Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-11-15
DIVORCE TANGLE now ENDED
Death Of Colonel J. H. Pratt Stops
Long Litigation.
MANY LAWYERS IN THE CASES
Many Times since the First
Case for Divorce Was
started.

When Colonel james Hervey Pratt died
Saturday his death solved the divorce tan
gle IN which he and Mrs. Julia Montgomery
Pratt had been enmeshed for nearly three
years. At the time OF his demise Colonel
Pratt was a plaintiff in district court for
divorce on the ground Of desertion. Mrs
Prstts appeals TO tho supreme court were
dismissed some time ago.
when Mrs. Julia Montgomery, a widow,
young and handsome agreed TO marry
Colonel Pratt, a man many years her
senior, his family. which is OF much promi-
hence In Omaha. opposed the match.
But the marriage took place. Colonel
Pratt first making the famous ante-nuptial
settlement which later figured in the di
vorce cases and IN a suit to compel en-
forcoment Of this contract. BY the terms
OF this Colonel Pratt agreed to build a
handsome residence, az he did. and 70 give
Mrs. Pratt 10000 This also the old man
did or the equivalent for he proved in the
divorce trial that he spent $4,000 on her
in the three years they lived together.
Mrs. Pratt brought suit for divorce in
the spring Of 1903. her counsel being d. NJ
Vinsonhaler and II. c. Bronze. John c.
Gown appeared for Colonel Pratt Mrs
Pratt had charged failure to carry out the
ante-nupual agreement and nonsupport
among other charges. Colonel Pratt en-
tered a general denial and he won the suit
heard by Judge Kennedy. Mrs. Pratt
through these two attorneys filed an appeal
to the supreme court.
Before. the divorce case was begun suit
TO enforce the contract had been started
but the divorce hearing came first. The
contract suit was heard by Judge Estelle
in district court in June of 1909. and like
the divorce case II went against Mrs. Pratt
This case also was appealed.
Secures boston Lawyers.
Mrs Pratt went to Boston. where she
retained firm OF lawyers. They in return
retained former Judge e. NJ. Bartlett TO
represent her in Omaha, and Judge Bart
lett effected a settlement Mrs. Pratt by
the terms OF this got the Thirty street
home, which is worth $4,000 and $4,000 in
cash. She had already had spent on her
and the house expenses $4,000.
In return Mrs. Pratt dismissed her APP
peals to the supreme court, and by tacit
understanding agreed not to contest when
Colonel Pratt should himself start divorce
proceedings. This Colonel Pratt did charg-
ing desertion.
Meanwhile Messrs Vinsonhaler and
Bronze felt ill-used and started suit against
Mrs Pratt Mr.. Bronze demanded $500
and Vinsonhaler a little larger sum. For
Mrs. Pratt. e. M. Bartlett filed tart an
swers charging that the two attorneys had
led Mrs. Pratt into seeking divorce when
they knew, or ought to have known, that
she had no grounds. and he made counter
claim in the sum of many thousands.
The Bronze suit came on for hearing In
the district court and the Jury was being
impenelled, when c, s. Montgomery, an
other attorney and brother-in-law OF Mrs.
Pratt, effected settlement with Bronze
and Vinsonhaler each getting $1,000
Nor is that all. Mrs. Pratt now wanted SO.
900 alimony as the consideration for not con-
testing Colonel Pratt's divorce suit Judge
Bartlett baked at such a demand pointing
20 the settlement with Colonel Pratt as
sstopping her Whereupon Mrs. Pratt once
more securing new counsel. Judge Benjamin
s. Baker being retained by her.
He was her attorney when Colonel Pratt
death ended further litigation and further
developments. The litigation which Mrs
Pratt started OF became involved In, has
thus included: one, suit TO enforce ante
nupual contracts two. her suit for divorce
three. appeal OF one to supreme court; four.
appeal of two TO supreme court; five Col
onel Pratts suit for divorce; six, Brome's
suit against Mrs. Pratt seven, Vinsonhai-
er's cult against Mrs Pratt, and her eight
and nine counter claims against them.