The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-15
SENSATIONAL SUIT.
Petition in a Kansas City Divorce Case
Creates Excitement.

Kansas City, Mo-. Aug. 15.-Rein-
hart S. Sem. general travelling agent
of the S. A. Budlong company of Chi
cage, has brought suit for divorce
from Nellice Sem. He names E.
Frank Kirk, an insurance agent of
Kansas City, as correspondent.
Mr.. Sem is a nephew of DR.. Mich
Sem is the daughter of c. Z. Simpson,
rich farmer who lives near Des
Moines, Ia. Her grandfather recent
ly died, leaving an estate worth Il mil
lion dollars. Mrs. Sem is a good
looking woman rs years old.
Mr.. Kirk was formerly manager of
the life insurance department of the
firm of the Mastin, Drennon, Schafer
company. He lives with his wife at
the Elsmere, at the corner of Linwood
boulevard and Troost avenue.
July last Mr.. Sem went away on
a trip, telling his wife that he would
not return until September. He re-
turned unexpectedly early this month
and found his house at 1918 Wash
ington street locked and his wife gone.
He reported the disappearance to the
police, but after they had investi-
gated awhile they concluded that she
was not lost and they gave up search
ing for her.
Mr.. Sem began investigating, too.
Within a few days he received word
from his wife that she was at her faith
er's home in Iowa. She said then that
gone two months she became lonely
and she closed the house and went to
visit friends in Excelsior Springs. She
refused to give the names of her friends
there. After visiting them awhile she
went to the home of her father. pass
ing through Kansas City on the way.
She did not know her husband was at
home, she said, and therefore she did
not visit her home in Kansas City, but
went straight through to Iowa.
i have had no trouble with my hus-
band, she said to newspaper man
who called to see her at her fathers
home. Il am shocked to think of what
has come up on account of my leaving
Kansas City 1 cid not expect him TO
return to Kansas City until September
and thought I would improve the time
by visiting my folks.'
In his suit for divorce Mr.. Sem states
that they were married January IS,
in 1899, in Clay county. He states that
when he was out upon his business
trips she would entertain Mr.. Kirk with
beer and luncheons at the Sem home
and she spent so much time in Kinks
company that it became a subject of
notOriety in the neighbOrhOod. greatly
to his shame and sorrow, and finally
this wrecked and destroyed his home,
he alleges.
After Sem left, July 4, he states,
Mrs. Sem spent most of her time with
Kirk, requesting and permitting him 10
call at her home. He alleges that Kirk
and Mrs. Sem went together to the
Worlds fair in St. Louis and after
they returned to Kansas City they
lived together here in some secret
place, and while living together in this
way Kirk would go to the Sem home
at 1918 Washington, Sem alleges, and
would unlock the door and go in and
get the letters Sem had written to his
wife. He alleges that Kirk carried these
letters to where she was secretly stay
ing and gave them to her.
''She gave Kirk her photograph" the
petition says, land permitted Kirk to
exhibit it as the photograph of his
sweetheart"
Mr.. Sem says he returned unexpect-
eddy because while in Augusta, Ga, he
received a letter from his firm in Chi
cago, advising him to return immedi-
ately to Kansas City and await orders
here. He returned hastily without
warning his wife of his return and
when he got here she was with Kirk
he alleges, and when she saw in tff~'
newspapers that the police were look
ing for her she went to the home of her
father