The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-21
Mrs. Agnes H. Hughes Also
Denies That She Is Q Smoker.
ANSWERS HUSBANDS CHARGES
Asserts That Her Father Is q GsntIsmaa
Who Was Greatly Disturbed by Her
Marriage 10 Hughes.

New York. Aug. 21.-Mrs. Agnes Hedge
Hughes. wife OF Rupert Hughes. poet and
sculptor and fiction writer. presented an
affidavit to the supreme court yesterday
In answer to the afndavit of her hus-
band. dated Aug. Is. In which he asked
for a divorce.
The plaiptiff Is represented by Frederick
w. Park, Of Park g. Frees. who have an
office at 40 Broadway
Mr.. Park said to Justice Hall Monday In
open court that the plaintiff had every
reason to respect and cherish his wife,
who was highly cultured and educated
woman. member of one OF the best
families In the state. whose only indlscre-
ton was her unfortunate alliance. he said,
with a man beneath her In the social and
moral scale.
Mr.. Park said yesterday that he could
not understand why Hughes asked an
absolute divorce. independent OF his de-
fence TO Mrs Hughes suit for q separa-
ton and anmony OF $50 a week.
MRS. HUGHES CHARGES CRUELTY.
Mrs. Hughes brought her action on
Aug. IL. alleging cruelty and desertion.
She said that she was wholly destitute
Of means TO support herself and her child.
Mrs. Hughes said that her husband de-
rived q large income from his literary ef-
forts.
In her AFFIDAVIT she said:
II have read abstracts from the affi-
davit OF Rupert Hughes. verified Aug. Is.
1902. That his allegation threin. that
am a woman addicted 10 the use of
spirituous and malt liquors Is unqualified
ly false; that while / very rarely take
little claret OF the like at dinner, I
am not In the habit Of using liquors In
any form at any time except at dinner,
and then only on special occasions In
very small quantities: neither is It true
that I am addicted TO the use Of cigar
cites. as therein alleged
Answering the charge that she was
not religious. made In an affldavit of
Rupert Hughes sister. Mrs. Greta
Witherspoon. and his mother. Mrs. Felix
Hughes, Mrs. Hughes says that ir her
mother-in-law and her sister-in-law lever
saw the inside OF a church they have
been most careful to conceal such lxnowl-
edge from deponent and have been most
careful to avoid pronting by such spirit
uai instruction as they have received" I"
DENIES oUARRELs AT HOME.
The statement,'' continues Mrs
mother do not I've happily at home Is also
false and quite In keeping with the other
statements OF the defendants there have
been family differences resulting entirely
from my marriage to this man. which
event was most insufferable to my father,
who Ia q gentleman and was driven to
distraction by the horrible misalliance
formed by my marriage; my mother al
ways encouraged me with handsome ad-
vanoes Of large sums Of money. contrary
to my fathers wishes. and that produced
some friction at home. but IL Ill becomes
said Hughes to make such false and
slanderous statements about those who,
during the FIRST four years OF our mar
ried life. provided for us; but now that
he has acquired fame IN the literary
world and has been honized by those with
whom he delights to consort. and of whose
bacchanallan reveis he delights to boast
Of 10 his wife. he simply. by his affidavits.
indicates those characteristics inherent In
him, from which have suffered so long"
Mre. Hughes says that since making
the affdavits In her moving papers she
learns that her husband makes 5000 a
year instead of $4,000, as she had at first
believed.