Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-11
IN VALID HUSBAND
IS WIFEYS TARGET
Witness in Notorious Drummer Di-
vorCe Case Tells Remark
able Story of Cruelty

rhe defense had it's inning in the
notorious Brunner divorce trial before
Judge Church in the superior court
yesterday, and the hearing developed
sensation after sensation, all Of them
provided by Mrs. Milda Dirna, who
has been a servant in the Brunner
household and whose stories of Mrs.
Brunner's filtration with a visitor in
the home and of her many cruelties
to her invalid husband put totally
new aspect upon the case.
Brunner formerly was known as the
Lottery King" He made a fortune
in the lottery business before lotteries
were declared Illegal and his estate
today is valued at something like $780,
900. Mrs. Brunner is plaintiff in the
case and has asked for alimony at the
rate of $1,000 a month.
On the stand yesterday Mrs. Dtrna
told a remarkable story, in the course
of which she accused her former mis-
tress of conduct toward her husband
which almost puts to shame the Span
ish inquisition, especially in view or
the fact that Brunner. since ali ap-
oplectic stroke, has been practically
helpless. She told, too, of a visit to
the Brunner household paid by a young
man named Reesor with whom, she
said, Mrs. Drummer had been on terms
of marked friendliness.
One evening, the witness testifled,
Mrs. Brunner left Reesor at home to
go to bridge whist party in Alham-
bra, where she lived. They had quar-
relied. but the woman, as she left the
house. called back:
"Godby, honey Goodby, darling
To these fond farewells Mrs. Dirna
said Reesor did not reply but turned
away 'in a huff"
In telling Of the quarrels of the Brun-
ners soon after they arrived here from
st. Louis, Mrs. Dirna said Mrs Brun-
ner refused to allow Brunner to oc-
cupy the same room with her and rele-
gated him to the cellar. where he slept
with the chickens. old clothes, laun-
dry machine and other odds and ends.
Rrunner found the cellar so damp that
he got rheumatism and moved upstairs
into the library. she said. but Mrs.
Rrunner objected TO the mattress in
the room and had it thrown outside
e'After sleeping in the basement again
for a time, he went to st. Louis" said
Mrs. Dirna. "When he returned he
used the living room, but Mrs. Brun-
ner objected. She said the basement
was good enough for him. Nobody
made his bed for him, so I made 1t once
in awhile. Mrs. Brunner stopped me
think that she did It,"
Asked regarding the money troubles
in the family. Mrs. Dirna said that
when Mrs. Drummer asked her husband
for money he was very generous and
gave her big sums to pay the bills,
but she invested the money and de-
manded more for the bills, on which
he would lose his temper.
In reference to a suit against Brun-
ner. Mrs. Dirna said that Mrs Brun-
ner declared she wished her husband
would be taken to Jail so that she could
get a divorce from him. MRS. Brun-
ner said she didn't care where Brun-
ner went or what happened to him,
lust so long as he went somewhere and
staid," said Mrs. Dirna.
1T wish he was dead. I wish that
man was in his coffin. If he were only
dead" are few choice phrases Mrs.
Dirna said Mrs. Brunner repeated TO
her. Mrs. Brunner also had said she
wollld like to send Brunner to an asy-
lum to get him away, she testified.
All this was after Drummer had been
stricken with apoplexy which had
made him an invalid almost incapable
of speech, according to Mrs. Dirna. who
also told of the old mans being made
the target for an avalanche of dishes
on one occasion.
"NIr. Brunner was unable to find his
wav about the room very WELL" she
said. zone day he stumbled over a
chair and Mrs. Drummer and her daugh-
ter Thersa cried out to him to look
ont for the furniture He stammered
something and tried to explain when
they commenced hurting the bread
dish. coffee pot and other articles from
the table at him. The only thing they
did not throw was a silver sugar bowl.
"They grabbed hold of the old man
after that, carried him out of the house
and laid him on the cement sidewalk.
They were so out of breath they could
not say anything. They came in and
went upstairs and looked out of a win
dow at him and laughed as he lay
there too weak to get up from the
ground. He was unable to call for
help but Just gurgled as he does since
he was stricken"
The cross examination commenced
yesterday afternoon and will be re
sumed today.