Evening journal., 1906-09-10
S5O,OOO FOR LOSS
OF AFFECTIONS
New York Dancing Master
Sues ROrSeman on
Alienation Charge
ESTRANGED FOR TEN YEARS

NEW YORK, Sept 1o.-Alleging
alienation Of his wife's affections, viii
liam Pitt Rivers. dancing master to the
socially elect Of Brooklyn. filed papers
in a suit for $4,000 damages against
Everett Z. Wheeler. a prominent horse
man. living with his wife at No. 10
Rodney street Brooklyn. Rivers lives
I'm the old Knapp mansion, one Of the
first of Brooklyn's famous old resi-
dences In Bedford avenue and he said
that he had been occupying one wing
Of it while his wife occupied the other.
For almost ten years Rivers alleged
there has been trouble in his home. TO
all the world, he said, it seemed that
happiness reigned in the family, but
that the contrary was the case He
asserted he had tried repeatedly to ef-
fett a reconciliation with his wife. but
that she was deaf to all his pleadings,
and that he had only delayed appeal
to the courts for the sake Of his chill
dren and the family name
Wheeler has employed counsel. and
win make a vigorous defense 1t was
said he would deny all the allegations
entered by Rivers. In his complaint
Rivers charges Wheeler with mali
/ ciously and wrongfully depriving and
intending to injure the plaintiff, and
deprive him Of his wife's comfort, So
ciety, aid and association. and with
intent to ALLEVIATE and destroy her af-
fections for him, and that the defend
ant did entice her away from the
plaintiff and did induce her to remain
separate from the plaintiff ever since
land is in constant companionship with
the plaintiffs wife, although the plain
tiff repeatedly has demanded that he
should discontinue his repeated calls
and visits upon her" Rivers said
that one reason why he did not brine
the action sooner was because his
daughter "Midgie" was engaged to be
married and he shrank from the fam
! lily coming into the public eye
Several years ago. Rivers said, he
began to suspect that Wheeler was too
friendly with Mrs. Rivers. Wheeler
was a friend Of Rivers himself. and the
husband was slow TO entertain suspi-
cion. He said. however. that Ona
night he left them i'm the bowling alley
I'm the mansion. and. returning sud
denly n short time afterward, he en-
deavornd To throw Wheeler into the
street
"I should have started this action
long ago" said Rivers. "but hesitated
for the sake of my children Every
time ! ordered Wheeler from the house
my wife came to me and threatened
to take my daughter away That threat
was a torture to me. I would haze
made any sacrifice rather than have
1.-THE facts become public. but, having
failed i'm all attempts to effect a recon
ciliation with my wife, feel I am
forced to 90 to the courts. ] am deter
mined to push the case MY home has
been q divided one, and the only rem
edv I see is that offered by law"
/ Wheeler is represented by Abram TT
/ Daley and Rivers by Eugene V
| Brewster. A feature of the case fun
of interesting possibilities is contained
in the allegation Of Rivers friends that
the advice Of a clairvoyant may have
had something to do with the hiring Of
counsel on one side or the other. II
was said that Mrs. Rivers has been oc-
cupyng her wing Of the mansion with
several relatives and friends.