The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-01
REFUSED VERDICT
IN DIVORCE CASE
FOR FIRST TIME IN YEARS
SUPERIOR COURT JURY FAILED TO
UNITE MATRIMONIAL KNOT.

Libel Was Brought BY Julia Will
Iiams Against Her Husband, J. /.
WilIiams-AIIegedC Cruelty, Deser-
ton and Drunkenness - Defend
ants Answer Put Blame on Moth
er-in-Law Relatives Influenced
Wife to stay Away from Him, He
Charged Mother-in-Lav's Cook
ing "UnwholesOme."
For the first time in several years a
jury in the Superior Court yesterday
refused to grant a divorce.
The unusual character OF this &C
tion caused considerable comment
among the court officials. The case
in which a verdict was refused was
an interesting one. especially so be-
cause of the comparative youth of the
parties.
The libellant Julia Cleveland Will
liams. is pretty young woman be-
tween is and 20 years Of age, and of
very pleasing appearance. The defend
ant, John / Williams. is not more
than 70 years Of age and his appear
ance made a good impression upon all
in the court room.
In the libel for divorce, filed at the
December term of the court, the libel
liant made serious charges against her
husband, accusing him of being an
habitual drunkard and of treating her
cruelty. Since the birth of their Sec
ond child. his cruel treatment had in
creased, and at the time of filing the
petition she claimed she was in daily
fear that he would commit some act of
unusual violence upon hey.
Furthermore, she alleged that he, had
deserted her, refusing to contribute to
her support, and leaving her depend
ent upon her relatives for mainte-
nance and sustenance. Since their
separation he had remained away
from her continually, and had not even
called at the house to see the children,
of whom he had formerly been very
fond.
For these reasons she asked that the
court grant her a divorce, and to pro-
vide for her wants and necessities,
that the defendant be required to pay
her alimony in the sum of $40 per
month. She further asked that the
custody of the children, both minors,
NC SiNVll W hCl.
MOther-in-Law Figures Again
In his answer to the petition of the
libellant, the defendant denied that he
had ever treated his wife cruelty, and
that he was an habitual drunkard. He
claimed that he had made repeated at
tempts to persuade her to live with
him But she refused.
For much of this he blamed his
wife's parents and relatives. Accord
ing to his story of the trouble, the
wife, Immediately after the birth of
the second child. decided to move to
the home of her mother and live there.
He, after some remonstrance, had
acquiesced, but once there, her rela-
tives made life unbearable to him, he
charged.
1t was his wife. he alleged, who re-
fused to live with him. not he with
her. At different times he claimed to
have heard his mother-inlaw advising
his wife to have nothing to do with
him, and to keep away from his
rooms. Nevertheless he continued to
live with the relatives until life be-
came uncomfortable.
MOther-in-LaVv n Poor Cook.
A change of occupation, which car
ried him outside the city limits TO
work, made it necessary, the answer
alleged, for Williams, to carry his
meals with him to work. His moth
er-in-law would prepare them for him
and those he found "unwholesome,"
and such that he could not eat them.
He then went to his wife, he said,
and told her he would have to make
other arrangements for his meals,
but he would pay her board at her
mothers. This angered his mother
in-law, he alleged, and she ordered
him to leave the house, which he did.
He believed that his wife then con-
cluded that the matter was settled.
He asked that the court not compel
him to pay alimony in the sum of 500,
as that would be more than he was
able to pay. The answer further
stated he was willing to pay for the
support of the children without an or
der from the court.
After hearing the evidence the jury
decided that there was not sufficient
proof to render a verdict of divorce.
Williams is machinist, employed at
w. F. Higgins shops. His wife was
formerly Miss Julia Cleveland