Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-09-29
CONTESTED DIVORCE CASE.
Jury Hears Story Of Domestic InfeIi-
cities Of the Abbotts.

Ance NJ. Abbott of Waterville VS..
Richard L. Abbott Of Fairfield. The
libel alleged desertion and cruel and
abusive treatmen. c. w. Hussey ap-
peared for the libellant and John E.
Nelson for the libellee. The case was
sharply contested and there were
many lively tits between the opposing
counsel. Nine witnesses were called
for the libellaEt and 10 for the libellee.
The jurors not sitting upon this case
were excused by Judge Hall after
being thanked for their services and
the unanimty with which they had
rendered their verdict.
The libellant, Alice M. Abbott testi-
fed that she was married August %,
1909 to the libelle at Fairfield. The
witness testified that when she work.
ed her husband took the money which
she earned and after she went to live
with him on his farm at Larone
abused her. She stated that her hus-
band received letters from woman
in Lewiston requesting him to send
her 500 and asking him about Sc
curing divorce. She testified to sew
eral instances on which her husband
struck and beat her. Witness de-
clared that on April 13, 1910 her hus-
band struck her with a piece of board
upon the arms and legs when she
took rocking chair away from one
icf her husbands sons. She further
affirmed that he afterwards knocked
her down and kicked her in the back,
!injnring her SO that she was obliged
to remain in bed for two days after
wards. During that time NO one came
to care for her except one of the neigh
bors
The libellant further testified that
her husband finally told her that if
she could not get along with his boys
she could get out and he placed her
in team and took her to Waterville.
She could not get work at the time
but her husband refused to let her
go home. He refused to let her have
money although she had previously
loaned him s25. He had never bought
her any clothing but had given a pair
Of second hand night dresses belong
ing to his former wife.
A number of witnesses were called
| to corroDorate the testimony of the
! lihellant in regard to the alleged
treatment, which she had received at
the hands of her husband. DR.. E. w.
Boyer of Waterville testified that the
libellant was at present in nervous
condition suffering from st. Vitus
lance and unable to earn a livelihood
He thought that such treatment as it
was alleged that she had received
from her husband might aggravate
her condition. DR.. Edwin P. Fish OF
Watervile testified that the libellant
was in such a nervous condition that
he mad advised her to quit work. Her
condition would not be bettered in
his opinion unless she was in a pos
ition so that she would not be obliged
to work.
nicd that he had ill treated his wife
although she mad left him several
times and when angry had called him
and his sons vile names. She left
the farm because she wished to work
out and could not get along with the
boys. The two had squabbled over
rocking chair at the time the libellant
claimed he had beaten her and all
that he did was to take the chair away
from her
Witness testified that his wife had
threatened at one time to burn the
house down because he would not take
her to Waterville and at another time
had threatened him and his youngest
boy with a shot gun. Witness testi-
tiGd to demonstrating with his wife
when he found her in company with
one Joseph Magee at Cascade Park
and at another time at Waterville He
declared that he would be willing to
treat his wife kindly if she would
come back and live with him.
DR.. Percy Merrill of Waterville testi-
fed to treating the libellant when ill
and said that Mr.. Abbott advised her
going home when he saw her condition.
she was ill with st. Vitus dance
when she came to him for treatment
and he did not advise her continuing
to work at Waterville.
The libellee, Richard l.. Abbott, recall
ed, was given rigid cross-examination
by Attorney Hussey, counsel for the Ii
bellant. Everett Abbott. son of the IL
belize, testified that his father did not
strike the libellant, his step-mOther, as
claimed by her in her testimony. The Ii
bellant broke pane of glass, but his
father did nothing more than to hold her
wrist during the quarrel. The lbellant
was unkind to the witness and had called
him names. He never saw his father
abuse his step-mother in any way. Wit
ness on cross-examination testified that
he did not remember telling anyone at
school that his father had hit his step
mother with a stick of wood.
Bernard Broad. neighbor of the Alb
botts', testified that he had visited the
Abbott home at Larone twice during the
past summer. He had heard the libellan.
call the libellee a vile name on one oc-
casion
Mrs Eugene MulhOlland of Watervilie
testified that the libellant was employed
bv her in a boarding house. The libel
lee called on the lbellant at the house
of the witness. Mrs. Abbott greeted her
husband cordially and invited him to stay
to dinner on two occasions.
John Donnelly. Waterville policeman
testified that Mr.. Abbott asked him to
arrest his wife and a man who was with
her at Cascade park. Witness told Mr.
Abbott that he could do nothing without
a warrant.
Mrs. Mary Cloutier of Waterville testi-
fed that she became acquainted with the
libellant year ago this summer. She