Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-12
.MAYR WEEPS AS
HE TELLS STORY
EMOTION CH0KES VOICE OF
WEALTHY MAN
TELLS OF EXTRAVAGANcE OF
HIS WIFE
Declares He Was Generous to Her
Relatives at Her Solicitation and
Much Money Loaned Was
Not Repaid

With tear-filled eyes and voice
choked with the emotions he could not
repress, Walter A. Mayr, the wealthy
Chicago manufacturer who is contest
ing his wife'sN suit for divorce in the
superior court, yesterday related In
cidents in his domestic life prior to
and following the filing of the action,
of the eXtravagances of his WIFE, ms
generosity in aiding relatives dear TO
her, repeated reconciliations, and Of
the final break in their lives, when ne
told her he could look upon her face
calmly If she were dead.
Mayr was on the stand during the
entire session of court and had not
finished his testimony when court ad-
journed until this morning, when the
hearing will be resumed.
Mayr began his narrative by telling
of loan of $1,000 made, at the urgent
request of hisa wife, to her brother,
Ferdinand Mckinney, with which to
start Mckinney in business in Idaho.
This loan, he said, was made in 1871,
and after interest had been paid for
two years nothing further was done to
reimburse him.
Later her brother was arrested in
Idaho, charged with embezzling $4,000,
said Mayr, land Mrs. Mayr asked me
to go out west from Chicago TO help
him in his trouble. I went to ldaho
and brought about settlement OF
the matter for $1335, $500 of which mas
been repaid. 1 also gave her sister
Lulu $780, but this was repaid out of
her estate after her DEATH"
Wife Wanted Property
Mayr said he was forced to leave
his home and seek quietude and peace
in a hotel because of his wife's impor-
tunities to divide his property equally
7 rfo hn
went to New York, discovering while
en- route that his wife had distracted
money from his pocket
"I stayed at hotel when l returned
to Lnlcago" said Mayr, and When
my wife called on me l asked her how
she could imagine that previous con-
ditions could exist between US When
she stole my money. She replied tnat
she saw nothing wrong in 1T; that her
conscience did not trouble her in the
least.
Mayr said he again went east, fol-
lowing a reconciliation, but on his re-
turn found the house empty and his
wife gone to her parents home In NC
Quoin, ILL.,, whittier he followed and
another renewal of pleasant relations
was e ected which, however, was
marred a few days later, when she
again demanded division of the prop
erty.
Friendly for Advantage
"I told her at that time her friendly
actions were simply for the purpose
of securing some advantage, SAID
Mayr, land later, when 1 discovered
that she had been talking of our af-
fairs to Miss Laura Elliott, told her
I would publish all letters so that the
whole world might judge our AFFAIRS.
She replied if did so everything would
be over between us"
At this point the address book taken
from Mayr's desk and in which was
contained a slip of paper with the
name paul Mentors" written upon 1t
was shown to the witness.
Telling how he secured the book,
Mayr said: 'I was looking for an ad-
dress and opened my wife's desk. l
picked up the book and as I did so
Mrs. hayr opened the bathroom door.
Six or eight feet separated us, but she
sprang the full distance and grabbed
me. [ felt her teeth on my hand and
jerked myself away, running down.
stairs. Her actions aroused my sus-
picions and l examined the contents
of the book"
Mentors is the name said to have
been used by Joseph Calm, the mu-
stefan, with whom Mrs. Mayr Is al
legged to have corresponded and who,
according to one witness, she ad-
dressed as "My Dear Brown Eyes" !,
Following this incident the final
break in their relations took place,
Mayr inserting a notice in Chicago
paper that he would no longer be re-
sponsible for debts contracted by MS
wife.
offers Wife Settlement
1T gave her a letter at that time"
said Mayr, Gin which I asked her to
give me list of things she needed,
but she tore this up Mayr read
COPY of the letter, as follows:
''Dear Elta-As you expressed oppo-
sition to my suggestions this evening
of determining with me the amount
necessary for our household and your
personal expenses, SO that | might
make weekly advances to you for same
I wish to urge you to reconsider ami
cably this suggestion, for 1 do not
wish to have a credit account run
against me anywhere after this GATE
as I have and always have had the
cash to pay as we go.
"As you cannot utilize the Keys 10
the house 1t will not inconvenience
you to give back the one you LOOK
from my trousers this morning While
I was in the bathroom. Hereafter L
will be Obliged to lock from you any
effects when asleep, since you nave
threatened to leave my board and nave
already l6IC my Deu dllu Al1tASs NFON~ -@-S
support. do not think that you are
right in vowing that you VIII never
again kiss nor sleep with me, out, OF
course, I must submit to your personal
requisites as long as they do not con-
f1ict with the direct well being of the
members of our little family, and
propose to adhere to this, come what
may. This Is my VOW, and l feel
strong enough to carry 1t out, even
though an invalid.
Forbids Music Teaching
81 wish to say now that as long
as you are my legal wife I object
and forbid your teaching music or
entering into any other business with
out my consent. In any event my love
for you is not dead, and 1 shall strive
as long as / live to please and make
you happy wherever and whenever that
GOES not conflict with the pleasure,
happiness and interest of our little
family. Your loving husband"
Following the birth of the child
Mayr said he cared for the infant many
times during the night Mrs. Mayr
insisted that the child should wear
mittens and pinned it's hands to the
bedclothing to keep the little one from
sucking his thumbs. I vigorously pro-
tested against this, and one night, In
February, sat up the greater part
of the night to keep the child from
fretting because he could not use his
hands. Mrs. Mayr tried to replace the
mittens, but l stood between her and
- Ct -. .saI -. Il