The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-06-27
WORE MIGHTY
IN THE
PARLOR
Mrs. Prentice Said Husband
Came and Told Guests 10 Go.
Claims Broker Is Insane.

New YORK, June N.-An exceedingly
pretty woman with fair hair and blue
eyes. thoroughly self-possessed. although
once In a while tear stole furtively
down her cheek. sat In the witness chair
In Trial Term Part III OF the supreme
court yesterday and told a special COM
mission and a sheriff's jury OF the eocen-
tricit!es OF her husband. Henry Prentice.
a member OF the Stock Exchange and a
son Of the late millionaire owner OF Prem
tees Stores In Brooklyn. She asks for
his commitment.
Mr.. Prentice was at one time exceed
ingly wealthy. and by reason OF trusts
made in favor OF his wife and daughters
remains. His wife and elder daughters
sat with DIR. Carlos F. Macdonald and
DIR. Allan MacLane Hamilton, experts in
lunacy case.
The husband and father sat with his
lawyer, George l.. Fox He offered his
counsel advice from time 10 time as TO
the questions propounded to his wife on
cross-examination. and laughted aloud
when she was asked II IL was not a fact
that at Point Pleasant he and she had
had serious disagreement because the
young men guests at their cottage in
sisted on bathing in their nightshirts.
Mrs. Prentice said her husband had not
years. In 1895. she said. her husband
set apart $4,000 for the use OF her fam
lily and herself. and she had used IL TO
pay the expenses of her daughters and
herself for two years.
Then she went on to tell of her hus-
bands Incorporate habits. She said that
Bellport t. I. She declined to give her
husband any liquor. and he insisted on
sitting under an apple tree all dayl ong
and refusing to give any one any Of the
fruit.
SAID DOLL WAS BABY.
Mrs. Prentice said that on European
trip in 1902 she gave her husband a small
allowance for cigars. because he raved
that he expected TO be the president OF
DO you recall the incident OF a doll?"
Yes, replied Mrs. Prentice. with tears
In her eyes He showed II 10 his friends
although We had dear little baby daugh-
ter"
At, Venice. Mrs. Prentice said. her hus-
band created disturbance by declaring
that there were 300 men outside of his
daughters windows.
Il have looked upon Mr.. Prentice as an
anlicted child" said the witness tear
What did he say to you on his re-
turn voyage from Europe?" asked Mr..
West. Mrs. Prentices lawyer.
He said when he got back he was
going to make s1,ooooo on the Stock
exchange"
Have you OF recent years made Mr.
Prentice an allowance?"
"Oh, yes" replied the wife with anima
tion. II have given him as much as so
and 7e cents a day and have given him
money for his barber and incidental ex-
penses."
Mr.. West then showed the Jury num-
be. of clipped pictures and drawings al
legged to have been made by Mr.. Prentice
nyA Af LAN
was labelled Henry Prentice's Steam
Yacht" and another a crude drawing of
a bird flying. with the inscription This
is my mother law. No good to any
one. II. p"
BATHING IN NIGHTRoBES.
Mr.. Fox then asked Mrs. Prentice as
to her allegation that her husband. while
at Point Pleasant. insisted on going
around in his bathing suit at all hours
of ;Ae day. She denied that other peo-
pie at the summer resort did likewise
did not your husband complain about
the way In which the guests at your
house went around in their bathing suits
in pres ence of his daughters?" inquired
MIR Fox.
NO. Mr.. Fox. he did not" replied the
witness sedatey.
do you not recall the fact that he OBJ
jected 20 some young men guests going
in bathing in their nightshrts?'
mo, sir, do not" replied Mrs. Prem
tice with Indignation, while her daughter
blushed furiously.
Mr.. Fox then referred 10 the allegation
that Mr. Prentice went into the basement
OF his handsome uptown residence at un-
seasonable hours clad only In his night
gown
II have opposed his going into the
drawing-room before his daughters
friends" replied Mrs Prentice with as
perity
What he came down for really was to
announce that IL was time the young
gentlemen should go home. and that ac-
counted for his night gown, eh?"
"Why should hep" asked Mrs Prentice
in apparent wonderment
Well what did he do when he came
down."
Tried to turn the young gentlemen out
OF the house,
You did not think ne had any rights
as a father7"
mot as a father to appear In that con-
dition."
The hea ring was then adiourned