Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-04
TO BE NO DIVORCE SUIT
He Liked Manageable Nieces, Too,
Declares Accuser.
WARRANT FOR CHURCHMAN
Charges Him With Non-Support.
Blows Said to Have Been Elk
changed by Unhappy Couple.

$40 600 for alienation of her husbands af-
fections has been begun by Mrs. Martha
Samson wife of the pastor of the First
Reformed Church of this place, against
Mrs. Mary E. Kelley. an elderly widow,
who is by far the wealthiest and most
prominent woman in the town.
During the last two or three years the
minister's wife declares her husband has
spent as much as two-thirds of his time
in Mrs. Keeley's handsome white mansion.
enjoying the society of the widow and
her three nieces. while he neglected her
and even failed to furnish her with salts
factory support.
Further sensation has been caused by
the mention in the bill of complaint in the
suit of mysterious trip to Allentown on
which Mrs. Kelley accompanied the min
lister after they had been good friends for
about year
Says His Check Came Back.
So uncomfortable did the demeanor of
her husband with Mrs. Kelley make her.
Mrs. Samson declares. that she left him
and lived in the west for nearly two
years. and that when she returned the
minister offered her $500 and $40 month
If she would go away again and leave him
undisturbed in his present position.
This agreement was accepted, the VILE
declares. and she adds that she was seek
ing only for arrangement by which
she and her ten-year-old daughter Edna
could be properly supported But when
she tried to cash the checks the minister
had given her a first payment. she
says. one of them was returned by the
bank. -
There was one check for $75 on a local
bank. which was readily cashed when 1t
was presented. said Mrs. Samson, but
I
institution in Pottstown. 1t was returned.
with the note no funds on deposit writ
ten over the back of it,
My husband has fooled me for years
by such tricks as that. So 1 decided to
bring suit.
Isn't Seeking Divorce.
Though. in addition to bringing suit
against the widow Kelley. Mrs. Samson
caused warrant to be issued. charging
her husband with non-support, she has
begun no action for divorce and will
bring none. The Reformed Church. in
which her husband is minister and of
which she Is a member. is strongly Op-
posed to divorces and she feels that as
church member and the wife of minister
she must avoid that If possible.
Since her return from Mulberry Mich
where she had been for some time before
she arrived in Spring City three weeks
ago to patch up an agreement with her
husband. she has lived in the parsonage
of the church on Chestnut street with a
sister. who came to Spring City to aid in
the settlement
Immediately on her arrival the Rev. Mr..
Samson vacated the house and went to
board with a neighbor He still attends
to his church duties with regularity. and
every time he goes to church he Is forced
to pass his wife's door.
Before the filing of the present suit an
attempt was made by sister of Mrs.
Samson to settle the difficulties of the
pair by means that would avoid suit
with its attendant publicity. She came to
Spring City several weeks In advance of
the minister's wife to work up the recon-
from the Rev. Mr.. Samson asking for her
aid.
Kind to- Sister.
Il little realized when / came here to
help my sister out of this trouble what
cunning / had to match myself against.
! came unprecedented and determined to
do nothing to aid my sister If l found
her wrong. Mr. Samson received me with
open arms, took me about to dinners with
his friends and Toasted me.
Il did not realize ii at the time. but
have found since that the purpose of all
thai was to prove to the public that l
sided with him in his quarrel with his
wife He is man of wonderful mag
netism. and the people of his congregation
under his control.
The instant l took my sisters part in
this fight not one of the persons who had
been dining me but the week before would
look at me on the street"
How furious were the quarrels which
the minister and his wife had over the
fact that he visited the Kelley home fire.
Quently is shown by the fact that both of
them in discussing their troubles say they
were hit by the other in a physical
struggle.
Says Husband Struck Her.
Several times during the fury which
mention of his frequent calls at the Kelley
house aroused my husband struck me-"
said Mrs. Samson
If my husband were divorced l think
1t very likely indeed that he would marry
again. But do / think he would marry
Mrs. Kelley? No. she's too old There
are younger women in whom he is inter-
ested."
Her husband. on the other hand. de-
clares that once when he was sick in
which the jealousy of his wife caused
him. she attacked him with her fists
The Rev Maurice Samson is an English
Jew. who was converted to Christian nifty
his wife in Cleveland when he was study
ing there for the ministry. He indicates
his attitude in the suit by strongly de-
Tending Mrs. Kelley. while he condemns
his wife
This action is a terrible injustice to a
good woman he said we will have
little difficulty in disproving all the
charges that have been made
1t Is true that have often been a WIS.,
ftor at Mrs keeleys home. but I went
there merely as pastor
Since few months after our marriage
my hfe has been most miserable have
been tormented by my wife's almost in
sane Jealousy TO such an extent that I
could scarcely carry on my work: and
besides. she has attacked members of INV
congregation with SANDER and abuse
have always been ready for peaceful
separation. and have frequently offered
her half my salary fog that purpose
The Kelley mansion is a great white
house set back from the street in a large
and we'll kept garden The big veranda
was deserted yesterday and the blinds
were drawn 10 keep the inmates from the
curious eyes of the sensation hungry
Mrs. Kelley refused to see a reporter
but she sent word through Walter Nc
Afee. the manager OF her affairs since the
death of her husband o. B Keeley. a
wealthy stow manufacturer that she ha a
retained lawyer IN West Chester and
beyond denying emphatically ali the
charges that had been made she had
nothing TO say.
Turkenton Will Filed.
BY the terms OF the will Of Edward
Turkenton. dated November ~ ION and