Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-09
IN PRATT CASE
Jerome Magse Tsstihss as to Property
Of the Colonel.
MISS MONTGOMERY ON HIS HABITS
she says He Was Drunk Most OF
the Time and Used Profans
to Her
Mother.

Jerome Magee. grandson OF Colonel j II.
Pratt. and Miss Laura Montgomery.
uEhter of Mrs. Pratt. were the principal
witnesses in the Pratt divorce hearing
which was resumed before Judge Kennedy
Monday morning. Mr.. Mage was sum
moned by Mrs. Pratt's attorneys to give
evidence as to Colonel Pratt's possessions.
He said he had charge Of the Bennington
farm. the farm near Blair and the old
P-F. ranch in Laramie county. Wyoming.
Mr.. Magee said SIS acres Of the Beuning-
ton farm was leased land. the rest oper-
ated by himself with the assistance Of
Colonel Pratt The Wyoming ranch, he
said. he had leased last year for about $3.50
cash rent net The Highland farm near
Blair ne said was hard to rent because OF
the high water which had destroyed crops
repeatedly.
Mr.. Magee is the successor to Marshall
Field OF Chicago as trustee of Colonel
Pratt's wyoming property for his daush-
ters. The trust deed was read IN court It
conveys Colonel Pratt's interest in m.OO0
acres OF land in Wyoming together with the
equipment.
Miss Montgomery testified as to the rela-
lions between her mother and Colonel
Pratt Before the marriage she said her
mothers health had always been good.
After her return from the wedding trip,
she says. her mother appeared nervous. I'M
strung and was unable to sleep. She also
said she had heard quarrels between Col
onel Pratt and her mother.
Once they were in the coloneTs room.
she said. "and 1 could hear the colonel
walking up and down the room swearing
and mother was crying
What were the coloneTs habit as to the
sr1l - --Fn- Nw.-v.-0H ~ D.
asked her.
"1t was customary for him to swear"
She said her mother had to take medi-
cine to induce sleep.
What was Jhe coloners habit as to
drink she was asked.
He drank all the time. He always
seemed to MIG to be under the influence of
liquor. He often carried it up TO his room
at night"
No HighbaIIs. OnIy Cocktails.
Testimony as to the value Of Colonel
Pratt's property and the return Of Mrs.
Pratt to- the witness stand we're the prin-
cipal features OF the divorce hearing Mon
day afternoon. n. d. Reed said the Ben
nington farm was worth about so an acre,
or a rental value OF g an acre.
Mrs. Pratt's testimony was devoted
largely to the allegation that her health
had been injured by Colonel Pratts treat
ment of her. She said since she married
the colonel she had had a physician most
of the time.
General Gown asked her on cross-exam-
ination II she was under the care of a
doctor when she attended the horse show
every night and ate dinner after each per
formance. Mrs. Pratt said she could not
tell.
Were you under the care OF a doctor
when you entertained at bridge parties
and drank cocktails and highballs?''
Il never had highballs in my home. said
Mrs. Pratt. Indignantly
You made cocktails. did you not?''
Il had a servant girl do It."
Mrs. Pratt said she drank very little.
General Gown followed alp the
ton by asking her If she were in poor
health when she was at the. seashore OF
was learning to play golf 70 reduce heI
flesh, as she stated in a letter to Colone.
Pratt. In most cases she replied she was
better when at the seashore and could moi
remember whether she was under a doc.
tors care or not.