Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-15
WHEN INFORMED OF HER
MOTHERS DEATE, HE
TURNED OVER TO SLEEP
Mrs. Dougles Makes a Remark
able Recital Of Neglect, Mis-.
treatment and MiserlineSs il
Her Petition Filed Monday B.
Attorney Reuben f. Arnold.

Miserliness that seems impossible
outside of fiction is charged against K
Lee Douglas, the well known lawyer, BY
his wife, Mrs. Emma Neal Douglas, in
petition for divorce, which she filed
Monday in the superior court through
Reuben r. Arnold, her counsel.
Mrs. Douglas is the daughter of the
late Thomas 3. Neal. president of the
Neal bank, and N his time one of the
wealthiest men in Atlanta. Mr.. Douglas
is lawyer and worth, according to the
petition, at least $4,000. Their home
is, or was before they separated. on
Peachtree road in Brookwood.
Twenty-six typewriter pages are
taken up in an itemized account of Mr.
Douglas alleged penury, including an
agreement which he asked her to sign,
which should regulate their lives, and
which Mrs. Douglas says is the most
remarkable document ever penned-
Mrs. Douglas says, for instance, that
Mr.. Douglas never tipped WATERS or por-
tiers, and that she had to do 1T out or
her own means; that he required her to
pay the extra expense of any guest she
might have; that his written consent
had to be obtained before such guests
were invited; that he complained if the
servants got anything to eat but bread;
that he wouldn't have but one light IN
the house a night; that he never bought
%heatre tickets. but went when she did
or when they were invited by friends
that he got a profit OF $1,000 a year
from the mana cement OF her estate and
wanted a salary besides. and so on.
100 KISSES.
One term Of the agreement he asked
her TO sign was that if they should
quarrel the party who apologized should
make a public or private apology, and
submit to being kissed one hundred
tunes.
All these acts, Mrs. Douglas says,
broke down her health and CONSTITUTES
cruel treatment. They have no children.
and Mrs. Douglas does not ask for all
mony She herself is worth about
SLUU.O00.
The Douglases were married in 1892.
His alleged cruel treatment began on
their bridal tour. Following it, she says,
they went to live with her father on
washington street. where she says, Mr..
Douglas paid no board and she lived on
an allowance which her father gave her.
although Mr. Douglas was head OF q
large dry goods firm at that time Sne
had to pay her doctors bills, medicines.
street car fare and everything elses she
said; she even paid for articles she
bought at his store. She says that when
she went north with him on trips, she
paid her own expenses; thaZ ne refused
to go to the Worlds Fair in Chicago until
she offered to pay for the trip and even
then she had to tip the walters and pay
street car fare.
All this time, she says, he nagged az
her. broke her health down, and ''sho
began TO realize that she had married
man whose only thought was money anu
whose love of ii was equal 10 that OF any
miser ever pictured in song or story.
TURNED OVER TO SLEEP.
On top of this. Mrs Douglas says. he
told her he hated her. She adds that
when her mother died. and she sent word
TO him. he turned over and went back 70
sleep. and had to be aroused to go for an
undertaken
She was never strong, she says, and
her husbands conduct broke down her
health until "he became a nightmare,
horrible specter."
After her mothers death, she resumes,
her father paid her enough board to run
the house, and also continued her allow
ance and her husband paid nothing for
her support. After her fathers second
marriage and from 1896 TO 1899, Mrs.
Douglas SAYS that her husbands conduct
became cruel beyond belief. Finally, she
says, he gave her an allowance Of $50
month out of which he expected her TO
buy her clothes. pay doctors bills, travel
ing expenses, and when bill was sent TO
the house he scrutinized it with micro
scopic gaze;'' and when the table linen
gave out he insisted that she share the
expense of new supplies out Of her al
lowance. His conduct made housekeeping
she adds; so that finally she
sold the Washington street home, which
she inherited, and which he compelled her
10 sell, so that she could support herself
by boarding and save him money.
They moved to hotel, she goes on, and
there she got his consent to pay their
board but he withdrew her allowance:
gave her nothing for personal expenses;
made her pay little extras on the monthly
bill: and if she were sick. made her pay
the extra charge for having meals sent 70
ler room; he always searched out, with
miserly care" such little items as shoe
shines.
Mrs. Douglas says her health became
vretched, and she planned trip to Cali
'ornia for her health; that on this trip
her husband complained of her riding in
Pullman when they could go in a tourist
ar ahead and save s..
WOULDN'T BUY COAT.
She had nervous prostration and the
ourist cars were dirty. but Douglas. she
avs. deserted her in her feeble conditfor
nd made the rest of the trip in the
ourist car. Arrived in California, her
ncle and grandmother joined them. she
avs. and while Mr.. Douglas had her
money and was not paying any OF the
Expense himself. he haggled with her
yer every little item of expense; that
he was I'll and needed a heavier coat:
hat he refused to give her her OWE
money to buy II with. She told her uncle
bout II, she says, and Mr. Douglas be-
anne Infatuated. turned over her bust
ess papers to .her, declined to continue
he trip and deserted her while she was
and 1900 miles from home
Later though in San Francisco, Mrs
Douglas says her husband met her at the
otel, expressed regret for what he had
one, promised to do better. and she took
i'm back. On their way, back, she stopped