The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-01-27
A PECULIAR
DIVORCE SUIT
Queer Allegations Made on Both
Sides in lhornsbery
Case.
The HUSBAND Tells HIS TROUBLES.

The divorce case of David S. Thorns-
berry against Helen o. Thornsberry, is
attracting perhaps more attention than
any case heard for some time in the
common pleas courts. This is due to
the peculiar situation developed in the
testimony, and the fact that the CO.
respondent, William Blair, appears in
court in his own behalf and sits beside
the wife at the counsel table. =
Thornsberry and his wife live in
Canton. They were married ten years
ago, and the wife asserts that they
never fully observed the married re-
lation, and that there was an anti
nuptial agreement upon this subject.
The husbands testimony did not fully
ccrroborate this claim made in tho
wiic's petition, however. j
Blair is half-nephew of Mrs.
Thornsberry, a son of half-brother.
He is young, boyish-looking fellow.
With effeminate ways and voice. He
went to board at the Thornsberry homo
several years ago. and this led to tho
trouble. The testimony shows that
Blair helped do the cooking, washing
and housework generally, Mrs. Thorns.
berry being frequently i'll, having had
several surgical operations performed.
blair also did fancy work such as tts
women and girls usually do.
A number of witnesses testified to
seeing the wife and her nephew show
signs of affection for each other. The
evidence showed that he put his arms
about her and on one occasion kissed
nor when she was in hysterical con-
dition.
The husbands testimony was rather
amusing and the spectators laughed
as he detailed the conditions of af-
fairs in the house. Thornsberry said
that after Blair came there he was ig-
nored and no consideration was shown
him: that he was excluded from the
loom when they had company; that
when his wife wanted her clothes but
went to the opera house together fire.
quently, the wife and nephew arm in
arm, while the husband was told to
go on in advance. He was given ten
cents to get a ticket in the gallery.
while Blair and his wife occupied
seats side by side in the balcony. After
the theatre was over the husband said
his wife would tell him to hurry on
ahead and have the fire good and warm
by the time she and Willie got there.
Thornsberry said that he objected to
these proceedings In a mild sort Of a
way, but not often because his wife
would tell him to shut up. He thought
when he saw them going about arm In
arm that he might be allowed that
privilege at least once in awhile. He
said he brought home all his money
and gave it to her, and that she did
not allow him sufficient to buy him
self clothing and shoes; that in winter
his feet were upon the bare ground.
Finally he lost patience and ordered
Blair out of the house, and when Will
lie went the wife went with him to
her mothers. A few days after this
they returned in response to letter
from the husband, and ii was agreed
that Blair should stay there IL the
wifo would give the husband Is cents
week out of the 50 week that Blai.
paid for board. This arrangement
lasted for two months and the pay
monts were regular. The wife finally
refused to give out the quarter and
then the trouble reOpened.
II finally led to separation and the
husband sued for divorce charging tho
wife with infdelity. gross neglect. etc.
The wife filed a cross petition also for
divorce, alleging that the husband our
Ing all their married life had not pro-
yided the necessities Of life and had
grossly neglected her. The case viii
carry over into next week.
Attorney James Sterling has charge
of the case for the husband, while tho
wife and Blair are represented by
James A. Rice.