Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-22
SAYS HE NEVER CALLED
WIFE "FRAZZLE FACE"
PHYSICIAN DENIES CHARGE MADE
BY HIS SPOUSE
Not "Snake Eyes," Swears Dr.. Elder
in Divorce Suit That Agitates
NorristoWn, Pa.

YOUNGSTOWN, Pa, March 21-"Did
you ever call your wife fragile face?'
DR.. William ]. Elders lawyer asked
him in Judge Weands court Saturday.
Never" answered Elder, solemnly.
ever call her snake eyes?'"
Never"
Ever impugn her character"
Never" exclaimed DR.. Elder "I
have treated her as a husband should,
most considerably I have never ILL
treated her nor her daughter. Nor did
my wife and I agree that she should
leave me, as she has testified"
DR.. Elder. a successful dentist, is
suing his wife, Mrs Florence T. Elder.
for divorce, charging that she deserted
him. They were married in Philadel-
phia in 1906; she was widow with one
daughter; they lived at South 925
their final testimony today; the lady's
lawyers made a bold move and called
DR.. Elder as al witness for the wife of
whom he seeks to be rid. The jurors
will give a verdict tomorrow, it is ex-
pected, if they can grope their way
through clouds of strongly conflicting
testimony. OF course if the jurors be-
lieve the Elders agreed to separate, the
doctors accusation of desertion falls.
Mrs. Elder, handsomely gowned, adj
mitted she is "just past forty" how
much past" she does not know pre-
clSely. LIZ. ElQeT is %. DIG SWOTG IleT
husband helped her to pack her trunks
when she left their home few months
ago.
No Pin Money
HE never gave me any pin money"
said Mrs. Elder with emotion. 81 gave
him pin money. l furnished our home
when we married; put $4,000 worth of
furnishings in it. I earned the money
as an insurance collector. I have writ
fa,, ne a, r11xN mo- in,
ristown alone; my commissions
amounted to $4,000 the first year; to
$12 900 the next"
"Why did you really leave your hus-
band?" her lawyer asked.
Because I feared he would kill me-"
said Mrs. Elder, spiritedly. Once he
knocked me down. He objected even to
my waiting at the window to welcome
him home After I left, he never made
a sincere offer to me to return home.
But he said if did go back he would
never go out with me, never be seen
in public with me. He swore he would
make it hot for me, so feared to re-
turn.
"Once he asked me why I did not
proceed with the divorce suit I began,
saying blanche is waiting for me;
don't be a dog in the manger."
Horsewhipped Rival
Mrs. Elder acknowledged she tried to
horsewhip Miss Blanche Wagner. a
school teacher of Ardmore, Pa. But,
she said, that was after Miss wagner
had told her DR.. Elder had been pay
ing attention to her for two years and
would marry her if he got divorce.
Mrs. Elder described this incident:
ST was talking to my husband on the
phone one day. He interrupted him
self Then woman's voice said,
Hello! Do you want any mar aver
recognized Miss Wagner's voice."
Affectionate letters from Mrs. Elder
to her husband were read. In one she
thanked him for the valuable testimony
he gave in her suit against certain
"beauty-doctors" in Philadelphia. she
considered the doctors had marred her
beautv and wrote her husband the
Dana ges awarded her were not more
than she deserved.