The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-20
THE Wall OF A WIFE.
Husband Never Bought Her a
Dress in Thirty Years.

Armourdale. Kan, May 20.-A suit OF
unusual character has been fled in the
district court of Wyandotte county by
Sarah A Brown against her husband
William A. Brown, a wealthy farmer
living near Piper. Kan.
In her petition, drawn by Attorney
w. H. McCamish, Mrs Brown accuses
her husband of having squandered
thousands of dollars speculating on the
board of trade and in bucket shops,
and with having treated herself anu
their children with gross neglect She
asks the court to interfere in her do
nestle affairs to the extent of provid-
ing for her support and awarding her
q Just and equitable share OF her nus
bands property, saying that her heaith
is broken and that re IS 10 longer aple
to work as she has Gene tor the past ~
years. She does not ask for divorce,
bllt wants the court to restrain her hus-
band from disposing of the rest OF his
property.
The petition recites a story of over
81 years of family history. 1t sets out
that the plaintiff and the defendant
were married in Wyandotte county,
near White Church. on November 81,
1870. At that time Browns property
consisted of two teams and a wagon
some household goods and 4O acres oA
moor land in Missouri left him by his
horse and some household goods. Brown
sold his land and his wife received 81
500 from her fathers estate Ine young
couple combined their means ana
bought farm near Piper. Whlch Is lI1e
present homestead and is now worth
about $4,000.
The wife says that she always has
been a loving and faithful wife, dolns
her household duties and even assisting
her husband in his work on the farm
IT.. al ciVlS horn. A IL
the work of rearing, clothing and edu-
eating the children fell upon the mother
For sixteen years, she says her nus
band never gave her any money TO buy
clothing for the girls or bought any
himself Here is one passage:
THE defendant never purchased Tor
plaintiff, nor gave her money to pur-
chase. a nice dress such as others in
ner station in life were accustomed to
and the circumstances of defendant
would warrant during their married
life: that the defendant never during
said marriage relations purchased for
plaintiff or give her money 70 purchase
a cloak or outside wrap, excepting on-
red shawl; that the only wearing ap-
parel furnished to plaintiff by defendant
during the past fourteen years of their
married life were pair of house slip
pers. q pair of 25 cent hose and a set
of false teeth
The wife's petition says she furnished
the family table and often bought her
husbands s clothes. She and her daugh-
fers MIXED as many as nineteen COWS
at a time She fed and watered nine
cows, made butter, and marketed gar
den products. butter and eggs She
even kept boarders to make money for
family expenses. while her husband. +"
she says. gave her not so much as
words of encoura cement. but even left
her to get up of mornings to make the
fires" Besides this she says she had to
cook and wash for the hired men.
bodied man. she says. and made money
off the farm About four years ago he
began speculating. In 1898 she alleges
that he squandered $4,000 in this man
ner. In 1899 she says he squandered the
value of his whole crop for that year.
amounting to between $500 and $500. He
lost about the same amount in 1900 In
1901 she says he lost the proceeds of his
whole crop, consisting of 1.400 bushels
Of grain The crop of 1908 went like
1L-ien