The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-09-29
Mrs. Nelson Warner Has Instituted
Action to Obtain Separation
Charges lnhuman Treat
ment.
ARGUMENTS OF CRAIG
Presenting Attorney Reeites For
Hours Cruelty to Which Wayne
Grant Has Been Sub
jected to.

Mrs. Edith M. Warner instituted di.
vorce proceedings against her hus.
band, Nelson d. Warner, late yester-
day afternoon in the district court.
The suit is on the grounds of cruel
and inhuman treatment as to endan-
ger plaintiffs life and also the defend
ant has repeatedly sworn at and ours.
ed the plaintiff, according to the ALE
cation. Following are several para
graphs Of the petition:
That on or about the 18th day OF
May, 1909, the defendant, in violation
Of his marriage VOWS and without any
fault of the plaintiff, was guilty of
such inhuman treatment as to endan-
ger the health and life of this claim
tiff, in this, that the said defendant in
great rage swore at the plaintiff and
violently seized her by the throat and
neck and choked and beat plaintiff,
until she became sick and sore and re-
NAMED so for long time thereafter.
That said defendant has repeatedly
and at divers times since sworn at
and cursed the plaintiff and accused
her of infidelity and keeping company
with other men in violation Of her
marriage vows and duty as wife of
the defendant and defendant refuses
to provide for the plaintiff or make
any provision for her support and has
absented himself and refuses to live
with this plaintiff.
The defendant Is possessed of GER
tain real estate which constitutes the
homestead, OF value of $4,000. That
plaintiff is entitled as permanent all
mony to an undivided one-half of said
property.
Minor Matters.
The case of l. N. Tichenor plain
tiff, VS.. James b. Crowson, defendant,
was dismissed.
Mrs. Genie Thomas has been ap.
pointed guardian OF Frederick Rufus
Brown, a minor.
Arguments to Jury.
The French seduction case was re-
sumed this morning shortly after 10
o'clock with the arrival of witnesses
on the Rock Island. Short testimony
was taken and then the attorneys
prepared themselves for the argu-
ments to the jury. After the law had
been argued before Judge Withrow
prosecuting attorney Theodore A.
Craig began the opening argument
and consumed several hours. In his
opening remarks he made clear to the
jury what constituted case of seduc.
ton and several points regarding
the law connected with such a
case. He then launched into a
stormy review of the case and
during his talk branded the tes
timony of Benjamin French, the
defendant. the most fantastical thai
he had ever heard in court. He fierce
ly attacked the story told by the de
PENDANT on the witness stand, which
according to Mr. Craig, was an effort
to make believe that the girl had rap
ed him,--a big, strapping, monstrous
fellow. Mr. Craig also stated that II
the opening statements Attorney Nc
Cold had made no statements as tt
what he was going to prove in the de
tense, but simply made few in
uendoes. While reciting the story o
the case and bringing to bear the posi-
ton of the plaintiff Mr.. Craig calico
forth much eloquence and his opening
argument was strong one.
Mr.. Craig resumed his argumen,
after the noon recess and dwelt IL
some length upon the letters writer
by the defendant to the plaintiff ant
the plaintiff to the defendant, also the
postal cards, etc, which had passed
between the two. He also brought
out the fact and touched upon al
length the conversation between the
preacher, Wayne Grant and Benjamin
French, which had to do with arrange
ments concerning the wedding alleg
ed to have been made. Mr.. Crais
aWeit upon the letter sent by Gran
10 the girl, which was brief one ant
told the girl that he was going tt
mexico and which broke off thei
approaching marriage. That the &C
IONS OF Grant III living under an as
sumed name and trying to evade TIL,
snerin in the west was sufficient tt
Prove MS guilt. He said the fact o
.ne matter is the defendan
ran away lit is only II
keeping with the kind of
man ne is. The argument then drift
90 70 the testimony of the variou,
Witnesses.