Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-23
DOMESTIC TROUBLES
FOUR CASES BEFORE THE POLICE
COURT TODAY.
One Couple Alleges Infelicity for Thir-
ty-One Years-Charges and
Countercharges.


were heard in the Police Court this mor1-
ing George w. Murphy's case, which took
up considerable time. was the first con-
sidered. 1t disclosed a condition of affairs
IN the family which showed that there has
been but little happiness enjoyed during
the many years of their married life. 1t
was the wifes complaint that the husband
had knocked her down and kicked her. She
had but little more to say ir stating her
case bat did say more after the husband
had declared that she used $I.2J worth of
cocaine each week.
ASK him what made me use it," said
the woman.
She then charged that when she was six
teen years ola she was taken to New York
and kept under the influence Of The irug
several weeks. She lived in the Murphy
family, she stated, before the first wife of
Murphy died.
But said the woman, II don't use as
much of the cocaine as he says L do
Mrs. Murphy said she did not want to
tell everything about her husband, bu. as
he mad told about her she would tell of the
number Of times he had i'll treated her.
She said .ha1 his treatment of he on the
recent occasion was so bad ;hat she had
to get knife and threaten to it in self
defense. The knife. she stated. lie took
from her and in doing so had cut hec hand.
A Countercharge.
"And she tried to shoot me several years
ago." volunteered the husband
THAT is true admitted the wife. HE
was assaulting me and I tried to shoot him.
When the nolice came what did they say to
you about t?'
That's been a long time ago., responded
the husband, land 1 don't remember
''They told you that you ought to be
ashamed of yourself"
Each claimed to be able to exhibit scars
and bruises, and the court was told that
many of the scars on the woman had been
made with a needle used for the purpose
of injecting the drug. The case presented
a condition of affairs which made it diff
cult for the court to determine, and the
husband was released on his personal
bonds. The Murphys live on Verginia ave-
nue. southwest
Unhappy for Thirty-One Years.
Another defendant in a case brought by
his wife was Gottleib Essig. a butcher.
A butcher knife was exhibited in court
while the case was being heard, and Mrs.
Essig claimed that her husband had pur-
sued her with 1t and compelled her to
leave the house
I've had trouble with him for thirty
one years. the woman told Judge O'NeaL
Last night, she charged he entered the
dining room, threw ham from the table
anu abused Her- IN the afternoon, she
told the court, he returned home from
work and said he was sick. He went to
bed and caused the trouble when he got
up. Mrs. Essig said she had had a great
amount of trouble with her husband and
had refrained from having him arrested
on account of their children.
Does your husband support you?" she
was asked.
He gives me So a week" she an
swered, and thinks that is too much to
feed five or six people"
The defendant denied that he had i'll
treated his wife She was treated for
some brain trouble about two years ago
he said, and she seems to imagine things
about him.
The court disposed of the case by talk
ing the personal bonds of the defendant
after hearing the testimony of two chill
dren of the couple
The Other Defendants.
James Thomas, colored. was alleged to
have thrown salt shaker at his wife
He struck me on the back with it." she
said, but did not hurt me very much.'
The trouble. she told the court started
about complaint about the garbage.
The husband denied the charge and the
case was dismissed.
Mrs. Ida Bell. colored, complained that
her husband, Zachariah Bell had threat
ened her bodily harm.
Hes all right when he's sober" she
said. but I'm afraid of him when he's
drunk"
The husband denied that he had any
accepted his personal bonds.