The sun., 1908-06-07
PASTOR and WIFE In COURT
JUSTICE TRIES HARD TO RECON
GLE THE OSTERHELDS.
Has Long Conference with ozone Park
Minister and Mrs. Osterheid. but Doesn't
succeed In Adjusting Their Troubles
Mother Gets Children Temporarily.

Unusual efforts were made by Justice Gar
retson to bring about q reconciliation be-
tween the Rev. Dudley Osterheld and his
wife. Mrs. Mary Osterheld. in the Supreme
Court at Flushing yesterday. While not
pursuing exactly the plan said to have been
carried out by Abraham Lincoln, who
locked the disagreeing man and wife in his
Office and then went away with the key,
returning an hour or 80 later to find out
that they had patched up their difference
and didn't want divorce Justice Garretson
took the pastor and his wife and their two
pretty children into his private room with
him, and they were closeted there for almost
half an hour. An three were visiby agitated
when they reentered the court room.
Mrs. Osterheld, who is about 50 years old,
fastened to find seat beside her parents.
Mr.. and Mrs. George Schroeder Of Grove
street. Brooklyn. Pastor Osterheld
stretched out his arms to his children and
voice trembling. requested the attorneys
representing both sides to consult with him
in his private room. This conference also
lasted almost half an hour. and when he
resumed the bench Justice Garretson said:
The children will remain in the custody
of the mother for the present. Further
details of the disposition of this case will be
communicated to both MIR. Osterheld and
his wife by their attorneys"
1t was then learned that Mrs. Osterheld
is to have possession Of her children until
October next. when the Court may take
further action if the breach between the
couple is still unhealed. and during that
period Mr.. Osterheld is to have the privilege
Of visiting his children as often as he may
choose.
The Rev. Mr. Osterheld is about IS years
old. He is pastor Of the Methodist Church
in Ozone Park. l.. l., where he has been
active in crusades against saloon keepers
and Sunday violations. He seems to have
had the support of his entire congregation
in his disagreement with his wife, and the
recent Methodist conference returned him
to his present charge,
In addition to her father and mother
and her brother, George Schroeder. Jr..
and his wife, Mrs. Osterheld was sup
ported in court yesterday by a throng Of
friends. Attorney J. NJ Gray, who rep
resented Mr.. Osterheld, said that if
the Court proposed to try any of the issues
at stake in the case he had no less
than twenty witnesses ready to testify
in behalf Of his client.
1t was in answer to a writ of habeas
corpus sued out by Mr.. Osterheld that
Mrs. Osterheld with her two children
Earl years old and Ruth. 3, were in court
and the appearance Of mother and children
recalled the sensational taking Of the chill
dren from Ozone Park in January 20 last
by the mother assisted by woman rela-
tive. Some time before that occurrence
it is alleged, Mrs. Osterheld left her hus-
band and went to the home Of her parents
and as abe did not return MIR, Osterheld
obtained board for himself and care for
the children in the home Of a family named
Hicks living in Belmont street. Ozone Park.
On the afternoon Of January 20 a closed
carriage drove up to the house, and when
the door was opened in response to ring
at the bell Mrs. Osterheld walked in, and
picking up the two children carried them
out to the carriage and drove away.
From that time until their appearance
in court yesterday. 30 Lawyer Gray told
the Court. they had been lost to sight.
as if the earth had opened and swallowed
them They were traced to New Jersey
and from there into Connecticut How
they finally succeeded in serving papers
on Mrs. Osterheld was not told.
This is the first time Mr.. Osterheld has
seen his children since the day they were
taken away in January last" said Lawyer
Gray.
The two little ones romped in the court
room while the proceedings were on.
On behalf of Mr.. Osterheld Attorney
Gray said that Mrs. Osterhsld had gone
suddenly insane, had proclaimed herself
the Almighty had written letters TO Pres-
dent Roosevelt on the subject of the care
of children and had called public meeting
of the members of the Ozone Park Methodist
Church and addressed them in a wild, dis
connected manner on her husbands s actions
and the care Of children.
Lawyer George p. Hotaling, representing
Mrs. Osterheld, charged that the clergyman
had subjected his wife to cruel and in
human treatment. He further declared
that she had left her husband with his
consent for the purpose of visiting her
father and that in her absence he sought
to institute proceedings to have her de-
clared lunatio and placed in an asylum.
She was forbidden to see her children, and
upon one occasion, when passing by the
house where the children were boarded,
her husband took them out Of the window
when he caught sight Of her. Furthermore.
Lawyer Hotaling asserted that the Rev.
Mr.. Osterheld abused his wife, and upon
two occasions knocked her down; that he
neglected and treated her shamefully an
that under the strain her nervous system
finally broke down.
These statements were all denied by Mr..
Gray on behalf Of Mr.. Osterheld and in
the course of the denial Justice Garretson
broke in. He deprecated the trying Of
any issue at this stage Of the proceedings.
He spoke on the apparent refinement and
high standing Of all concerned, ON the hard
ship worked on the two little children be-
fore the court and he wanted to know IL
it wasn't possible, IL the couple remained
apart for little time longer. that they
might eventually forget past differences
and be united Whatever differences the
couple may have had. he said. they ought
to wipe them out and think of the welfare