Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-07-19
BOTH WANT DIVORCE.
Husband No. 1 of the Same Mind 40
Husband No. z.

Ilion, N. Y, July 1S.-Mrs. Louise e.
Joyner occupies the unenviable position
of defendant in two divorce suits at one
time.
Her first husband, Charles e. Simmons,
of lion, is a hearse driver, without social
rank or wealth, with whom she lived for
several years in most modest circum-
stances. She was Louise Rathbone, an
1lion farmers daughter when she mar
ried Simmons. who was then farm hand,
in 1896 Husband No. 2 Is Or. Francis +.
Joyner of Burlington, Vt.
Mrs. Joyrer or Mrs Observation-Disclosures
her legal name may be--was an attractive
country girl ten years ago, out she pos
scssed no remarkable attachments which
made her marriage to poor farm laborer
"a subject for comment. The two lived
happily together for some time. What
led the wife to leave her husband is not
known. but when Simmons moved TO Ilon
and began TO drive n hearse at funerals
she went to New York, where to earn n
living, she went into II hospital as a
nurse. taking her maiden name. No one
there. it is said, suspected that she had
left husband driving In a village up
State.
DR.. Joyncr, then a young student just
out of the University of Vermont,
found immediate fascination in the good
looking nurse who hadn't been in the city
long enough to lose the rudy glow that
farm breeze had FURNISHED into her
checks. Tleir marriage soon followed.
An amazing feature of the story is
that DIR. Joyner and Louis Rathbone
came to lion to be married At the
time the woman's first husband from
whom, it Is now declared, she had
never been legally separated. resided
IN Iion, and DR. Joyner left In. village
with his bride wuh lever a hint that
they might be taken to the station in a
carriage with husband No. l on the
box.
Simmons. who still resides in lion,
where he is an undertakers helper, got
wind of the sail his wife was carrying
In Burlington and decided to withdraw
Simmons placed his case before Lawyer
Charles Thomas, at Hcrkmcr, and a
divorce complaint was prepared.
Make it as easy as you can for her"
said Simmons. Don't have too much
publicity about it, because that would
ruin her life with the Burlington man,
and l understand she is happy with
him.
Lawyer / HoTnaS wrote 10 MIS-. J0NNer
that II she would come into New York
State for a few minutes on any day by
appointment the summons and complaint
could BIZ served and she would be
spared the publicity otherwise neces-
sary.
In reply, Mrs. Joyner sent her lawyer
Clarence II. Senter who said the arrange
ment was agreeable. and he agreed that
Mrs. Joyner should meet subpoenae ser
The process man went there and remained
two days, so he declared. but could not
find Mrs. Joyner. Her lawyer wrote that
he and Mrs. Joyner kept the appointment
but could find no process server though
the officer knew Mrs Joyner by sight.
Then came news that DR.. Joyner had
had his suspicious aroused and although
he did not know his wife already was be-
ing sued for divorce. he heard that she
had another living husband, and he at
once applied for an annument of his mar
riage.
Mrs. Joyner stood in danger of losing
both husbands at once and without ali
mony from either. She had agreed to
ask no aimony of Simmons, so his lawyer
says. The latest development is a letter
from her lawyer saying: I'VE have now
got Mr.. Simmons right where We want
him and do not fear anything he Is able
to do legally. We are ready and waiting
for YOU to go ahead and advertise and do
your worst
A FAIRY TALE, SAYS DR.. JOINER.