The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-03-03
WIFE DENIES STORY
TOLD BY HER HUSBAND
Mrs. Cora Lathrop Patterson
Alleges Spouse Was Cruel.
Millionaire Tobacco Man Seeks Divorce
in Omaha Courts-Action for
Alienation of Affections.

OMAHA, NeD., March 2.-Omaha peO-
pie have been somewhat scandalized by
the attack made a few days ago at Rich
nond. Va. by Mrs. Cora Lathrop Pat
terson on her husband. James T. Patter-
son, son of the millionaire tobacco manu-
facturer of Richmond.
Almost year ago young Patterson
came to Omaha-to secure a residence
in the State for the purpose Of seeking a
divorce from his wife. When proper resi-
dence had been acquired he began pro-
ceedings, charging his wife with cruelty
and limiting at infidelity. Mrs. Patterson
his charge more specific by setting up the
name of the man with whom she had
been. as he insinuated, guilty OF unseem-
ly conduct.
Business Man Named.
Patterson responded by mentioning the
name of Charles A. Rose, a business man
of Richmond. To this Mrs. Patterson in
dignantiy replied that Mr. Rose is her
cousin. that she never had any further
relations with Mr.. Rose than any wom-
an would have with a blood relation. But
the charges only served to enhance the
bitterness which was growing in Mrs.
Patterson's heart against her husband.
She, therefore, began to tell something Of
the inner life of the Patterson family.
setting up all her charges in her answer
to the divorce petition.
Will Sue for 100000.
Her husband alleges cruelty as another
ground for divorce, and to this she replies
by asseverating alleged facts. which, if
she substa ntiates them, will not only lose
Patterson the case, but give her excellent
grounds for her 100000 damage suit
against her father-in-law for alternating
her husbands affection from her.
Mrs. Patterson says one act Of cruelty
which Patterson charges, that Of an as
sault with a cane, was in reality an act
Of defence, that her husband had struck
her and intended further chastisement.
and that she merely seized the cane and
struck him TO prevent him doing so. She
says that she did not attempt to shoot
him, as he alleges, but that she was try
ing because of her dependency over her
unhappiness and the cruelties visited up
on her. to kill herself. She adds that her
husband struck W the revolver and the
bullet passed over his head and lodged
in the wall behind him.
Alleges Parsimony.
Mrs. Patterson alleged that she was
compelled from the parsimonious in
stincts OF her father -in-law and her hus-
band 20 lead life of coolest poverty. She
declares she was forced to live in an old
ramshackle house several miles in the
country from Richmond; that her room
was not heated, although that of her hus
band was kept comfortably warm; that
she was compelled to do her own cook
ing, washing OF dishes, and even scrub
bling, not being allowed a servant OF any
character, although she had never before
done Homework.
Says She Suffered From Cold.
She AYERS that windows were broken
out and cracks in the building admitted
still more cold, and that her appeals for
comforts met with a response equally
chilly with her surroundings.
She says that her boy, now eight years
of age, was also compelled to endure the
most singing poverty. AT one time. she
AYERS, she sent him to his grandfather
to ask for pair of shoes. The boy went
barefooted through the snow, and re-
turned the same way, without the shoes.
Mrs. Patterson learned that her hus-
band had come to Omaha to secure a di-
vorce She followed him here and took
quarters at the Merriam, a high-class
family hotel, where she began teaching
music and securing opportunities for
singing in public for compensation