedings for
a divorce on the grounds of intolerable
severity and neglect to support. a bill
was granted after a contest at the follow
ing September term of court. the custody
of the three girls being given to the wife,
and the case being continued on the
question of alimony. That question is
still undecided, having been a subject of
controversy at several terms of court and
undoubtedly leading up to the present
suit. which is an action on the case to re-
cover damages in the sum of $4,000 for the
alleged alterations of the affections of the
divorced wife.
The story of the plaintiff who occupied
the witness stand for more than a day
may be briefly stated as follows: Up to
November, 1898, he and his wife had lived
together without any serious trouble. Oc-
casional squalls had arisen but had soon
blown over and he had every reason to
believe that his tender feelings towards
dustrious and provided the best that he
could for his family although somewhat
hampered in financial matters. In Mo-
vember 1898, Walter johnson of Brooklyn,
y. Y. the defendant, and cousin of his
wife came to Jamaica on a visit, it being
his first visit for many years, and spent
several days at the Forester home, Mrs.
Forester sitting up quite late at night to
visit with him against her husbands pro-
test A few weeks after the departure of
Johnson for Brooklyn Mrs. Forester took
her children and went to Worcester.
Mass. to visit her mother. During her
absence Forester found i'm the house a
letter that Johnson had written to Mrs.
Forester from Brooklyn stating that he
had occasion to go to Boston and asking
her to meet him at her mothers home in
Worcester for a visit The discovery of
the letter tended further to disrupt pleas
ant relations between husband and wife,
and a few weeks later Forester left his
family and went to Greenfield, Mass, at
which place he obtained work for two
months, sending home to his wife his saw
ings for the support of the family in the
meantime. Returning to Jamaica For
roster found that Johnson had moved to
that village from Brooklyn, with his ia
Their and mother, and was occupying a
house near his own home. Mrs. Forester
was much at the Johnson house assisting
the family to get settled. and Johnson in
the meantime. as her husband thought
was paying too much attention to Mrs.
Forester
The storm broke soon afterwards, Mrs,
Forester taking her children to her ia
theirs home and Immediately commencing
divorce proceedings. During the summer
Johnson and Mrs. Forester were much
together as testified by the plaintiff, under
circumstances that would suggest improp-
err relations between them
Soon after the granting of the divorce,
Mrs. Forester and her children went to
live in the house occupied by the Johnson
family In Jamaica village. Johnson's ia
ther died in May, 1900 and his mother was
absent in the west from March to Sep
TENDER of the same year
During that year Johnson and Mrs, For
roster took frequent walks together about