The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-07
DAUGHTERSTELL OF FATHERS SAD
 MISCONDUCT
Hoffman Divorce Closes To- day After Much Unproft- able Evidence Is Taken.

obAO UN1OClCC Us l thOu. Te sight of two beautiful young chil. dren testifying against their father, te save their mother, was presented ir the Civil Superior Court this morning before Judge Howard J. Curtis in the case of Hoffman against Hoffman. The two children were Ethel Hoffman aged IA, and Catherine aged 12 Ethel
 who is a smart little girl, was the first
 to take stand. She stated that after
 the pleasure trip taken to Europe they
 returned to this city, going to their
 fathers boarding house, where she, her
 mother and sister remained for the ev-
 ening. The father did not seem over
 joyed to see them. He had a falling
 out with his wife, who went to her
 mothers home in Greens Farms.
 The children remained in this city
 and went to live with him in a house
 he took up on Maplewood avenue.
 Here Rosie TaksacS did work around
 the house for a time. There were only
 two beds in the house, one of which
 the girl testified she and his sister oc-
 cupied, while the other was for her
 father and the servant.
 . Some time after the father bought a ticket for Rosie to go to her old home in Hungary, and accompanied her to the boat in New York. While Rosie was in Hungary her father took in an other girl, Mary Sacush who also oc- cupied the same room. One day, while brushing her fathers clothes the child found a letter addressed to her faith CT from Rosie, speaking to him about the coming of a child. All this time she knew that her father wanted to get a divorce from her mother. She had heard him say that if he could get -a diyorce he would marry Rosie. After Etf1eI testified, Catherine, who is a pupil at the Bostwick avenue school, said that in the house on Maplewood avenue her father and the servant had but one room.
 1,ic in her own defense. She broke down under severe cross exam ination and wept like a child. A re- cess had to be ordered till she could compose herself Mrs. Hoffman ad- rnitted that she was friendly with her Michael Hoffman, who is named in the suit as correspondent. Her husband had treated her shame fully at times and she relied on Mich ael for sympathy. She testified that she was married in this city in 1899 and that for time the couple lived happily together. Letters from Mrs. Holman to her brother in law Mich ael,, were produced which Mrs. Hof- man identified as having been written by her. The tones of the letters were affectionate.
 Yesterday afternoon Joseph Hoffman the plaintiff. was on the stand He Spring of 1908 he walked in upon his brother and wife. He left right after as he thought he might kill one. or both. At that time he did not say anything but one evening few nights later. he in company with two police men entered the house. and Mrs. HoH- man and his brother were arrested on his complaint, but the case was thrown put of the higher court The cross brought out much that IS unfit for publication. Hoffman sent his wife to Europe in 1906. where she re- mained for about thirteen months. The husband admitted that he knew Rosie rakacs and that she did housework for liul. He would not admit however, hat he had paid her passage back to Hungary and that he had accompanied Ter as far as New York. He did not l <now where his brother Michael was o-day, but if he was in Bridgeport he would give him a position at any time. | Hoffman under cross-examination de ,ied that he was cruel or cross to his wife and that he had put her out of he house He admitted that he took l tt least half a. dozen drinks day fudge Scott held up the case for de .ision till the attorneys for both sides ,ould file briefs.