The San Francisco call., 1910-03-19
Plaintiffs Attorney Arrives in
Court Attended by Guard,
but Day Passes Quietly
Mrs. Reeds Epigrams on Love
and Prayer to the Devil
Recited by Husband
Her Attitude on the Marriage
Question Illustrated During
Examination of Spouse

THERE was no breeze upon the
fern nor ripply on the lake OF
= Judge Cabaniss' court yesterday
during the progress of the Reed divorce
case. There were tears from Charles
Wesley Reed and epigrams retold from
fsticufs. The wouan's attorney. Jo-
seph J. Dunno. appeared with fresh
wsistcoat a policeman in uniform and
. plain clothes man. Detective Nelson.
But with all the armament there was
no war. and the snappiest feature of
the day was the wifes epigrams. re-
pested by Reed
Advice TO Husband
At one time she advised her husband
thus:
You should model your life on that
OF great men. Read Ruskin's life and
see how he treated his wife when she
ceased TO love him"
Then there were more pertinent cpl
grams. She said on one occasion:
Opposition to divorce is fetch"
Another time she said:
The only justification for a woman
to marry a man nowadays is the ease
with which she can get rid Of him.
Marriage should be like streetcar.
equipped with a system OF transfers"
That only illustrates her power of
epigrsm,' said Reed in giving the quo
tation.
It did more than that-it illustrated
her attitude on the marriage question,
as exposed by Reed during long day
in the witness chair. Reed concluded
is direct examination and was under
cross examination when court ad-
iourned 1t was not definitely known
when the case would be resumed
Pays Fine for Contempt
Reed came into court shortly before
the case was called yesterday morning
and slipped $50 in gold to Clerk James
Stevens, the penalty imposed by the
court for Reeds assault on Attorney
Dunno Thursday afternoon.
lie took the stand promptly and was
put under examination by his counsel.
Attorney Shadbourne.
Reeds testimony -tarted with the
reading of a letter he had addressed to
his wife during their period of scrara-
ton. IN it he had said, Home is the
only place for a wife and mother. Your
children need you, no matter how you
feel toward me Come back to them.
Did you mean that when you wrote
it2' asked Shadboarne
Il meant it. replied Reed.
DO you desire aow that your wife re-
turn TO your,
Il object TO that intcrposed Dunno,
and the question was not answered.
What was the condition of your wife
at the time Of your marriage" asked
shadbourne. enigmatically.
But the enigma was not to be solved.
Cabsniss sustained Dunne's objection
10 the question.
Shocked by Wife's Letter
There was no trouble in the family
the witness testified, until 1906, when
he found a letter discussing divorce
on his desk in the house at 1865 Ma
sonic avenue.
band did not love her. "She wanted
me TO change. and If did not change
10 let her get a divorce" said Reed
she was convinced that our tempera-
ments were incompatible"
THE letter was a great shock to
me-" continued the witness 'I did
not consent TO the idea. She insisted.
She said. Marry somebody else who
is more suited to you: who will go to
church with you. I'll marry somebody
more congenial.
A letter addressed by Mrs. Reed to
her husband as MY dear Charley Boy
was read into the record.
Reed broke down and sobbed on the
stand while talking of his wife's over
lures for a divorce i told her that
there was never q divorce in my fam
iIy. that divorce made the children un-
loving and that statistics showed
that a large per cent OF the children
Of divorced parents were criminals.
You may not get man you like
better I told her." said Reed.
Then the wife replied. I'll divorce
him and marry husband who loves
me and whom ] love
Threatened He'll on Earth
I loved her so that / would never
consent 10 a divorce, and she said,
Then it is war TO the knife between
us. I'll make your life hell on
earth
Later in his testimony Reed pointed
out that three years after that threat
he told his wife that she had succeeded
in making life d hell on earth"
You need not think that l can not