Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-01-27

child, who is one of the most inno-
cent and modest little girls l have
ever seen, am of the opinion that
adultery has not been proved, and
the Court so finds.
1t is easy to charge a woman with
adultery, and much easier to put a
wong construction upon acts of in
discretion on the part of woman,
and in every community there are
men and women who are only too
anxious to/destroy the character and
reputation of a woman the moment
there is the slightest. ground of sus-
picion against her.
There is, however, every reason
| why these parties should be divorced;
each has been guilty of cruel and in
human treatment of the other, and in
! the opinion of the Court they cannot
| live together, and nothing that this
Court could say or do could cause
them to ever live together again, and
while they are both guilty of cruel
and inhuman treatment, the opinion
OF the Court is that their best inter-
ests and the welfare and happiness of
| their children demand that decree
of divorce be entered.
| AS before stated, have talked with
tie little child Vina, who is ten years
old; l have also talked with Charles
and Grin, who are fifteen and thir-
teen years of age respectively. | find
that all three Of these children are
remarkably bright, intelligent and
well appearing children. They are
modest, well hammered, and conduct
themselves in way that would be a
credit to any parent. The elder
daughter, Goldie, has been in Court
with her mother during the entire
trial, and she has conducted herself
in manner that is above criticism
There has been no word of criticism
Il OF these children, or any of them, ant
i. is conceded by all parties that
whatever may be the faults of the
| mother she has raised her children
IN an exemplary manner. The 5evi
dcnce shows that they have beer
under the care and control of the
mother almost entirely for many
years; the father was in the asylum
in independence for six or sever
years, and since that time has beer
!, engaged in work that called hin
, away from home during the most OF
tie working days. The mother ha:
!, had nearly the sole care of the chill
dren, and it cannot be doubted thai
she has succeeded in making then
good and obedient children; that she
has given them the proper training
b, sending them to school and tt
Sunday school, and that in every re
spect they are credit to her good
management. | saw the school re
, port of Charles today and his aver
age in all studies and department is
ninety-two and two-sevenths; the
other children have approximately thu
/, same good reports
In respect to the question of the
Gus tody of the children the Court is
. therefore of the opinion that the
mother should be given Temporal!
, custody of the minor children, and i,
il; SO ordered If anything should de
velop in the future in regard to the
/ conduct of the defendant that woult
! require a change of this custody, il
, will be made upon proper showing.
AS to the question of alimony, the
! Court is of the opinion that the de
PENDANT is entitled to alimony. She
has been largely instrumental in the
accumulation of the property owned
by the plaintiff.
The Court finds that the plaintiff
property is of the value of about four
teen thousand two hundred ninety dol
J, lars, the land being valued at seven
ty-five dollars an acre, or twelve
thousand dollars, and the persona
property two thousand two hundred
ninety dollars. The debts of the
plaintiff as shown by his own teati
mony amount to four thousand foul
hundred and seventy two dollars and
fifteen cents approximately; the
probable cost Of this trial, including
tile attorneys fees of the defendants
attorneys will be one thousand dol