The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-16
w. Gould BrOkaW Set an I'm
fortunate Precedent
During the First Year of His
Married Life.
CALLEDHER THELIMIT
Maid Servant Testifies That
Head of the House
Applied Numerous Ugly Names
to Her Mistress.

New York, Dec. 16.-If Mrs. Mary
Blair Brokaw's lawyers n.ake up their
minds today that they have presented
sufficient evidence. w. Gould Bro
kaw, her husband. will take the stand
to testify for himself in Mrs. Brokaw s
suit for a separation and alimony.
Mr.. Brokaw's story of the conflicts,
verbal Ind otherwise between himself
and his young wife which have been so
picturesquely detailed by her during
her six days. of practically continuous
occupancy of the witness chair is await
ed with interest.
When court opened today, however,
there still remained for his W1fe'S cOun-
sci a gathering up of the ends of evil
dence and a further effort to establish
facts concerning M. Brolaws material
possessions that will insure the award
to the plaintiff of the substantial all
mony she is claiming.
There was a prospect that today
W ould witness q continuation Of the
vein of the comedy which featured the
proceedings late yesterday, ,Mlnna l4ahtea,
the quaint little maid from Finland,
who testified that Mr.. Brokaw called his
wife The limit" and even shorter and
uglier names, was again in court, and
other servants of the Brokaw estab-
iishment were expected to testify in
corroboration of Mrs. Brokaw's story
-AltnlOny Evidence.
"Alimony evidence was put on the
to the stand by her counsel to supply
it. She said her husband had spent
$780, ZOO during 1908 in defraying her ex-
penses other than living expenses.
Mrs. Brokaws counsel got the court
to direct that the defense produce
numerous messages alleged to contain
reports of Mrs. Brokaw's conduct and
sent by servants at Great Neck to
Mr. Brokaw and his secretary at High
Point, N. c.
Some days as many as 10 telegrame ms
rassed. many OF them containing loo
words or SO. These messages We're
withheld for later reading. They are
expected to produce the sensation Of
the trial.
Mcintyre land my husband spent
$4,000 a year on me. 1 would i've
with him.
"Mr Brokaw." Mr.. MCINTYRE con-
tinued, sis as good and kind hus-
band as the Lord ever created 10 walk
on his green footstool."
Counsel for Mrs. Brokaw called
Minna Lahtea, a maid formerly in his
clients employ to refute this con-
tention.
Says Brokaw Was Drunk.
DO you remember he asked. IAN
occasion on which Mr.. and Mrs.
Brokaw and DR.. Shipman came from
New York and stayed at the Gill
berts?"
Mrs. Gilbert is Mr.. Brokaw's sister,
and counsel explained that he alluded
to an occasion when Mrs. BrokaW Is
alleged to have sought refuge from
her husband with her sister-in-law.
yes said the maid. Mr.. Brokaw
was drunk
mo" exclaimed Mr.. Mcintyre.
yes" said the maid stolidly, "ex-
oitad opd what Said.'
Cannot you describe his condition
more accurately?
"I know little English replied the
maid, who is a Finlander. but few
words are enough to describe MS
condition"
The testimony reverted to dollars
and cents again. with view to es-
tablishing Mr.. Brokaw's ability or in
ability to pay the alimony demanded:
John H. Armstrong an executor OF
the will of the late W. ". Brokaw,
the defendants father. testified that
the older Brokaw left s1,49O,OOO to
his son, much of it in Standard OIL
stock. There was no testimony as to
how much money the father might
have conveyed to the son during his
life time. The treasurer of bank
ing and brokerage house swore that
his firm holds securities for w Gouid
Brokaw valued at s1,224,000, but that
there is a debit colum of s1,03O,0O0
balance of only s214,0O0, subject to
market f1uctuation. 1t was not
offered in evidence that the account
mentioned included all Mr.. Brokaw's
holdings.
What Money Went For.
John F. Mcintyre counsel for Brok-
aw has complained he was unable to
get direct replies to the questions he
asked Mrs. Brokaw. Today he pre-
sented a compilation of 1,24S ques-
tions he had propounded to which
evasive answers were returned.
ION one occasion l asked her sixty
nine questions before I got a respon-
sive answer" the lawyer declared. A
mathematical problem was set for
Mrs. Brokaw when she was called to
the stand again. She testified that
Mr.. Brokaw spent $4,000 on her
during the first year of their married
life and was asked to figure up the
items that made the total.
AS she enumerated her engage
ment ring, which she said cost ST.
600 and which she did not get until
after her marriage, diamond neck
lace which cost $4,000 and other ar
ticles of use and ornament, the law
yer. with a paper in his hand appar
emily containing a list of the articles,
checked off the items.
Counsel for Brokaw are searching
for Walter -Byford secretary to Mr..
Brokaw to testify that Brokaw actual
ly sent the numerous telegrams to
Mrs. Brokaw.
nARsAncc led cDCnlAITv