The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-03-31
'BUFFALO BILL LOSES. "
Wyoming Cont Refuses to Grant DE-
yOrce to cOlOnel cOdY--SareaStic
Comment 81 Judge.

SommCut ~ lu1Bg4
The district court at sheridan, Wyo-
ming, Thursday. refused the petition
OF Colonel william F. Cody (BuRalo
BilD for divorce.
A decision was not expected before
Friday ct the earliest, but the court.
room was nlled with residents of Sher-
idan and the surrounding county when
It was given. After the reading OF
the depositlons was finished, the law.
yers for both sides announced that
they would submit the case without
argument
Judge Scott asked the attorneys fo-
the defendants to amend their an
swer In the case by striking out those
sections which dealt with charges
against Bessie Isbell. Cody's. conduct
in Chicago, and his early excuses a;
Fort Mcpherson. When this was done
the court found entirely In favor OF
the defendant, Mrs. Louisa Cody.
Judge Scott delivered an opinion OF
considerable length, reviewing the al.
legations and evidence, and giving his
conclusions.
THE law OF the state does not make
lncompatibilIty a ground for divorce,
hut it does read that extreme cruelty
rendering the condition Of either par.
ty to the marriage contract intolerablo
ia suficient grounds to allow the
granting OF a divorce" said Judge
Scott.
"The FIRST cause OF action in this
case Ia the charge OF poisoning on De-
cember 26, 1900, or some time prior
thereto. The evidence wholly fails to
support this issue, but shows the de-
PENDANT was trying to rescue the plain
tiff from q state OF intoxlcation, and
administered not poison, but remedies
which she deemed beneficial. His In
ability TO speak on this occasion did
not come from these remedies. but
came from his excessive use of intox-
icating liquors at the banquet board
and was as humlllatlng to defendant
as to the plaintin.
"The unhAppiness caused by the &C
tions OF the plaintiff IL shown by the
letter Of their daughter. Arta Thorpe,
whose beautiful character shone out
from her unhappy home. and the
words OF her letter, written just be-
fore her death oh, papa, why did he
do IT. My heart Is just broken over
Il. oh, why did he do itT"
Judge Scott also found that the
charge of. unbecoming actions on the
part of the defendant toward the colo
nel's guest was not proven; that there
was no evidence that she had ever
threatened her husbands life. and tha'
when attending the funeral OF heI
daughter Ara at Rochester, N. Y" IL
! February, 1904, she offered a permS
nent reconciliation and TO answer
ever came to this.
"she was an over.indulgent mothei
and wife who always took pride 10
HIS success and always looked for
ward to his homecoming and made
great preparations to receive him.
said Judge Scott.
"In return for this wifoly devotion
the plaintiff has been cruel to mel
and heaped lndlgnities upon her, Ever
- It we're true that the defendant haC
al times been impatient with him an
sucb lmpatience has been considered
as indlgnities. It Is also true tina
she had much to contend with.
"There are some allegations In TIT
answer that arc not sustained by INT
evidence. From the evidence It doe
not appear that the plaintiff was s.
addicted to gambling as to impair HI
business abilities or trustworthlnes'
He dld not use intoxicating liquors u
such quantities as to interfere VIII
the transaction OF his business