Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-25
WOULD CHASTISE
GROWN CHILDREN
FAILURE TO ATTEND PRAYER
AR0USES IRE
Court Denies Divorce to c. J. Ander-
son on Cruelty Charges-Wife
Claims Trouble Caused by
Husbands PeouIiarities

Because as he alleged, his wife inter-
fered when he attempted to chaStise
his grown daughter when she did not
attend evening prayers in the manner
set down by him, G. j. Anderson, an
employe of the Los Angeles postal SER
vice and devout church member, yes
terday filed petition against Hanna l..
Anderson his wife, charging her with
cruelty and asking for an interlocu-
tory decree of divorce. The case was
heard before Judge York in department
three of the superior court and the
divorce denied.
According to the statements of the
contending parties in court yesterday
there has been strife and trouble in the
Anderson household for many years,
and much of it was caused, the wife
claims, by Andersons strict ideas of
rearing children.
The children appeared in court yes
terday-two grown daughters, both well
educated and handsome, and a manly
appearing lad of about II years of age.
Their evidence, while given against
their father, was tinged with love for
him, and testimony which in any other
civil case would have been bitter was
softened by filial love.
Denies Cruelty Charge
years ago in Los Angeles and were pio-
neer residents of the city. Several years
ago the family trouble began in earnest.
At that time Anderson charged his
wife with interfering with his discipline
of the children and he has since held
that position toward her
Mrs. Anderson took the witness stand
yesterday in her own defense. She ad-
mitted through her attorneys that there
hoI ont hat
her and her husband, but asserted that
she was fighting the cruelty allegation
against her because she wanted to clear
herself of any such ridiculous charge.
my husband has always been pc
culiar about the children" said Mrs.
Anderson yesterday. HE has seemed
to think that 1 set the children against
him and tried to get them to disobey
him, but that is not true. Some time
several thousand dollars and kept the
remainder for, himself. He then
brought this suit for divorce"
The daughters were then called to
the stand and gave testimony regard
ing many instances of family troubles.
Milton, the boy, was witness for his
mothers side of the case and gave
evidence as to his fathers actions.
Son Gives Testimony
IT had a cement pond in the back
yard of our residence" said the boy,
land had some fish in it. One very
warm day 1 decided to cover a part of
the little pond in order to keep the
heat off the fish. 1 took a number of
old real estate signs which were in
the shed and spread them along the
turf bank at the side of the pond, The
signs remained there several days, but
l was careful not to let them warp, as
my father had cautioned me not to
destroy the signs. When he discovered
what 1 had done he hit me with a
bicycle pump and broke the pump.
MY mother never melted me or
any of the children against my father,
but always told us to obey him in
everything he wished"
Anderson was the last witness on the
stand and appeared in his own be-
half
Il will explain the various troubles
of my household as related here and
show my position in the case" said An
derson in a melancholy tone of voice
as he rubbed his hands together and
adjusted his spectacles.
I was going away for a brief period
and as family prayer in the evening had
always been a household custom [ told
my daughter to continue the prayers
during my absence. When I returned
she admitted that on one occasion she
had talked to a young man who had
come to visit her and that she had
neglected prayer on that evening""
Court Denies Petition
When this disclosure was made
those assembled in the court room
looked shocked.
Her manner in telling me of the in
cident was positively defiant" con-
t1nued the melancholy parent land /
caught hold of her to teach her better.
Not that I was angry because she
hadn't prayed, but because I believed
1t my duty to chastise her for her de-
fiance. She resisted and we struggled.
and her mother caught hold of her and
/ had hold of her, and if the girl suf-
fered any injury it was because we
pulled so hard and not because L struck
her
"Yes, I have been very nervous and
sometimes heard voices. I often hear
them now"
81 believe, Mr.. Anderson" said the
court, that you have been in a highly
nervous condition and that the i'll
treatment which you say you have suf-
fered is in a great measure imaginary.
l think that you have received as good
and courteous treatment from your
family as they have received from you
and shall deny your petition for di-
vorce."