Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-19
Judge Bradshaw Will Decide
Family's Future Status EARLY
Saturday Morning
sum UP EVIDENCE
Part of Thursday, and Until Midafter-
noon, Today, Used by Lawyers in
Making tho Arguments - Large
Crowd Hears Closing Evidence,
Which Fail. to Develop Any Addi-
tionaI Sensations. a..4

The MCGOWAN divorce case, the most
bitterly contested and sensational suit
of its kind tried in the county in many
years, which has been in progress of
trial practically all of this week. was
finished r.oday and submitted to Judge
C. B. Bradshaw. The end OF the case
and the final summing up by the at
torneys came an ho1r after court had
convened this afternoon. Judge Brad
shaw announced that he would hand
down decision early Saturday morn
ing. Il
The last jof the evidence was closed
at 1880 o'clock Thursday afternoon.
and the arguments were begun at once,
Judge Bradshaw having previously an
nounced that he desired to have the
case finished before the weely was ov-
er. Since it has begun. practically all
other business of the court has been at
a standstill.
Summing Up Arguments.
=
J. Z. Carney opened the arguments
for the plaintiff, Mr.. MCGOWAN, and
spoke for an hour and o half, until
time for adjournment. His arraign-
ment of Mrs. MCGOWAN, for her charges
against her husband, and her conduct,
was not SO severe as might have been
expected. He bore special stress OH
her cha,:ges of adultery as given in her
cross petition. These he characterized
as based on suggestions and imag-
ination. and without knowledge Of the
facts" He branded the charges as
"abomirlable," and said the course of
Mrs MGGowan's conduct had strength
ened the cause Of the plaintiff. Re-
ferring to Mrs. McGowanis accusations
the lawyer said, speaking of the plain
tiff: He was unable to close the mouth
that DETAINED him.; the mouth OF a
woman who vowed years ago to love,
honor and respect him." He styled
erence to her husbands associations
with other women as "mania."
I No Place to Rest His Head"
Turning to the home relations Of
the couple. Mr. Carney pictured the
comfort and rest of the. Homecoming
of the average mar. but because of
Mrs. McGowan's chickering's, accusa-
lions and quarreling, said HE has had
no place to rest his weary head. He
was met on the threshold Of his home
with charges that would down a lion
hearted man" He charged Mrs. Nc
Gowan's violent temper with being the
chief cause of the family quarrels and
fights. These girls he said, re-
ferring to the two older daughters,
hold a malice against their father,
born of the influence of their mother.
What a God forsaken home was that ?"
he asked. What place to raise chill
dren III? 1t was not a fit place to raise
brute In
He said Mrs. McGowan's testimony
had baen impeached by six or eight
witnesses. He charact erized the tes-
timonJt Of the daughters, Nellie and
Marie ".as learned story" because
it corloborated SO very nearly with the
testimony of the mother.
With reference to the disposition OF
the children, he laid stress on the re-
quest that only the younger children,
Marie and Charles, Jr., be given to the
care Of the father. He said he could
see nothing but unpleasantness and an
mostly if the daughter Marie was
given to the mother. Referring to the
property OF Mr.. MCGOWAN, he said:
They (referring to the opposition,)
have been deluded in the amount Of
McGowan's property. He has not half
what they thought he had" The chief
thing desirable, he said, in closing, was
a divorce. as it was apparent the re-
latfons between the wife and husband
were broken forever.
Husband is Scored.
T. F. Bradford opened the argu-
ments for Mrs. McGowan this morning.
He spoke for over an hour. He paid
special attention to the claim of Nc
Gowens intimacy and illegal relations
with other women, as presented thru
Mrs. McGowan's witnesses, and in the
form of letter from S. G. Blake to
Mrs. MCGOWAN, also an unsigned let
ter supposed to be from the same
sOur.:e. He dwelt on the incident when,
1t is alleged, Blake, aroused in his
wrath and sought MCGOWAN at his
home with a revolver. He likewise
paid much attention to the testimony
of Mrs. MCGOWAN and her daugh-
tiers. in which it was stated that Nc
Gowan had confessed his relations
with Mrs. McEwen, and said Mrs. Blake
loved him.
Had Cause to be Nervous.
Referring to the claim of the 1lus-
band that his wife's accusations made
him nervous and preyed on his health,
the attorney said: How would any
man be when an irate husband was
hunting him with a revolver? Would
MT he be nervous? Wouldn't he want
to lay off from his work? Wouldn't |
he be nervous when husband was
suit for alienation Of his
wife's affections? He had cause to be
nervous. If he wasn't nervous he
ought to have been" He attributed
the claimed nervousness to have been
due to late hours with women and
drinking.
He rehearsed McGowan's alleged WIS.,
It's TO Mrs Hammond. at Monmouth, |
as testified to by Mrs. Anderson of
Oslaloosa. Closing, he said: "There
should be a separation but not the
separation MCGOWAN wants. We want |
separation without divorce and a !
proper allowance"
F. E. Northup closed the argument |
for Mrs MCGOWAN Just before noon.
3. If. Cummings took up the argument