The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-09-24
SCANDAL HEAPED.
ON SHRINE OF
POETESS
James A. Carey Accuses His
Wife of Having Found Soul-
mate in G. L. Childs
Divorce Cross Complaint Sets
Forth Alleged C0mmunions
With Particularly

The eternal affinity danced, once
again, its scandalous jig and fiuffed its
gaudy skirts in hilarious abandon in
local circles of literature and poesy
Yesterday. when Mabel Porter Pitts,
writer of verse of the rose hued type,
and known in domestic life as Mrs.
Mabel Carey, was charged by her hus-
band. James A Carey. editor and pub
Usher. in divorce proceedings, with
finding in c. L. sChilds Of the Weekly
News Letter a soulmate of an unduly
affectionate kind.
Carey's charges came in his cross
complaint and answer to his wife's pc
tition for divorce filed in Oakland Au-
gust 81. In her petition for divorce Mrs.
Carey claimed to have been treated
| with such extreme cruelty by her hus-
band that she was forced to flee from
him in the dead of night and seek
safety among friends. Carey replied
yesterday. And in the reply he raked
his good ship Matrimony fore and aft.
He plunged into details of most en-
barrassing sort He alleges acts
which brought bushes. He stopped at
nothing. He gave the courts a tabu-
lated form of names. dates and num-
bers of the rooms in the various hotels.
In three short typewriter pages he
pulled down his roof tree. touched the
button and set in motion the dance
of the affinity.
Husband Is Elderly
Carey is an elderly IllSn ktvcea
20 and 55 years of age. His wife,
Mabel Porter Pitts, is about 20 years
his junior. Childs, the tertius quid. is
the infant In the drama, being but "a
years of age. Also he is blonde and
said to be good to look upon. Though
the guns thundered and things ripped
but yesterday, the trouble has long
been brewing.
The two were married in Redwood
City October 10. 1906. Carey as editor
and publisher of the Adjuster passed
through life in prosaic contemplation
of cold facts and estimates and values.
Mabel Porter Pitts, then fast rising
into poetess of quality. was young, fas-
cinating. beautiful. emotional. Where
upon. according to Carey's friends, he
looked up from his rows Of figures and
promptly placed her on pedestal,
marked the base goddess" and began
buying houses and things for her edif-
cation.
The DismantIed Shrine
Soon. however, the shrine began to
be dismantled. According to the petit
ton for divorce filed by Mrs. Carey he
referring to her as sundry unmention-
able things, and as, she says. he voiced
his opinions in streetcars and other
public places, her poetical valuesof him
diminished. 1t passed out altogether
January 3, 1908, when, she alleged, he
appeared at what was once a happy
home and veritable poets corner in
Presidio avenue, spoke to her in more
or less endearing terms, holding against
her face the nonce a revolver of start
ling caliber and then thrust her forth
from the house. Wherefore she sought
to be released from the bonds Of matri
mony and for such other relief as the
court would see fit and proper, and SO
forth.
Enter the Affinity
At this stage C. lie Roy Childs was
hauled into the family row. 1t mat
tered little to Carey that C. le Roy
| I, xr;f nd :.
Pacific Grove. His charges against
his wife and Childs are given with the
same care and precision as one would
expect from an elderly gentleman ac-
customed to delving in figures. He
declares in his cross complaint that on
last Decoration day his wife and Childs
took a little jaunt into the Santa Cruz
mountains and passed themselves off
to an appreciative neighborhood at the
Hotel Rowardennan, Ben Lomond, as a
| newly welded and studious couple. AT
this time Childs was cashier for Sun
set magazine, but according to Carey's
| friends. the husband, hearing of the
| little picnic for two. laid the situation
before william Woodhead, general
| manager of the magazine. with the re-.
suit that Childs was requested to be-
take himself and his amours to other
fields. He went to the Weekly News
| Letter, becoming its advertising man.
ager, which position he now holds
Furthermore. Carey alleges that fol.
lowing the trip to the mountain.
Childs met his wife and they were
alone with each other on more thar
one occasion at 1921 Addison street
This place. incidentally, was the home
Carey had built for his poetical wife.
| To put the finishing touches on ths
scene. Attorney l. G. Carpenter, repre-.
sentfng Carey. took Childs deposition
Continued o. rage = Colunn