The San Francisco call., 1903-09-25
MISERY HER LOT
IN LIFE'S WINTER
Helen Davenport Seeks
Divorce After Years
Of Peace.
Says Man She Married Forty
-Four Years Ago Is a
Drunkard-

Il Is seldom that q couple who have
lived together as husband ana wife for
almost half century enter the divorce
court, but occasionally such a thing hap
pens Il occurred in this city yesterday
and il is a matter of record that never
before IN the history Of this municipality
have a couple who have managed 10 get
slong peacefully for forty-tour years
brought their matrimonial troubles into
the courts for adjudication The plaintih
In the suit is Helen f. Davenport and
the defendant is William A. Davenport,
q carriage manufacturer. They were mar
ried Nay 2. 1883. and reside at 5o9 Franklin
street
The divorce Is sought for on the ground
Of habftual intemperance, Mrs Daven-
port alleging IN her complaint that for
the last five years her husband has been
so addicted to the use Of intoxicants that
he has been unable TO attend to his busi-
ness. His conduct, she says, has rendered
the last days Of her life miserable
The fOotlights possess more Of an at
traction for Constance Adair Mcbride
than does the position Of a matron- Such
at least is the claim Of her husband, John
Mcbride, who yesterday filed a suit for
divorce against her In his complaint he
accuses her of deserving him in June,
1900. or less than one year after she be-
came his wife. In an affidavit supporting
q motion that a summons in the divorce
proceedings be by publication he states
that she left him because she was infat-
Uated with the life Of an actress and had,
after leaving him, written him a letter in
which she said she was tired Of life with
him and would henceforth devote herself
10 the pursuit OF histrionic honors. They
were married at Terre Haute, Ind
Virginia E. Holland. who was married
70 William II. Holland on September il.
1894, would have the marriage ties severed
because Of his alleged cruelty. She says
that since February. 1899, when he threw
a wash-basin at her, her life has been an
unhappy one. She claims that after the
wash basin episode he treated her in a
shameful manner, even going so far as 10
tell her that he was dred Of her. She
says that he also remained away from
him home for days and nights at a tim7
and consorted with gamblers and other
people with questionable regulations She
closes her complaint by saying that her
cup Of misery was filled TO overflowing
Thanksgiving day, 1901, when, she says,
her husband deliberately inSulted a num-
Der Of friends she had invited TO dinner.
Cruelty is also charged in the complaint
for divorce fled by Eta Nealon against
James Joseph NealOn. They were married
nine years ago and Mrs. Nealon says that
almost continuously since their wedding
day Nealon has treated her shamefully.
ened TO Kill her, has repeatedly beaten her
and almost daily called her vile and filthy
names. A short time ago, she says, she
and her three children became so fright
ened at his actions that they sought
refuge in the streets and remained out
until late at night. or until such time as
they felt reasonably certain he would be
asleep.
Failure to provide is charged in the suit
brought by Assunta Roller against Do
nenico RoIleri and desertion is charged
IN the suit in which Anna c. Andrews is
plaintiff and Charles ". Andrews defend
ant
Divorces for desertion were granted to
Annette Mooney from Daniel J. Mooney,
Octavia Mackie from A P. Mackie, W.
H Tenney from Alice B. Tenney, Agoston
Haraszthy from Minnie Haraszthy, Eva
D Trimble from Charles r. Trimble and
Marie J. Dipple from William Dipple.
Cruelty caused the separation Of Emma
Becker from John Becker and A V.
Martin from J. A. Martin. and infidelity
was the ground on which J. Odell secured
q divorce from NJ Odell.