Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1903-10-09
A Pathetic Divorce Suit.

Charlton circuit court is that Of
VIM. L. Elledge, a brother to
Frank L. Elledge, proprietor of
Sneed's hotel in this city, who
makes his home with his Keys
tesville kinsman.
According to plaintiffs petit
ton he was lawfully married to
defendant Nov. s, 1893, and con-
tinued to live with her as her
husband until sometime in
August, 1903
Plaintiff AYERS that, during
their married life, he discharged
all his duties as the husband of
defendant, and at all times treat
ed her with kindness and affec-
ton, but that defendant, wholly
disregarding her duties as his
wife, treated him with such in
dignities as to render his condi-
ton as her husband intolerable
in this, to-wit:
That at the time of plaintiff 8
marriage to defendant he was
employed as travelling sales
man by the Van Malta Lynds
Drug Co., wholesale druggists of
st. Joseph, Mo-, and that he
earned a salary from which he
was able to and did support de-
fendant in ease and comfort; !;
that about the autumn of 1899
plaintiffs eyesight began to fail
him from which time he was
compelled to expend and did
expend large sums of money in
the necessary treatment of his
eyes, and, having little means
other than his monthly salary,
he was not able to provide
lso lavishly for defendant
as before; that plaintiff contin :
lued to perform his duties as such
travelling salesman, notwith-
standing his affliction, until
about July, 1902, when his eye
sight so failed him that he was
compelled to give up his employ
ment; that during said time he
provided for his wife to the full
Iextent of his ability, but she, re-
gardless of his affliction and his
Impoverished condition, insisted
upon spending and did spend
large sums of money for dress
and pleasure, and often bsrated.
scolded and abused him because
of his poverty and inability to
provide for her many wants.
4 Plaintiff AYERS further that on
or about the End day of August,
1902, he left st. Joseph for Bal.
timore, Maryland, to take treat
ment for his eyes from a noted
, specialist, and that his wife &C.
companied him; that at the time
, the only property he owned was
an equity in some real estate
in st. Joseph, worth about $500:
his household goods and about
$700 in money which they took
. with them to Baltimore; tha
while he and his wife were ir
that city she insisted upon max.
ing and did make trip to New
. York at an expense of 500, leav
! ling plaintiff in Baltimore withou
) friend or acquaintance, and 81
blind he could not go from hi
room to his physicians offic
without some one to guide him
: that while he and Mrs. Elledg
d were in Baltimore, she also mad
la trip to Washington, D. c., an
- there remained several days
: which said trip was made in
I manner and under circumstance
q well calculated to occasion hi
i disapproval; that while the
d were in Baltimore Mrs. Elledg
). carried with her the most of tn
money, or letter of credit fl
u most of the money, they ha
le taken with them, and defendan
J. without just cause or provocs
I. ton. became angry at plainti
% and threatened to go off ar
leave him, blind, among stranger
!. and without money, and it W,
al with considerable difficulty tn
vs. he induced her not to leave hi
tn permanently; that about Oct.
. 1902, they returned to Missoul
and he went, for time, to Ii
with his sister at LathroI, Clil
y ton county, and there remain'
ms until about Feb. IL, 1903,
it which time he removed to Ke
We tesville and has since resid
-. with one of his brothers; til
defendant is a talented and c
pable teacher of music, an