The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-03-22
John B. Thomas Danced a
Merry Jig in Irish Style, 1t
Was Claimed in Divorce
Hearing Saturday.
ONLY HIS WIFE WAS
ABLE TO RESTRAIN HIM.
Grabbed Him by the Coat COL
lar and Jerked Him to the
FIoor-Comedy RetoId in
Circuit Court Room.

Evidence of the most interesting and
amusing nature that has been present .
cd in the Wayne Circuit court during
the hearing of divorce case in many
months. was presented as testimony in !
the Clara Thomas VS.. John B. Thomas
case yesterday afternoon. Witnesses /
told how they had seen the applicant
grab the defendant by the coat collar
and wipe up the floor with him. I
Frank Conner, counsel for the appli- ,
cant. engaged in frequent word tiits
with Wilfred Jessup, who as prosecut- !
ing attorney, was representing the de-
fendant. One witness appeared wear
ing heavy felt boots. He was intro
duced as a witness by the attorney for
the plaintiff but before his testimony
had been completed it was undoubted-
ly in favor of the defendant. Anoth-
er witness. the sister Of Mrs Thomas,
gave testimony as greatly in favor of
her sister as that of other witnesses
had been adverse. Conner dismayed
this witness by asking her as the sec
Onu question: HOW long nave you
known this plaintiff:'' The woman
had to say: Let me think" and made
a mental calculation Of ages before
giving her answer.
Divorce Requested.
Mrs. Clara Thomas has requested a
divorce on the ground of cruel and in
human treatment. Her husband is
the pOSseSSOr of a tract of land in Clay
township, and she is seeking dlimOny
and the custody of a minor child. The
defendant is a native Of Wales and il
was alleged in evidence that he be-
comes angered and frequently resorts
to the language of his native land for
epithets as soon as he eXhausts his
supply of the American type.
Danced a Jig.
The fun for the large lobby and wit
nesses. who were not on the stand at
the time. began when Tobias. Funk of
Greensboro was placed on the stand.
He told of a New Years party at his
home the night of December 81 of last
year. Cider was served in abundance
and according to Funk. Thomas said
that what he had provided was not
strong enough, and he would go after
some that would reach the spot" He
went to the home of a neighbor and
obtained more. During the course Of
the evening. music was furnished by a
phonograph and Thomas wanted to
dance. He stepped a few lively ones
with his daughter and then announc-
ed he would dance an Irish jig by him.
self. His wife put the stamp of dis
approval on this proposition. but the
cider was getting in its work in the
region of Thomas heart strings. and
he was not to be stopped. it was claim
ed. Up and down he hoped. first on
one foot and then on the other. Never
had such a jig been danced in the vi
cinity of Greensboro since the days OF
the spalpeens on the railroad. But
his eXuberanCe of spirit that found
vent in his feet was not to the pleasure
of his wife, it was claimed, and she
admonished John severely. But John
couldn't stop and then it happened. Up
Mrs. Thomas arose. in her righteous
wrath, and grabbing her main stay by
quaintance of the floor covering. The
please to meet you. Mr.. Carpet was
omitted in this instance. however as
were all other formalities. The ma
tive of the European coal fields was
felled and staid there until released.
Funk Not Intoxicated.
Funk testified that he did not be-
lieve Thomas was intoxicated al the
time. He testified that Thomas had
told him Friday he was circulating a
petition about Greensboro and having
it signed in the effort TO prove he is a
man of good character. The witness
stated the defendant had told him that
II anybody testified falsely against
him. he would bring him down" if ne
had TO go TO the pen for it Funk said
he felt somewhat intimidated by this
threat but was not particularly alarm
ed One witness named Erik said he
and his wife had attended the New
| Years party and stopped in at the
I Tlomases on their way home. He
said Mrs. Thomas told him she and
Nellie, her daughter. were going to
| leave the house and Nellie was crying
and saying her father would kill her
mother unless somebody interferred.
! The witness testified Mrs. Thomas
/ told her husband in his presence she
was going TO leave him tomorrow"
No. go tonight Thomas told her and
she asked him for the money he had
/ that belonged to her and said she
wanted TO get Nellie's school books.
! Objected to Laughs.
{ James Davis was the chief source of
amusement TO the crowd in the court.