Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-12-24
REPEATS STORIES TOLD
HIM BY THE SERVANTS
Cocktails Were Taken to Plaintiffs
Room, According to 6aekstairs Cos
sip--onIy Wanted to kiss Wife
Goodnight When he Was Accused
Of Breaking Door.
lBy Associated Press.l

NEW YORK. Dec. 23.-W. Gould
Brokaw. whose wife is suing him fer
separation with slimony of 100000 u
year, took the stand in his own de-
Tense today and swore in the court
rom at Mlneola. Il. l.. that his father
in-law Joseph A. Blair. had threaten
ed to kill him because he loved her
l-too much
When he told Mrs. Brokaw of this
threat she laughed and said: Don't
mind father. Billy; he's crazy"
Mr. Brokaw described the night
when his wife took poison. In minute
detail his lawyer led him through the
two years of their married life with
painstaking attention t> the charges
of drunkenness. cruelty and abusive
ness language brought against him IN
the testimony Of his wife
Brokaw made a good witness. His
attitude was easy and his answers
were ready and Arm. Mrs. Brokaw
was ashly pale. Her head tossed
scornly when her husbands testimony
contrad'cted her cwn. AT times
when Mrs. Brckaw said | was drunk,
he testified. my face was flushed from
long walk or drive" He had never
struck his wife.
Il never struck anyone in my life"
he ewore. Mrs. Brokaw Knows /
could not harm her. He admitted that
he had called his wife liar.
She Called Him Liar First.
Yes" he said. Il called her liar,
but not Cntil she had called me a
d liar had been out and when
came back bringing her flowers. she
accused me Of meeting some woman.
denied H. Sh said | lied and |
4 had t. tell her the same
Brokaw swore that his wife had
| smoked cigarettes before their mar
riage and that she had promised him
to stop il. He had never setn her
drink cocktails but he had understood
from the servants tina: cocktails we're
taken to her rom on the sly.
VIII you tell the court Of your
| DR. hiking agreement with your wife p
asked John F Mcintyre, his counsel.
Yes" answered Brokaw, we
wanted TO mix ginger ale with aerated
water until Il was the exact color Of
champagne. I wished 10 appear to
drink with my gue~ts and yet to net
drink This mixture bubbled and yet
was harmless. have used II fer
years. do not drink"
Mr.. Brokaw did MT recall any scene
CT any incident at the table When a
guest had changed his wife's glass Sc
that she rot real champagne
IF Mrs. Brokaw drank champagne
she vas the only one who knew u"
he testified.
Didn't Use Such Language
Shown a list Of Objectionable names
which Mrs. BroKaw said her husband
had applied to ner when angry. Mr.
BTokaw said.
OF course 7 de- not Use such Ian
ggsre~
TEL Us What happened on the so
called poison night7~ directed Mr.. Nc
Intye.
On that night compiled the wit
ness. \ had the Marquis TIermosa ami
othsrs & dinner. Mrs Brolaw I'D
not come down After dinner went
to ncr room and knocked. She did
NOT answer. Then ] said Mary. I
want 70 come in She did MT an
sWsr. Finally I pushed in the door.
She was furious. told her ] only
wanted to kiss her good night and
left.
WHEN 7 came up stairs again Mrs.
Brokaw was not IN her room. could
moi find her and rot rur-c 20 help
me hunt After a search. the Nurse
called Z. ne from a room al one md
Of The ball cot .icrc lust IN time
{, sec the nurse struggling 60 iakr
something ont ~ Mr. Bfofaw's
mouth. n vas some Kind Of q white