The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-20

The feature of yesterdays proceed
ings in the divorce case of George Fl.
Trauger against Mrs. Vira Trauger was
the appearance on the stand of Mrs.
Trauger, who denied that she had ever
maintained illicit relations with DR.. j.
K. Bentley. She said her husband had
been cruel and abusive to her for years
| and. that he wanted a divorce because
she was in poor health.
At the morning session, Robert Won
Storch Mrs. Kate Griffin, Mrs. Mary
Thomas, Miss Belle Calderwood, Mr..
and Mrs. Thomas Lake and Mrs. s. G.
Cobb testified that they frequently saw
DR.. Bentley enter or leave the Trauger
house on East Market street, prior to
the separation of the Traugers
Mrs. Daisy Wint, who boarded with
the Traugers, testified that on the night
of the separation, Trauger came to her
room and told of the unfaithfulness Of
his wife, in the latter's hearing. Mrs.
Trauger made no comment on what her
husband said
Mrs. Louis Trauger, step-mother OF
the libellant, said she was asked by
the respondent If she thought it was
wrong for her to have DR.. Bentley
come to the house to see her, and the
witness said she told her it was i'm
proper. Mrs. Minnie Trauger was at
the Trauger residence when DR.. Bent
ley called on one occasion. Mrs. Trau-
ger took him upstairs. and they re-
manned there for an hour.
CALLED ON THE DOCTOR.
On one occasion, Mrs. ANGELA Lowry
said she was out driving with Mrs.
Trauger, and the latter stopped at DR..
Bentley's office, went In and remained
about fifteen minutes.
Attorney C. w. Dawson testified that
after the divorce proceedings were
brought, he called on Mrs. Trauger to
serve some papers on her, and he asked
him to use his influence to get her hus-
band to take her back. He asked her
why she had confessed to her husband,
and she told him she thought she would
not go to heaven unless she did, and
she wanted to ease her conscience. She
said she liked DIR. Bentley and having
sinned with him once could not resist
him.
Henry Smith, a detective, testified
that in the summer Of 1900, about IL
o'clock one night, he saw DR.. Bentley
drive into an alley and stop at the rear
Of the Trauger house. Mrs. Trauger
came out of the house, got into the
carriage and drove away. Louis Win
ters, a justice of the peace of Mill City,
said that soon after the divorce pro-
ceedings We're begun DR.. Bentley came
to his office with paper, which set
forth that there had never been any
o1nt hot, hi nd
Mrs. Trauger. He wanted Mr.. Winters
to go with him to the house where
Mrs. Trauger was staying and get her
to make affidavit to the truth of the
contents of the letter. They went, but
Mrs. Trauger would not sign it. DR..
Bentley was called and asked to pro-
duce the letter. He said he had de-
stroyed it, The libellant rested his
case at that point.
DEFENSE OPENED.
Attorney c. Balentine opened the
case for the defense. He said they
would show that Mrs. Trauger was
abused by her husband and was in
constant fear of him; that she had been
i'll for years and her illness had af-
fected her nerves. On the night of Feb.
20, 1901 he had wrought on his wife's
feelings until she was in state of
hysteria and then he forced her to say
words concerning her relations with DR..
Bentley which he put in her mouth.
DR.. j. w. Coolidge was called and
testified that in June, of 1901, he oper-
ated on Mrs. Trauger at the Hahne-
mann hospital for a disease that had
probably lasted for several years and
which would have tendency to affect
the nerves.
Mrs. Trauger was then put on the
stand and remained there until ad-
journing hour. She will be cross eX-
amined this morning. She said her
husband had misused her, been sus-
picious of her, and had tortured her
with his unjust accusations. She de-
MED that DR.. Bentley had ever been
anything more than a physician to her.
She had the doctor come to the house
at times when her husband was not at
home, for she did not want him to know
it, as he was always complaining about
the doctor bills. On the night of Feb.
90, 1901, she said her husband had
simply terrified her by his nagging and
abuse.
OTHER CASES.
The jury In the case of Mary Foster
against John Reese went out yester-
day morning and had not reported
verdict at adjourning hour. In the
case of A. Henderson against. NJ. Il