Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-02-11
COURT CONVINCED
NORTON IS SPOUSE
Of MRS.. GILMAN
Sure Bridgeport Man Who lden=
tilted Her Is Husband WOm=
an Said Is Dead.

At a further hearing in the suit for
alimony by Mrs. Elizabeth Gilman
against her husband, Frederick Gill
man, who conducts a butcher shop in
Arlington, Vice. chancellor Howell told
counsel in the case that he was con-
WINGED that the Jeremiah Norton who
identified Mrs. Gilman as his wife in
Bridgeport, Conn, on January %, was
the same Norton who married Mrs.
Gilman in 1882, and who was declared
by the latter to be dead. In response
to an application by Alexander Simp-
son. counsel for Mrs. Gilman, for time
to file a brief on the questions of law
involved, the court granted one weeks
time. and gave Addison Ely, counsel
for Gilman, one weeks additional time
to hand in an answering brief.
The Gillmans were married May 10,
1000, and lived happily fer some years
About two years g a young lady
called to see Mrs. Gilman and adj
dressed her frequently as mother
Gilman became curious and wanted to
know why the girl had so addressed
his wife. For the first time he was
told by his wife that she had been
married before and had had two chill
III laSL tl1h AN iiao 49, 49,
vealed her former marriage until this
late date made Gilman angry. and. 1t
is claimed by Mrs. Gilman, he started
in on a course OF cruel treatment that
eliminated in his selling her by the
hair and forcing her head into a tub of
salted meat. She was compelled to
leave him, she alleged, n started
suit for maintenance. To this the hus-
band filed an answer, claiming his wife
had been married before and that the
husband, Jeremiah Norton, was still
living. Tho wife produced witnesses
who testified that they had seen Nor
toms body in a New York morgue,I
but the action Of the wife failed.
The matter came I'D in court once
more, December 8 last, on application of
Gilman for a divorce ON the grounds Of
the previous marriage. Jesse r. Sal
mon, ~stenographer to Vice-Chancellor
Howell, was appointed special master
to go to Bridgeport, where Norton was
said to be working. and on January *
Mrs. Gilman, Messrs. Salmon, Ely and
Simpson went to the factory of Tate "
Sons. paper manufacturers. In that city,
and found Norton employed as superin-
tendent of motor power. He at first de-
elared Mrs. Gilman to be the woman
to whom he had been married, but later
weakened and tried to deny this. He
also had married again and has three
children.
This evidence was placed before the
court today, as we'll as the testimony
of a Mrs Sheffery, who said h knew
Norton and Mrs. Gilman as husband
wife in 1895. Mrs. Gilman was
then placed upon the stand and denied
ever. having seen the Bridgeport Nor
ton before, and said the man she had
married was dead. "A declaration by
Mary Ann O'Kane. mother of Mrs. GILL;
man, which was taken in Ireland, was
placed in evidence, reciting that her
daughter had been married to one Jere7
miah Norton, who had died. 1t was
also stated that she was rearing the
two children of the couple. =
AT the conclusion of the argument by
counsel the vice-chancellor stated that,
in his mind, the whole matter hinged
Upon the identity of the Bridgeport
Norton. and. In his opinion, he was the
same who had married Mrs. Gilman
in 1882. Directly after consideration of
the two briefs to be presented decision
will be made. as the court intimated
he did not like the, manner In which
the case had dragged along.