Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-27
GIRLS COMPLAIN
OF STEPFATHER
ASSIST WIFE IN SUIT FOR d.
V0RCE
SAY PARLoR LIGHT WAS PUT
OUT TOO EARLY
Young Women Declare Mothers Hus-
band Objected TO Raetlme
Music and Calls of Their
Sweethearts

Ragtime music and the evening calls
of lovelorn youths on his two pretty
stepdaughters, Leah Goupil and Emma
Goupil. were responsible. in part. for
the discord and final disruption in the
family of Herman w. Berg and his
wife, Sedulie A. Berg, details of which
were heard in Judge Bordwells court
yesterday during the hearing OF Mrs
Berg's divorce suit and the husband
contest thereto.
HE liked soft music, and when 1
played ragtime he would put his hands
to his ears and leave the ROOM" said
Miss Emma Goupib the youngest
daughter.
and when our sweethearts came to
the house he would come downstairs
in his stocking feet and turn the light
out at 9 o'clock sharp" said Miss Leah,
while waiting to be called to the wit
ness chair He said we would be OH
maids, and we had that prospect 10
face If we depended on him for assist
ance," she added.
The couple were married in Michigan
in 1903 Two years later, according TO
Mrs. Berg, her husband placed the
muzzle of a revolver to her nose, and
when she protested he said it was done
only in a spirit of POPULARITY. 1T was
no joke to me-" said Mrs. Berg.
Berg, in his testimony, told the court
that since the girls grew up they would
have nothing 10 do with him; that ms
wife had scratched his face and
knocked out one of his teeth, caused
his arrest on a charge of battery ana
accused him of the theft of number
of articles from his employers.
The hearing will be resumed today.
Objects to Beauty Preparation
The entire session in Judge Hervey's
department was taken up again yester-
day with the trial of the contested
divorce suit of Eleanor Jeal against
John w. Jeal, and in order to make
room for other cases on a crowded
calendar a night session was held.
Jeal, who is proprietor Of the Lancaster
hotel. Lancaster, was on the witness
stand yesterday and denied he had
treated his wife cruelty.
zone of the reasons we could not get
along together was she used beauty
preparation that took all the skin off
her face" he said. Then she tound
fault with the cook because he did not
cut the meat thin enough. She also
complained about the way the not
cakes were cooked, and caused so much
trouble among the servants that they
became nervous and Quit work
In the department set apart Tor the
hearing of domestic troubles four de-
.crees Of divorce and decree annullng
a marriage were granted.
Mrs. Frances Alma Williams said
her husband, William f. Williams, de-
serted her two years ago, adding that
the only support she has received from
him since was when he sent the oaoy
IS and a copy of the Lords prayer. She
was given a decree.
other DEGREES granted were Rosetta
Mills from Hugh Mills, Emile M.
Knight from Charles II. Knight and
Walter A. Wells from Julia c. Wells
The marriage of Ella c. Hall to Har-
Ian w. Hall was ordered annulled.
Three suits for legal separation were
filed, as follows: Maggie Brown against
Claude L. Brown. John W. Hendee
against Rose Hendee and Bartholomew
y. Michigan against Mary A. Nelligan.