The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23
THE LADY AND THE BREWRRIES
OPTION AND ALIENATION FIGURE
IN A FINANCIAL DEAL.


Defendant brewer Says in Alienation Suit
That Plaintiff Brewer Threw Ills wife
Into the Scale when = Cons olidation
OF the BuHalo Brcweries Was Pending.
Carl J. Wideman. the principal stock
holder and ono Of the officers Of the Ger
man American Brewing Company OF Buff
falo, Is the defendant in a suit instituted
In the Supreme Court here by John p.
Persch, another brewer, to recover 5000
for the alienation Of Mrs. Persch's affec-
tions. In his defense Wideman has put
forward allegations concerning Persch's
treatment Of his wife, some Of which were
ordered stricken out as soandaous and
Irrelevant by the Appellate Division.
Widemans answer, as 1t stands amended,
after entering general denial to the COM
plant reoites that from July /, 1904, to
Dec. /, 1904 Persch was in Buffalo, accom-
panied by his wife, Gretchen Thurlo
Persch, on a mission to accomplish the
consolidation of the Buffalo breweries.
The answer continues
And for further and separate defense
to this Action, the defendant alleges that,
in pursuance of this mission the said plain
tiff, Persch, did introduce the said Gretchen
T. Persch to this defendant, defendant
being q large stakeholder and one of the
officers Of the German American Brewing
Company, upon whose stock this plaintiff
was at that time endeavoring to secure an
option.
THAT tho plaintiff persistently and
deliberately caused the said Gretchen T.
Persch TO be thrown in company with this
defendant, and repeatedly requested de-
PENDANT to escort said Gretchen T. Persch
to different places OF entertainment and
amusement with view of having the
said Gretchen T Persch acquire such an
influence over this defendant, by reason
of her sexual attractiveness, that defendant
| might thereby be induced to make more
favorable terms with tho said John +.
Persch than he otherwise would"
In striking out the other allegations OF
| Wideman's defense the court ruled that,
had he pleaded them properly, as in mitiga-
| ton Of damages and not as separate de-
| tense, they would be admissible. 1t Is
| likely that Lawyer Charles Newton, who
| is acting for Wideman, may have the COM
plant go amended before trial that the
allegations will be reinstated. In any
case, as the court pointed out, they are
capable Of proof on the trial, and If proved
would constitute a complete defense in
! some parts and go in mitigation of damages
as to the rest.
Briefly, Wideman takes the position
that Persch tried to help along his bust
ness deals by means Of Mrs Persch's at
Effectiveness, and finding that the plan
did not work with Wideman as the Buffalo
| q 4 thnr INC
with whom Persch had transactions,
brought the alienation suit out Of revenge.
Persch denies absolutely that there Is any
basis of truth III such a statement
John P. Persoh's business and matri-
monial affairs have attracted public atten-
ton before. He Is credited with having
made a large fortune through his brewery
consolidation operations. and according to
his first wife, had an income some years ago
of 3150,OcO year.
Persch has also taken an active interest
in street rairoading and was said to be
interested with Charles T. Ierkes in the
underground railroads of London and Paris
A few years ago he brought suit to recover
large sum from Henry C.Kelsey for alleged
breach OF cont ract arising out OF the con-
solicitation OF the gas companies OF Newark
That suit was dismissed by the Jersey courts
He owns a large tract Of land in Canada,
which he has turned into hunting estate
Back in 1878 Persch married Flora LOOMS,
who bore him four children, the eldest
now about rs years old. They were mar.
ried In New Haven and got along pretty
we'll toeethe until about 1900, when the wife
noticed that the husband was attracted by
Miss Gretchen Thurlow of Columbus, Ohio
Mrs. Persch sued for q divorce and got 1t
in 1908 from Justice Greenbaum, with SlOt
a month alimony. Six months later, OF
Jan. Is, 1904, Persch married Miss IhurloW
in Jersey City.
The second Mrs. Persch has also beer
before the public. Last year she brought
a suit against William H. Boughton Of
Buffalo demanding S5oboo for assault. She
was then occupying an apartment at
West Ninety-eighth street, and she alleged
that Boughton had assaulted her there or
Dec. II.
In January last Mrs. Persch caused the
arrest Of Robert G. Shepherd, private de-
tective, for shadowing and annoying her
Shepherd was discharged by Magistrate
Omnen on proof that he was employed by
Persoh to watch Mrs. Persoh in connection
with suit for divorce instituted by Persch
In that suit, it develops now, Persch nance
Wideman and two or three other men in
terested in the brewing business as CO.
RESPONDENTS 1t is said that while there i
no love lost between Persch and his wifi
nowadays, she IL well supplied with securi
ties that fell into her possession while the!
were on good terms.