The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-19
BAbY'S DEATH
PLEASED HIM
Mrs. Rebecca O'Donnell
Tells of Inexplicable Bru-
tality of Her Husband
RECITES STRANGE STORY
Asserts He Said 1t Was
Cheaper to Bury Chill
dren Than to Raise Them

The inexplicable brutality Of Patrick ].
o'Donnen. a plumber. who formerly re-
sided with his family at ll34 Kentucky
street. was brought to light in Judge Heb
bard's court yesterday when his wife, Re-
becca. presented her proofs in support OF
her petition for divorce on the ground of
extreme cruelty.
Mrs. O'Donnell, who is a woman of deli
cate physique, testified that her husband
horrihed her at the time of the death of
their first born In November, 1902, by tell
ing her not to grieve for the child. for
it was much cheaper to bury q kid than
ii was to raise II.
Later, she testified, when her twin ba-
bies were i'll her husband refused to send
for medical attendance, again asserting
his brutal theory that it was cheaper TO
bury the little ones than 1t was to buy
medicine and food for them This story
In itself was sufficient TO demonstrate to
the court that O'Donnel was not fit for
the association of any self-respecting per-
son, but when Mrs. O'Donnell further
proved that O'Donnen frequently returned
homo drunk and was filthy al the house
the court stopped the hearing and granted
the decree forthwith. Mrs, O'DonnelI in
formed the court that her husband had
not given her cent for year, and Judge
Hebbard issued an order, directing him to
pay her $40 Immediately and a like sum
each month in the future for the support
Of the twins.
Caroline Stains Castle Jackson Smyth
was granted a divorce from Thomas Nor
rison Smyth by Judge Hebbard yesterday.
desertion being the ground. The Smyths
were married in 1897. DEGREES of divorce
were also granted to Charles F. Reimer
from Agnes NJ. Reimer for cruelty, Mar
tina J. Collins from Major c. Collins for
failure to provide, George S. Woodward
from Eugenia Woodward for desertion,
Pauline Dresser from Gustav Dresser for
willful neglect, A. G. Rich from Agnes
Rich for desertion. Fannie Y. Close from
Edward w. Close for desertion. and Cath
crime Thompson from William F. Thomp
son for cruelty.
Suit for annument of marriage, contain
ing several remarkable allegations, was
Iiled yesterday by Jennie l. Echenberger-
Mckinley against Sidney H. Mckinley.
Mrs. Mckinley says that she married Nc
kinley on November a, 1904, in Lake
County. at the time the ceremony was
performed. alleges Mrs. Mckinley, She
was under Is years of age and hence could
not give legal consent 20 the performance
of the ceremony AS soon as she discov
cred that she had been deceived, she says
she left he's husband and has not lived
with him since. Just how she was de-
ceived she does not state. Her allegation
that she left him when she discovered she
had been deceived" gives ground for the
theory that she did not live with him up
to the time of the discovery, thus making
it apparent that her allegation that she
was deceived is based on the theory that
her husband, before taking her as his
bride, should have ted her that girls I'M
der Is cannot marry without the consent
of their parents.
Suits for divorce were filed by A l.. No
riega against Helen Noriega for cruelty.
The application of counsel representing
Ada r. Duncan, who recently obtained a
divorce from B. B. Duncan, to stay all
proceedings taken by Duncan looking to
an appeal of the case was deniel by Judge
Seawell yesterday. 1t was contended that
Duncan should be denied the right 20
prosecute his defense further until such
ume as he pays his former wife alimony
as ordered by the court, it being alleged
that The has contemptuously refused to
obey the letter Of the decree.