The evening star and Newark advertiser., 1908-01-24
TREATS HISHENS
BETTER THAN
HIS WIFE
kearny Man Arrested for
Inhuman Conduct -Guard-
ed Spouse With a Gun.

Threatened with death at the hands OF
her husband, Mrs Frank Freer OF sc
Highland avenue, Kearny, fled from her
home yesterday ana hurried to Kearny
police headquarters. where she told an un-
usual and narrowing story to Chief OF Po-
lice William Tolen.
She claimed her husband was brutal and
inhuman, that he had guarded her with a
shotgun and that she was afraid of being
murdered. She said he thought more Of
his chickens than he did Of her and treated
them better, keeping them in coops in the
best room in the house, while she had to
live in the kitchen as nothing more than
his slave.
Her allegations We're found by the po-
lice to be true. Freer is now under arrest.
Mrs. Freer said that her husband began
a TRADE of abuse early in the day. threat
tning her life il she attempted to leave
the house after ne had assaulted her. He
barricaded the front door Of the house, she
said, and kept an alert watch, with .32-
calibre rifle ON his lap
Realizing that he meant to carry out his
threat. she managed to escape by rear
door. leaving her two young children in
the house.
Why" stated the woman to the chief,
'he keeps his chickens in the best room
in the house and their feed occupies
portion of the dining ROOM
advised by the chief to make a complaint
against her husband to Recorder James
F. Kelly, of kearny, which she did later
in the day. and the warrant issued for
Freer's arrest was placed in the hands OF
Detective Sergeant Walter Oliver and Po-
liceman Michael Williamson. of that town,
The officers called at the house last night.
and a knock at the door brought the
query. who is there?"
Open that door, replied Detective
We'll who are you. and what do you
want?' came back the reply as the man
thrust his head out of the window.
I'VE are officers and you open the door
tive. ' ''
Don't do that. I'll open up, replied
Frcer, and as he did so the officers found
the rifle resting against the table, that
was probably placed there for conyenienese
police station he demurred by explaining
that he couldn't leave the baby.
Bring him along" suggested Sergeant
Oliver and the quartet started for the
Town Hall, The chief ordered him
What will do with the baby?'' queried
"I'll take care of him. Set him in the
big chair there" demanded the chief.
But he'll cry" replied the father.
We'll take care of him, all right. Lock
the prisoner up" said the chief to Police
man williamson, and as he was led away
down to one of the cells Mrs. Freer, who
had been hidden listener to the dialogue,
was given the custody of the child and the
key to the house by the chief, and they
braved the snow storm reaching home in
safety
Freer will he given hearing tonight.
He is an old offender On April H. 1907
he was arrested for carrying concealed
weapons for which he was fined SIS. He
was also held at the same time for dissem-
mating obscene literature and was paroled
for year by Judge Blair
Health Inspector Albert E. Geisler visited
In A1Er 8 L.
womans statement that he kept chickens
in the house. which is violation of the
town ordinance and he found six coops In
one OF the best rooms In the house. The
only fowl be had in them was a sick
| rooster A quantity OF chicken feed was
also discovered stored in another room
| The inspector will make a complaint tc
the Board of Health at the next meeting OF
1 the case.