The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-12
He Struck Me i'm November, y
Cries Wife on Stand.
She Went to Her Stocking for
Razor, 1t Is Alleged.
WOMAN BROUGHT SUIT
Inez Gathers Asked for Main
tenance and Child's Custody.
Other Unhappy SWANS Before
Judge Dana.

How long can a newly married man
hold a job at hard labor? Perhaps the
question was answered in the travesty
on marriage in the separation suit OF
1nez Gathers against Arthur Gathers
today.
How long did you ever hold job
before your marriage?" Mr.. Gathers
was asked. Five years. he an
swered.
How long did you ever hold job
after your marriage?" continued the
attorney. about five months" an
swered the husband.
Indeed, SO hard did it become for Ar
thur Gathers to keep a job that he slid
down from a stationary engineer 10
hack driver and his wife, who never
had worked, became a chamberlain.
incidentally the case shows the failing
of many 1aborers-the immediate use or
any means they acquire. At marriage,
Gathers had $3.50 and job at $45 q
month. The $3.50 he deposited with MS
father, a grocer, to supply groceries un-
til It ran out. He testified that eacn
weeks wages were paid for house rent,
some clothes and in a Saturday night
entertainment of his wife at the shows.
Altogether improvident, the Gathers
found that when the grocery deposit
ran out, there was no money to buy
food.
The next development in the story
was UlOWS. Inc marriage was III . Oil
uary, 1906. The wife's story of abuse
was, HE struck me in November.
A boy who lived with them a part OF
the time, Knute Frizzel, however, told
of a real sensational fight when Mrs
Gathers was the aggressor. In that en-
counter as recited by the lad and also
Gathers, the wife went to her stocking
and pulled out a razor. F1our1sh1ng
this in one hand she sprang at her nus
band, Selling him by the throat with
the other hand, while he grabbed her
razor arm. At that point the lad went
screaming from the room to a neigh
boris for help. The neighbor took the
razor. Another time said Mr.. Gathers
when he came from work rather late
in the morning because he had broken
the engine at the pumping plant he
was running nights, his wife greeted
him, ''Where in the - have you
been - and would not believe his story
In the row which enSued, a sister of
Trrs. Gathers grabbed Ratchet and
would have chopped his head open.
After one of the quarrels when Gathers
left his home because of funny games
going on his wife sold over 800 worth
of furniture for $3.50, he said. 1t was
instaIlment furniture and Mr.. Gathers
still owes $3.50 on it.
A Child in Case.
There is one child three years old
in the story. The mother had taken
it to Fairbury, Neb., a year ago to
visit her sister. Then the father
Joined them and went to work. Later
Mrs. Gathers visited in Topeka and for
four weeks did not write. Then when
she came home Mr.. Gathers intercept
ed a letter to her from Topeka written
by an admirer, who proposed that he
pay for her divorce and transportation
TO him. At that Mr.. Gathers consulted
the county attorney and then ran away
with his baby boy, coming to Topeka.
He drove several miles to another
town to avoid detection, but his wife
was ION" and caught the same train.
The kidnapping was, therefore, not
much of a success.
The examination of witnesses. who
told mostly unprintable things about
the principals, consumed nearly all
morning. At the close Judge Dana
took the matter under advisement, |
stating that neither the father nor
mother ought to have the child, but |
that If the father finds the right place |
for it he can have it
Three other divorces occupied the