Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-08-22

Asd1LhIIls CudT2Gu WDLn nOn-SuppOTL OL his wife and child, in the city court this morning, overfowed with spicy
 testimony and was enIivened with
 several lively tilts between Attorneys O'Neill and Kennedy, the opposing counsel. During one of the tilts At torney O'Neill passed the lie to his
 brother member of the bar, but mo- ] ment later withdrew the statement
 remarking that the language was
 somewhat too sharp and keen. Tn
 the course of the trial, which lasted all morning and was then adjourned
 to Wednesday morning, the opposing l counsel had many sharp arguments in regard to the admission of certain 1 questions and answers. Some of the language used by Mrs Rankin and her sister, Mrs Mitchell, in quoting their husbands words, was shocking even to the old rounders present. among the spectators and made them shud-
 der and gasp. To-day's trial is only prelude to the hearing of MT Ran
 kin's petition for the removal of his wife as joint guardian of their child. 1 In the probate court on next Tuesday, | and that will probably be followed by a suit for divorce.
 Mrs Rankin was the first witness. I She stated that she left her husband
 on Thanksgiving day, s03. She had been spending the day with her sis ter and when she returned her hus- band told her in the most filthy and blasphemOus kind of language that he did not want her to live with him
 any longer and to go at once to her - family or he would kick her out. She asked dhim If he meant it and repeating several paths he replied | in the affirmative. She then left
 him and went to live with her sister
 From that time until now she has
 been living off and on with her sister and with her parents Her husband has given her only $10 since that time ture bill. For one week at Christmas time, 1903, he lived with her at her parents home and that was the last
 time that they lived together. She testified thaf her husband went out
 nearly every night and came home
 drunk. She told him if he didn't do better she would leave him. He
 gave her $1O a week and would get
 half of it back during the week for
 drink. She said he often stayed out
 from work on account of drink. He
 got $15 Or SIS a week, so she said One night he came home drunk and she happened to be at a neighbours house and he shouted that he would
 cut her heart out if she didn't return. My husband could drink barrel,v
 she said, land you would never know that he was drunk" She said she
 gave it good care. On being cross
 examined she admitted knowing one
 James Mitchell, but all questions in regard to her relations with him were
 ruled out at this time. From Janu-
 ary until June % she worked in the Clock shop for $6 week. John
 Mitchell, brother of Mrs Rankin, tes- tiled in about the same strain about the Thanksgiving day quarrel and the drinking habits of MT Rankin Mrs Rankin admitted writing a letter to her husband asking him to take her back as she was nearly heartbroken since she left him. The letter was filled with the most endearinG terms.
 Mrs Smith, who nursed Mrs Rankin at the time of the birth of her child, was most amusing witness. She to eat except pork and cabbage, and when asked if she got enough to eat she said, "Yes. such as 1t was" She stated that Rankin was drunk the night the baby was born. She said she suggested to Rankin that his wife needed several things, but she never got them from him. Asked what they were, she replied among several things bananas and oranges. Ibid you give Mrs Rankin bananas two days after childbirth?' "Yes, on the doctors advice" Attorney Kennedy remarked that it was a wonder that the woman lived, and Mrs Smith agreed with him. This finished the evidence for the state.
 Mrs Westburgh, sister of James Mitchell, stated that she had seen Mrs Rankin in company with her brother on divers occasions and she had warned both of them about 1t and advised them to desist. Mrs Rankin said that they were old sweethearts, and Mrs Westburgh told her that she would have to forget that now as she was married woman. When James Mitchell came home from the navy he went to live with Mrs WestbuTgh, who lived up stairs over the Rankdns. Mrs Rankin kept asking her to tell James she wanted to see him. Finally one day Mrs Rankin went upstairs and spoke to Jim and stretched out her hand to him. He refused to take 1t,
 
 followed him and was standing by him when Mrs Westburgh heard steps and ran into the room and told Mrs Rankin to clear out and not cause any scandal. She said that Mrs Rankin used to praise her husband highly un. til her brother arrived upon the scene and broke up the happy family. My brother deliberately broke up thls family and gloried in it" she re- marked
 Charles Ashton, friend of Mir Ran kin, stated that he saw Mitchell and Mrs Rankin together several times once at Forest park on Decoration day It was at this stage that Attorney Kennedy remarked that another man was supporting Mrs Rankin, and At torney O'Neill said it. was lie. He later withdrew the remark and Attor- ney Kennedy explained that he meant another man was supporting her that day.
 The pay clerk at Matthews & Will lan.d's where Rankin works Saifl that