The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-24
AN ADEPT SEDUCER'
Suit Against Claude Ber-
nard is Started.
Father of Bertha Howell Seeks $40,
900, Declaring Bernard Seduced
and Debauched Her. and That He
is an Adept in Seducing Women.

The expected suit of II. c. Howell
against Claude Bernard. whom he
charges with the seduction and de-
bauching of his mino" daughter.
Bertha Howell. was started yesterday.
The attorneys for Mr.. Howell are
Messrs Argo q Shaffer, and the
amount of damages claimed by Mr..
Howell for the wrong and injury and
loss of services of his minor child are
100000. The answer to the complaint
filed yesterday must be in before the
close of the court which convenes
here this week, and the trial of the
case will come in October.
In the complaint it is set forth that
Howell is a citizen of Raleigh, married
and with children, and that the suit
is brought because of the wrong done
his minor daughter Bertha, by
Claude Bernard on the 23rd of May,
1905; that Bernard is a resident OF
Raleigh, is married and has several
children, some of the latter having
about arrived at years of maturity,
and that Bernard is judged to be q
man of about forty years of age.
Continuing the complaint sets forth:
g. That the defendant, on or about
the 23rd day of May, 1905, the de-
PENDANT, pretending to be unmarried,
and a manageable man. by artifice.
deception and misrepresentation in
duced the said minor child. the daugh-
ter of the plaintiff, Bertha Howell. to
accompany him to ride in the country,
where they, as the defendant said to
the said minor child would obtain nice
refreshments, and have a nice drive +;
that trusting to the truthfulneSS. sin
cerity and honesty of purpose of the
defendant the said daughter of the
plaintiff being young and inexperi-
enced, and the defendant much older
| flNsN
plaintiff is Informed and believed, in
seducing and debauching women, con-
scented to accompany the defendant as
he had requested. But the said minor
child. without any knowledge as TO
the secret purpose of the defendant.
and without her consent, was carried
by the said defendant to an assigna-
ton house on the outskirts of the east
ern portion of the city of Raleigh UNI
der pretence that lemonade and other
refreshments We're sold there. and that
the defendant, then by threats of eX-
posture of the sail minor child then
and there Seduced and debauched. and
carnally knew her.
4 That the said defendant by the
means and artifice and threats afore-
said, at the time and place aforesaid,
the said minor child and daughter
of the plaintiff did debauch and earn
ally know.
5. That the said minor daughter of
the plaintiff at the time of the wrong
and injury aforesaid lived in the
home of and resided with the plaintiff.
her father. and was and is unmarried.
6. That by the seduction. debauch-
Ing and carnally knowing of the said
daughter of the plaintiff by the de-
PENDANT as aforesaid, the plaintiff has
lost the services of his said minor
child, that he has been greatly grieved
and distressed and has suffered in
tensely in mind and body; and furth-
er the peace and happiness of his
home have been destroyed and his
family disgraced; and that by the
| wrong of the defendant as aforesaid
the plaintiff has been endamaged
| twenty thousand dollars.