The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-04-24
Inert MOLECULES
CIV. REEDS MALADY
PugnaciOus Lawyers Passions
Frozen" and His Harp of
Emotions StilIed
Mixed Folly With Stupidity in
Treatment of Wife, Says
Latter's Attorney

Drawing upon historians, poets and
philosophers for his Illustrations. At
torney J. J. Dunno has filed with Judge
Cabaniss an eloquent brief in support
of the petition Of Mrs. Ethelyn Minnie
Watson Reed for divorce from Charles
Wesley Reed, the lawyer. businessman
and politician. David Hume, Schopen-
hauer, Gibbon, Macaulay. Byron and
Leopard are among the authors
whose sayings are cited by Dunno. In
an opposing brief George D. Shad-
bourne, attorney for Reed, relies solely
upon the legal textbooks for his quo
tations. Judge Cabaniss viii decide
the case next Wednesday.
QUOTES SCOTCH PHILOSOPHY
David Hume, the eminent Scotch
philosopher once said that he would
rather be born possessed Of q cheerful
and contented disposition than be heir
OF ten thousand a year. writes Dunno
in his brief. And he was right, for a
cheerful disposition, like a Claude Lor-
raine glass. tinges all objects with sun
light" The lawyer next quotes Macau-
lays contrast between the discomfort
&c Shrewsbury and the cheerful Peter
borough, and then jumps to Byron.
Long ago Byron set the fashion for
misanthrOpy, and many who fancied
themselves geniuses pronounced life a
WEAKNESS and delusion; today we
have cynics Of the type of Schopen-
hauer and Leopard who believe or af-
feet TO believe that life is not worth
living"
An Arabian caliph who. in reviewing
his life, said he had enjoyed but IA days
Of felicity, is next quoted, and the
words Of Gibbon, who asserted that in
this respect he had surpassed the COM
mander Of the faithful but that the
difference was hardly worth mention
ing. are added. Applying all this to
Reeds character. J. J. Dunno. who dur
ing the trial was assaulted in court by
Reed. has the following harsh things to
say Of his fellow practitioner:
REEDS PASSIONS CONCEALED
He is one OF those men who have
no vibration or elasticity in their ma
lures, who are composed OF inert mole
cules and who can not respond to the
shock Of any idea or the contact of any
sentiment. His passions seem to have
been frozen and emotion seems to have
departed from him. Judging from the
letters, he mistook tenacity for will
and became 2 persOnihed stubbornness:
In his treatment of his wife folly
seemed welded with stupidity"
As for Mrs. Reed. Dunno says:
she is evidently a high spirited
woman and sensitive to the surround
lngs IN which she is placed. She is no
vulgar screaner for divorce. What this
plaintiff begged for was her husbands
anection and her own proper place in
that affection"
All the quarrels Of the couple sprang
out OF Reeds treatment OF his wife. the
attorney argues. adding: Her letters,
when fairly read, are a long cry of dis
tress, misery and wretchedness. pro-
cuced by his conduct toward her.
HUSBAND WOULD FORGIVE
Shadbourne's reply brief is cold.
lawyerlike discussion Of the law and
the evidence, only rising to the plane
OF emotion in the closing sentences.
which are:
The husband is anxious to forgive
and forget the past He loves his wife
and asks her to come back to him and
the children. Nothing but the cruel
eNlgencies Of the law has compelled
him TO disclose his defense in order ~
prevent the destruction of his home
Nhat God has Joined let no man mt
asunder'"
II IS argued in the brief that it was
mrs. Reed who destroyed the legiti-
mate ends Of matrimony," and who nv
cruelty and hatred drove her Husband
from her side.
her famous prayer, Dear devil grant
tnat my children may hate their fatber
= 1 nate him. Is cited IN support Of the
contention To grant a decree in This
use would be encouraging divorce
ohaoDourne asserts, and he cites ar'
y thorltles to show that the state is ~
terested in maintaining tFA esno+i+,, ~. =.
the home. u