The sun., 1909-12-09
'BROKAW DIVORCE TRIAL ON.
WIFE TELLS IN COURT HER
STORY OF I'LL TREATMENT. q


Mud Back-Mrs. nrei<aw Gives Ne
tails Or scenes Alleged IN Cempiaina
Ths>trial Of the suit for separation and
seo.o 600 a year alimony brought by Mrs.
Mary Blair Brokaw against William
Gould Brokaw was begun yesterday IN
the Nassau county Court House at Minsoia
before Supreme Court Justice Putnsn
The plaintiff was represented by Arthur
J. Baldwin and Franklin Pierce. and
John r. Mcintyre appeared for Brokaw.
The court room was comfortably hile4
by 10 o'clock when court convened. ~
| 1t was not until almost the last nonnsnt
that Mrs. Brokaw made her appearsneA
In the brief interval between her entraaoe
and the convening OF the court she taIlrea
with DR.. 8. westray Battle OF Ashsvil1a
N. c.. who will be called as witness.
DIR. Battle is George w. vanderbiits
physician at Biltmore.
| The plaintiffs case was stated to ~
Court by Mr.. Baldwin. He began ~
tell Of an alleged instance OF crSs1Y.
This was objected to by Mr.. McIntyre
on the ground that It was not embodke4
In the complaint, and Mr.. Baldwin then
read from the complaint specihc sxd
general charges to show that Brokewh
conduct made IL unsafe for his wife ~
live with him. Il was charged that ths
defendant would not permit his wife %
appeal In public dining rooms or 60 upons
the street. that he accused her Of nIrtine
with almost every man with whom ske
spoke, that he entered her private apar't-
ments at all hours Of the night on sliSht
pretexts and that he had made her iifs
a burden.
Mr.. Mcintyre took occasion 10 say that
the complaint was mere mud slinsing
and that II there was to be mud siing1nx
during the trial the defence could slipg
mud too.
Mr.. Baldwin continued that whils The
Brokaws were living at Fairvisw. N. g..
where the Brokaw hunting lodge 70 lo-
Gated. Mrs Brokaw by mistake opened .
letter addressed to her husband and
a quarrel ensued. Tho names that Mr..
Brokaw is alleged to have called his wife
on that occasion Mr.. Baldwin would not
read aloud. as he said. because there wsro
ladies' present.
It was alleged that ,Brokaw was even
suspicious Of the compliments brothsr
and that when he saw his wife talking
to her brother he declared that they
were cooking up a plot against him. II
was set forth that on the first Christmas
eve Qe0D after the marriags Of the
Brokaws there was a scene at the dinner
table in Rye. whore friends were being
.lenssrtained. Brokaw was alleged to have
accused his wife Of drinking with Jimmy
Martin aud other men. and a day or 70
later. it was averred. Mrs. Brokaw was
called away from the table because she
drank little champagne. Brokaw had
pIaced the ban on champagne, the COM
plant said, and she had been drinking
ginger ale poured from a champagns
bottle. When she told her husband that
one OF the guests poured champagne
for her he is alleged to have called hcr
damned little liar"
From the complaint Mr.. Baldwin Rad
that Brokaw drank heavily at times and
at others was penitent. but that he always
returned TO his cruel treatment. He said
that Mrs Brokaw had to go to a private
hospital because of her nervous condition.
A trip to France was taken for tho
benefit Of Mrs. Brokaw's health. She
was not permitted. said the complaint.
to GO in the public dining rooms or TO
promenade the decks of the ship. In
Paris she was compelled to 60 again 20
a sanitarium, and soon after that. while
at Fontainebleau. Mrs. Brokaw left hsr
husband. In Paris she was seryed
with a paper ordering her TO return TO
her husband. and the hotel where che
was staying was potified that Broksw
would not be responsible for her debts.
l,Na 1hx.fN md
party went to London. whore Jimfny
Martin died Brokaw thcn returned to
Paris. In Paris. II was alleged. Brokaw.
while breaking into his wife's room. ctlt
his forehead and that he put a handker-
chief stained with red ink about his head
and told the servants that his wife had
struck him. There was q reconciliation
and the couple returned to New York;
only to quarrel again at Great Neck.
where Brokaw accused his wife OF flirting
with DR. Henkel, one OF the guests.
Then there was trip South. and when
Mrs. Brokaw returned to Great Neck
alone she found that none OF the servants
would obey her and that the teiophons
wires had been cut. Brokaw. II was
alleged, was angry because his wife
entertained friends at Great Neck whiie
he was still in the South, and telegraphed
her TO give him the names OF every one
present He was alleged to have COCA
SO far a. to accuse his wife OF arranging
IL so that ono OF the men guests had 3
room next to hers.
In December. 1908, Brokaw closed the
Great Neck house and Mrs. Brokaw went
to New York. where, IL was said. Brokaw
would not pay her bills.
Mr.. Baldwin said that the defsndans'e
Income was sufficient to warrant him pap
ing his wife at least the amount asked
for. He had bean paying her $50 week
since December Is. 1905.
Mr.. Mcintyre asked that the complaint
be- dismissed on tho ground that the entry
of Mrs. Brolaw's plea was not warranted
by the facts recited. t,ls 81.
Mrs. Brokaw took the stand imms-
diately after the noon recess She 70
little more than q girl. With dark eyes
and hair and regular features. She wore
a brown tailored suit. fox furs and brown
toaus. She held herself In absolute ccn-
troll a 'se,st