Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-20
icy Associated Press.1

| NEW YORK, Oct. 19.-The Batonyi
divorce case filled Justice OGorman's S
courtroom today, many of the audience
being women. Mrs. Francis Work
Burke Roche -Batonyi, who is suing
Aurel Batonyi, the Austrian horseman,
for absolute divorce on statutory
grounds, was in court, but neither she
nor her husband showed the slightest
| sign of recognition.
Mrs. Batonyi concluded her case to-
day with the testimony of Winnie Mel
son, who is said to have been the maid
of Mrs. Henry Lawrence, or Margaret
Allen, one of the two correspondents
named in the suit.
Mrs. Lawrencces deposition positi-
vely denies that Batonyi made the
night visits to her apartments alleged
by the plaintiff.
Miss Nelson said she had neither
seen nor heard anything wrong in the
Lawrence apartment on the night of
December II, 1907, the date named in
the complaint.
Batonyi was the first witness for the
defense. He denied absolutely that he
knew Mrs. Lawrence, that he had ever
visited her apartments on the night in
question, or that he had ever talked
with her on the telephone.
Denies Visiting Her
He also denied having visited MAR
garet Allen"
He swore that he had never ridden
in taxicab with Mrs. Lawrence, as
alleged by one of his wifes witnesses.
The horseman said he had brought
three suits for 100000 each against his
father-in-law, Frank Work, Frank K.
Sturgis and Peter Cooper Hewitt for
alienation of his wife's affections.
"I do not care for money" he de-
clared fiercely. "If L win, I will give
the money to charity. All want is
Vindication."
He asserted that he and his wife
were perfactly happy until outsiders
interfered. Batonyis vehemence on
the stand resulted in his being eau
toned several times by Justice o. Cor
man.
Batonyi's attorney read from an aff1-
davit alleged to have been made in
connection with the alienation suits, in
which his client made charges re-
garding his wife, bringing in the name
of Frank K Sturgis and mentioning
other men whose names were not dis
closed.
Sum Up Case
After much family history had been
aired, counsel for both sides summed
up and the court told the jurors If
they accepted the denial by Batonyi
that he had visited an apartment
house in Central park west or had
taken a taxicab ride with Beatrice
Brevaine, an actress, they must bring
in a verdict in his favor.
If, on the other hand, they did not
accept the denial there yet remained
to them the duty of determining from
the evidence of the seven witnesses
for the plaintiff whether or not a stat
utory offense had been committed.
When tine jury came into court again
after three hours deliberation it was
announced that a verdict had been
reached. The jurors were sent home
for the night with instructions to re-
port in the morning.
The day was marked at the opening
with moro testimony by witnesses for
Mrs Batonyi to prove the Austrian
whip had been unfaithful to her.
This was followed by emphatic tes-
tlmony of the defendant, who spoke
so heatedly and with such feeling that
he was admonished by the court.
Denies Charges
He denied his wife's allegations,
branded them as lies, said he was
bounded by detectives and accused his
wife's relatives and others of alien
ating her affections, In which he has
suit for damages pending.
Mrs. Batonyi was in court all day,
but no sign OF recognition passed be-
tween her and the man she is suing
for divorce. Batonyi in previous pro-
ceedings won his suit for separation
and they have been living apart since.
Cross examination Of the defendant
by Mrs. Batonyi's lawyer brought out
some new sidelights on the case today.
"What is your real name?" he was
asked.
"Aurel Batonyi."
"You have had another name?"
"Two other Names" responded the
defendant.
what were they?"
"Kohn and Muremburg," replied the
witness. "I changed my name just as
the Works did. Their name was orig