The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-29
MRS. KERSH LISTENS TO
CHARGES OF INFIDELITY,
Tell Tale Letters Written by Hus-
band Are Rend in Court.

Tell Tale Letters Written by Hus-
band Are Rend in Court.
One of the most interesting di-
vorce case tried in the Superior Court
in some time is that of Mrs. Minnie l..
Kersh against Benjamin o. Kersh. The
defendant is resisting the wife's libel
for divorce and both parties are evinc-
ing much interest in the proceedings.
The case occupied the attention of the
court yesterday, and will be resumed
when court convenes this morning
The defendant produced number of
witnesses by whom he designed to
show that his wife had been on nu-
merous occasions guilty of infidelity.
One witness swore that he saw Mrs.
Kersh and a man emerging from her
home between 4 and 5 o'clock in the
morning. Another witness told of
meetings which he had witnessed be-
tween Mrs. Kersh and one w. p. Bald
win, a Seaboard Air Line clerk. The
wife's attorneys produced evidence
purporting to show that the witness
was blind.
Mrs. Kersh, attired in a neat white
shirt waist and black skirt sat be-
side her counsel, James r. Cain and
Osborne & Lawrence, and behind her
sat her aged father and her 15-year-old
son. Mr.. Kersh sat with his counsel.
John E. Myrick and Travis & Ed
wards, and prompted them frequently
in questioning the witnesses. He
evinced much interest in the proceed
ings, and while certain communica-
tons, which he had written to his
wife were being read, commented in
soto voice on their contents.
Minnie, dear, darling baby, won't
you give me your consent to see pou
please precious, and our child, darling,
and oblige your bereaved husband. b.
o. Kersh." So ran parts of his letters.
Some of these he denied ever having
written. In other letters, purporting
to be written by him, he ascribes all
the trouble between him and his wife
to newscarriers.
Rev. DR.. Van Deventer told of a visit
to Mrs. Kersh's. The wife refused to
eschew the company of Baldwin, be-
cause she said he had been a kind
friend to her She denied that she had
ever been on unduly intimate terms
with him.
The parties were married in 1886 and
lived together until September. 1902.
At the time of the separation he &C
cused her of infidelity and had her pri-
vate apartments searched by police off,
GERS. He had, at times, acted so queer
ly, the wife said, that the neighbors
had cause to believe him crazy. She
also charged him with drunkenness.
She was forced, she says, to start a
milk dairy in order to earn livelihood
for herself and two children. By his
presence around the business office she
says he almost ruined her patronage.
In order to avoid publicity the couple
entered into an agreement at the time
of the separation, by the terms of
wife $25 a month for her support. He
made the first payment, she says, but
has never made any more; except to
purchase a pair of shoes, for so cents,
for their baby girl. subsequently an
agreement was made whereby the hus-
band was allowed to see his children at
stated times, but promised to stay
away from her home. This resulted In
habeas corpus proceedings, which were
decided in Mrs. Kershs favor
All of the evidence was adduced yes
terday and the case went to the jury
Mr.. Cain began the argument for the
wife, and was followed by Mr. Myrick
who did not conclude. His argument
will be resumed this morning, after
which Mr.. Edwards will present other
views of the husbands side of the case.
Mr.. Osborne will conclude.