Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-11-14
SENSATIONAL
CHARGES MADE
Charles e. Porter, Well Known Moore
Business Man and stockgrower
is Sued for a Divorce,
HONEYMOON WAS STRENUOUS
Life on the Porter Ranch at Phjlbrook
Says He Wanted to Drown
Her.

| Charles f. Porter, the well known
rancher and merchant of Moore. ia
made the defendant in a divorce suit
instituted by Mayme e. Porter. and
the complaint, which has just been A.
ed in the district court, indicates that
tne honey moon of the couple was a
strenuous affair.
Married Last March.
According to the complaint, Mr.. and
Mrs. Porter were married at Kansas
City, March 23, 1905, and went to the
ranch OF Mr.. Porter at Philbrook to
live. In little less than four months.
or on July II last, the allegation is the
defendant drove the plaintiff from his
hcme and by repeated acts of cruelty
made it impossible for her to live
with him.
| the complaint also sets forth long
list of alleged acts of cruelty. The
plaintiff AYERS that before thu, honey
moon was two weeks old the defendant
forced her to go without food. Then
there is an allegation that on divers
ard sundry days the defendant struck
her and made her nose bleed and
b!ackened her eyes. pinched her and
maltreated ner in many ways'
Ihen follows an allegation that May
10 last the defendant drove the plain
tif1 from home and shut the door in
her face. She says she went to her
nelghbors for shelter and protection.
and she was forced to return to the
home of ner parents in Kansas City.
| After she had ben there six months
she alleges she received $50 from her
husband with request that she re-
turn home, and promise that things
would be different and more pleasant
| for her. the plaintiff Immediately re-
| turned, but according to the complaint
her treatment was worse than she al
leees it had been previously
| She alleges the defendant said he
did not intend she should return, and
he sent the money under the advice
OF lawyer, and he thought she would
not return. and then he could get a
divorce upon the grounds of deser-
| ton.
Alleged Attempt to Drown Her
Then the allegation is that June 27
the defendant forced the plaintiff to
SC out into the cold in her bare feet
on the ground to spring for water,
and the trip made her sick. The next
day while she was washing some
clothes, the allegation is the defendant
threw pail of water upon the plain
tiff. July /, while at the supper table,
the defendant is alleged to have pour
ed hot tea upon her shoulders and
bllstered them. On another occasion
he is alleged to have pulled a chair
from under her, SO she "fell with great
force upon the floor'
Then the allegation is that July
the defendant attempted to drown the
p,a1ntiR in fish pond on his premis-
cs and actually pushed the plaintiff
into .he pond and told one of mis- hired
r:en to push her into the pond so she
would drown.
July IL it is alleged the defendant
stabbed the plaintiff in the hand with
a pair of scissors, and repeatedly
threatened to kill her.
Then it is alleged the plaintiff was
forced by the defendants to go to Lew
istown with nim, and while there he
gave her $50 ostensibly to buy dress,
bu. he told her to take the money
and leave Lewistown and go by the
Eext train to Denver and stay there
for year and at the end of the year
he would secure a divorce, on the
ground Of desertion, and then the
plaintiff could return to Kansas City,
put on black and say her husband was
dead.
Refused the Money.
The plaintiff says she refused to
take the money or leave the defend
ant. July 16, at Moore, the plaintiff
alleges her husband locked her in a
room and finally forced her to agree
to leave him. Then, she alleges. he
| ferced her into the night, where she
remained in severe storm The
next morning she was forced to pack
her trunk and the defendant gave her
$50 and told her she must 90 to Den.
yer and remain away from him. Be-
ing driven from her home, the plain
tiff says she was afraid to return.
| She asks for decree requiring the
defendant to pay her 10000; that the
tefenjent pay a reasonable sum into
tle court to pay the expenses of the
action and for her support during the
| pendency of the action, and that the
defendant be enjoined from disposing
OF or in any manner encumbering any
of his property.
| 1t is alleged in the complaint that
MI. Porter is the owner of a valuable
| ranch, that he has an interest in a
hardware store at Moore, and also is
the owner of livery stable at the
same place. The plaintiff also alleges
he has large holdings in cattle, horses
ana sheep, has money in bank and is