Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-14

by Justice Barnard when he denied thy
applica ton OF Mrs. Ella r. Jones' Brown.
the observation-disclosures clerk in tn.
Treasury Department. for an order re
Quiring her husband, Sergt Ernest W.
Brown. acting lieutenant of the third
police precinct, to contribute TO her sup
port, while the court is determining the
contested question of which deserted the
other. Mrs. Brown was married a Phil
adelphia December ), 1900, and kept the
matter a secret until last week, when she
filed suit for maintenance
Blames Husband for Secrecy.
The wife blamed her husband for the
secrecy. declaring that she frequently re-
quested him to establish a home for her,
but was put off from time TO time with
the statement that the time had not come
for announcing the marriage Sergt.
Brown, in his answer to his Wife's re-
quest for an alimony order at this time,
nled by attorney John E. Laskey. makes
the countercharge that the request for
secrecy came from Miss Jones, as she
was known at the Treasury until last
month, when she had her name changed
on the rolls of the department
He says his wife imposed this condition
because of fear that If 1t became known
1t might endanger her position at the
Treasury, where she had been employed
for some time This statement is corrob-
Grated by Mrs. Sarah E. Brown, mother
of the officer, who. in an affidavit at
tached to her sons reply, declares that
shortly after the wedding, in a cOnversa-
ton with her daughter-in-law, when no
indignant when the elder Mrs. Brown ad-
dressed her by her married name. She
AYERS her daughter-in-law warned her
never to do SO again.
Separated on Wedding Day.
Sergt. Brown tells the court that before
his marriage he had resided and had been
employed in the Quaker city," When the
bride and groom arrived here on the day
of the wedding they separated he says,
he and she going to their former homes
Their meetings were only occasional, says
the husband, until November, 1901, when,
at his suggestion. he alleges, Miss Jones,
her mother and niece went to live with
Brown and his mother at 1872 3lst street.
where, he says. they all had separate
apartments, Mrs JOnes-Brown occupying
a room with her mother.
The wife becoming dissatisfied, he
states, with the conditions there. told
him she did not intend to live with him
or his mother at another house he had
selected. but was determined to take a
street. The sergeant declares he begged
her to reconsider her expressed in
tention, promising to move with her to
any suitable place she might select His
pleadings were unavaiins. he states, and
his wife left him in February, 1902, and
has not since visited him at his home
or made any attempt to seek him. saw
ing on one occasion, in the fall OF 1905,
when he says she had lost or had
stolen from her $40, which she wished
i'm IN in h ffiOiol cit
Never Asked for Funds.
Replying to the charge of the wife
that he has never given her more than
$50 during the ten years of their married
life, Sergt. Brown declares that she had
her salary of S7J month, and that she
never asked any pecuniary help from
him. In 1905. he says. he helped TO eay
hes bill at hospital, where she had
undergone an operation.
He says he was always ready and will
ing to establish home for his wife until
April. 1907. when he learned that she
had purchased The house at IL V street
convinced him. he declares, that the
breach between them could not be brdged
and he applied TO her to make an effective
change in their mode of living. She again
ueC1neU 10 return 10 tlfn, he tells the
court. and becoming angry, told him she
would give him his freedom.
Nearly two years passed. he AYERS,
without any steps being taken by the
wife looking to a divorce. Then he sug-
gested the trip to Philadelphia for the
purpose of institutipg suit. to which he
says she acquiesced. When the papers
were served on her, says Brown. his wife
handed them to him and when she re-
quested them on the train he yielded
them. never having. he AYERS any in
| tention or desire to keep them from her.
On receipt of her letter withdra wing her
consent to the proceedings, the officer
says he directed the case to be dropped.
He expresses surprise at the allegation
that he promised to remarry her after
the divorce and declares that his wife
we'll knew the purpose of the proposed
divorce was to put an end to their un-
fortunate union.
They Meet by Chance.
The next time he saw his wife. he states
was on the street car. he by chance sit
ting in the seat behind her. He says they
discussed their affairs at some length
and she made several malicious and ,ln-
founded accusations against him, and
/ he finally told her that if She would leave
him alone he would do likewise
He positively disavows any intention to
| do bodily harm to his wife and declares
! unfounded any fears she may have in the
/ premises. The suggestion is also made
| that il is unnecessary for the court to is.
! sue any restraining order 10 prevent thu
! officer molesting the petitioner.
SerHt. Brown attaches to his answer ar
| aff1davi; OF Capt. Daniel Sullivan of hi.
| precinct in which his superior speaks II
| high terms of the defendants characte,
4 l.. l.