The Cairo bulletin., 1907-08-26
WIFE DISAVOWS
HER HUSBAND.
DAUGHTER or JAMES s. EWING,
Ex.MlNlsTER TO BELGIUM
FOR UNCLE SAM.
SAYS MIND ABRASION
Affects Spouse--Separated 10 Years
Aoo--Genera lncompatibility
OF temperament Given as
the Cause.

Chicago. III, Aug % Her hus
bands failure to appreciate her flow
er-like beauty and the delicacy of her
soul was alleged yesterday to he the
reason why Mrs. n, J. McMahon, cou
sin of Adlai Stevenson and daughter
of James S. Ewing, ex-minister 10 Bel
GUM, left here husband ten years
ago.
| Adlai n. Ewing, an uncle of Mrs.
| Mcmahon, asserts that the thing
which Mrs. Mcmahon has always
feared is notoriety. Mcmahon, he
says. has attempted to drag the fam
lily troubles into newspapers on sew
eral occasions 1t has been stated
that the wife's prediction for
Christian Science was one Of the
causes OF the family disturbances.
hut this was denied BY the uncle of
Mrs. Mcmahon yesterday, although
ne stated that Mrs. Mcmahon was
Christian Scientist
The McMahons we're married in
1892. They have two children. Cath
crime. IA years old, and Margaret, i2I
years Ola IN 1891. while the father
of Mrs. McMahon was stationed at
Brussels as Belgian minister the hus
hand and wife agreed upon separa
ton and Mcmahon left for America.
When Bellamy Storer was appoint
81 to the Belgian post James 5.
Ewing returned TO Bloomington, Ill.,.
with his daughter and her chilren.
Ten years passed and the husband
lid not attempt to communicate with
his. wife directly All this While Mrs.
steaafastly refused to
iiyulge the reasons for separation.
Party Doesn't Materialixe.
The mystery was in some degree
Cleared by the publication Of the fact
that Mcmahon felt aggrieyed By his
wife's Christian Science tendencies, |
but that he had arranged birthday |
party and reunion" for her thirty |
seventh birthday on August II. The |
party" failed to matreialize and Nc
Aiahon was driven to make public |
certain explanations of the long sepa- |
ration. AT the same time the wife |
caused her relatives To give out |
denying that she ever had |
any reconciliation with |
IN discussing the peculiar features
II the case, Mr.. Ewing declared that \
Mcmahon was suffering from "abra-
don of the brain
Abrasion May Be Cause.
Whether il was owing to the ''abra
sion" or to general mental idiosm-
.rasy that Mcmahon had the reeur-
ent attacks Of the party mania and
whether the abrasion was responsible
or the original separation. Mr. Ewing
declined to state Mrs. Mcmahon is
understood to have said that the
,ause Of the separation In the first |
Instance was general incompatibility |
II temperament
Mrs Mcmahon has been living with |
ler father at Bloomington ever since
he return OF the latter from Brussels.
The ex-minister to Belgium declined /
to make any statement.
rhe point which particularly angered
he relatives of Mrs Mcmahon was
hat the abrasion birthday party
vas scheduled for the home Of her
incle at 3T47 Ellis avenue. The an
OF the party" is accom-
lanied BY letters eulogizing the abb
.ent husband in glowing terms. These
etters purport to have been written
" the relatives OF the wife.
The Ewings deny knowledge of the
etters and also say that Mrs McMa-
lon has never deserted her father
because OF difficulties over Christian
Science.