The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-12-07
Matrimonial Troubles Due
to Wife's Temper.
PATIENT, NOT CRUEL
Sensational Complaint in PrOmint n
Divorce Suit Followed by Answer
Equally Vigorous. Says Wife
Craved Society, Called Him
Names and Would Speculate.

The sensational complaint In the
suit for divorce from bed and board
brought by Mrs. Martha Fowle Wyatt
against her husband. j. Walter Wyatt,
a synopsis of which was published in
The News and Observer some weeks
since. is more than :ivaled for start
ling statement and unique expression
by the answer Of Mr.. j. W. Wyatt,
which was filed yesterday afternoon
through mis- attorneys, Messrs. E. w.
Pou and Argo g. Shaffer.
Outside of many retaiiatorv aver
ments, the answer is in effect a sweep
ing and specific denial of every grave
allegation of the complaint.
The Charges Replied To.
1t will be remembered that Mrs.
Wyatt left the home of her husband
in Johnston county shortly after
Christmas day. 1904. In her complaint,
which is based on "cruel and barbar-
GUS treatment tending to make life in
tolerable, etc. she set forth a number
of alleged circumstances in support
of her contention, including the state
mentS that the defendant had made
her cook for field hands, had tried to
compel her to cook for negroes, had
treated her with silent contempt had
used her money, had forced her to
nurGe a young baby in a room in
which laborer boarders We're sitting,
had threatened to strike her, mad
cruelty abandoned her for days at a
time without information as to his
whereabouts and, generally, had treat
ed her with the greatest indignity and
contempt She also alleged that she
and the defendant had speculated in
cotton futures at a large loss and That
this greatly incensed the defendant,
whose losses she paid. one remark
able allegation Of the complaint, in
particular, was that upon the birth of
the plaintiffs first child5 which died,
the defendant had come into her room
and congratulated her on having be-
come a mother, and that she did not
then know that defendant was elated
on account of property rights acquired
in her estate by the birth of living
child.
There were other bitter allegations
of many circumstances which are
Swallowed forth in the answer.i
Nature of Averments in Rebuttal.
The answer is in effect complete
denial of the charges made, without
reservation except in fmmaterial in
stances The defendant AYERS, in adj
dition that the unhappineSs in his
home was caused entirely by an UNI
controlled and violent temper on the
part of Mrs Myatt; states that she
was so highly iraScible as not to be
able to keep the servants with whom
she was furnished by the defendant;
alleges that she on several occasions
in the presence of his brothers family
and others abused him in a severe
and harsh manner and that she fire.
quently applied epithets to him such
as fool" and "scoundreP' and Jack
ass" shaking her fist in his face The
answer AYERS that these outbreaks on
the part of~the plaintiff grew entirely
out of her temper; that both he and
his children by q former wife treated
the plaintiff with all possible con-
sideration and that the course of the
defendant throughout number OF
wears of his Capitalization with the
plaintiff was one of constant SubmlS-
sion to her whims and explosions of
senseless temper. Outside of the al
legations which are fatty denied. 1t
is averred in the answer that the
plaintiff was unreasonable in numer-
Gus ways which are set forth in de-
tail but that she was borne with con
sistently by the defendant. In particu-
lar is it denied that the plaintiff was
sick after the birth of her secon2
child except insofar as she made
herself so by following the advice of
a uuack of the name of Susanna Cro-
croft i'm an effort to get lean.
In particular does the answer deny
specifically the allegations IN the
complaint which charge that defend
ant participated with the plaintlH in
cotton speculations. stating that he
had advised against her purchasing
the future contracts and had nothing
to do with the transaction other imam
to endorse plaintiffs notes at the bahK
in order to enable her to get money
with which to keep in the market
after ii commenced to fall, ana 10
sign note after the loss had been
made payable to his wife in case ne
should predecease her, which note was
given for the purpose of partially
pacifying the plaintiff i'm her Wildness
at her loss
After the recital of the denials of
particular allegations in the COM
plant. the answer sets forth that the
facts alleged do not state cause OF
action since they are of too frivoulous
a character to support the allegations