The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-24
Value Put Upon Wifs's AfFec-
tiOns by j. p. SOndegard.
Charges DIR. F. III. Martin With
the Theft.
DISTRICT COURT.
Action for Damages Commenced
Today.
DIR. Martins Attorney Makes
Light of Charge.

In the district court this morning a
sensational suit was filed by John 2.
Sondegard, of Manhattan, against DR..
F. H. Martin. of Topeka, for SIS, 900 dam
ages. The plaintiff charges that DR..
Martin has alienated the affections of
his wife, Minnie L. Sondegard, and that
as result his wife has brought suit
for divorce.
On May Is Mrs. Sondegard filed suit
for divorce from John P Sondegard, in
the Shawnee county district court She
charged that her husband was guilty of
cruelty and neglect of duty. She alleg-
ed that she had been compelled to earn
her own living for some time. She fur
ther stated that her husband is an able
bodied man.
This morning Mr.. Sondegard filed a.
cross petition and answer, through his
attorney, Robert ]. Brock of NIanhat-
tan. In the cross-petition he denies
that he is an able bodied man and says
he has but one arm He denies the
charges of cruelty and gross neglect Of
duty and the charge that his wife was
compelled to earn her own living. He
says he was able to support her and
that she came to Topeka TO become a
trained nurse against his will.
MIR. Sondegard filed a separate case
against DR.. Martin at the same time
that the cross-petftion to the divorce
case was filed. Mr.. Sondegard says he
was married April 10, 1893, and that two
years ago Mrs. .SOndegard took up nurS-
ing and came to Topeka and became a
nurse at Christ hospital much against
his wishes.
Mr.. Sondegard charges that DR.. Mar
tin, while practicing at Christ hospital
where Mrs. SOndegard was employed
as a nurse, became very attentive to
her and that he poisoned her mind
against Mr.. Sondegard and that Mr.
Martin finally alienated her affection
for her husband and that as a result
Mrs Sondegard brought the divorce
proceedings in order that she might be
at liberty to marry DR.. Martin
Mr.. Sondegard charges that DR.. Mar
tin took Mrs. Sondegard ,-iding and TO
restauI ants and that he made to her
false and malicious fnsinuatiOns about
her husband and that Dr. Martin insti-
gated the divorce proceedings.
Mr.. Sondegard charges that on ac-
count of the constant attention paid
her that Mrs. SOndegard has fallen in
love with Dr. Martin He says that
his wife and DR.. Martin kept up a
correspondence and that letters of
love and affection were exchanged be
tween them, but that Mrs. SOndegard
would not write to her husband.
The husband claims that DR.. Mar
tins attentions to his wife were so ap-
parent at Christ hospital that the au-
thorities would not tolerate it. DIR.
MaTIln is a we'll known topeka pny-
sician, who was surgeon in the
Twenty Kansas regiment dur
ing the Spanish war.
Mrs. Kate Martin, the wife of DR..
Martin, died on March 2 of this year.
The death of her mother, Mrs.
Haynes, occurred on the 14th day of
the same month
Major A. NJ. Harvey, of the firm of
Harvey & Osborn, attorneys for DR..
Martin, made the following statement
today:
We have not seen the papers in the
case but I know something about it in
a general way. Mrs. SOndegard was
separated from her husband year be-
fore DR.. Martin ever knew her and
their association has been wholly pro-
fessional in its character.
Mrs. Sondegard is a nurse and she
1eft her husband because he did not
support her. She came to Topeka and
was employed as a nurse by DR.. Mar
tin. Mrs. Martin objected and he quit
employing her but since Mrs. Martin s
! death understand that DR.. Martin has
again given Mrs. Sondegard employ
ment in her profession as nurse.
That is all there is to the case and
there is little danger Of a verdict for
! damages because DR.. Martin has GER
! tainly not alienated Mrs. Sondegard' S
affections"