The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-04
CASEOF ALIENATION
Julius G. Ford Asks $5,00O from Frank L. Smith, of
 North Haven.
PLAINTIFFS CASE STARTS
Testimony Indicates That PlaintifIs Wife and Smith Were Often
 Together.

Judge Wheeler's court was crowded with witnesses and the public generally to hear the first days testimony in the suit for 5000 damages on a charge of alienation of affections, brought by Julius G. Ford, bookkeeper for A. IL. Smith X Co.,, against Frank l.. Smith, q North Haven farmer and milkman. The plaintiff put on great number of witnesses yesterday and 1t Is under stood that he has as many as thirty to be heard In all. Mrs Ford, with whom it is claimed Smith became very friendly, was present in court and sat on one side of Lawyer Jacob Goodhart,
 who appeared for the defense On MT. Goodhart's other side sat MT. Smith. Mrs. Ford Is a brunette of very come ly appearance. She was dressed in black yesterday. wearing handsome fur piece about her neck. Many times during the giving of the testimony she dropped her face In her hands and cried, showing that the nervous tension for her was very great. Mir. Smith is powerfully built man of more than usual height,
 Attorneys Webb and Ely appeared for the plaintiff.
 During the afternoon session the de- fense put on the stand Mrs. Willard w. Dubois of POT Gregory street, where Mrs. Ford lived year ago, and where it Is claimed she received the attentions of Smith, who went 10 her house os- tensibly' 1t Is said to collect milk bills Mrs DuBois testified to having seen them together many times.
 Ralph B. Sanford. of 9T3 Dixwell ave- nue, testified that he had known Smith for ten years or more. He, too, had seen the couple together
 John W. Burns, blacksmith, who had shop in Centerville at the time in question, testified to having seen Mrs. Ford and her baby out driving with Smith He was asked on the ross-examination if Ford was one of the habltues of certain saloon or, State street, but he did not understand the meaning of the question.
 Edward ]. Coyle, a bakery salesman, said he saw the couple out driving to- gether many times. He testified to hay ing sal to Smith In reference to what he had seen: I'm on to you up m Shelton avenue" to which Smith re- piled with an oath.
 One of the star witnesses of the aft ! ernoon was the mother of the plaintiff, Mrs Emma J. Ford. who gave a com plete history of the couples joys and sorrows since their marriage in 1901 Shc was severely cross examined hv Attorney Goodhart She said that when Mrs Ford had her baby that she went to her own home She admitted that neither she nor Ford went near her at the time. She wanted to show how she thought she and her son were jus tlfied in so doing. but she was not al- lowed to do so by Lawyer Goodhart He asked her If she was well disposed toward her daughterin-law. and she insisted upon replying. Why should I he? ?' several times until finally Lawyer Coodhart obtained the reply, T would not see her injured"
 Michael ]. OConnell, a private de- tective, and once a member Of the New i Haven police force. told Of his having ! heen hired hy Ford to watch his wife and Smith. and of seeing them togeth CT many times driving. at the theater, at Jack Lucy's saloon on Temple street ] and finally at Mrs. Ford's apartments | where the couple were confronted by | Ford and the detective.
 The case may take two more days.