The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-30
Mrs. Hopkins Says Husband Has
No Use for Creeds.
Couple Split on Church Going
and Prayer Meetings.
WOULD KILL FAITH.
Plaintiff in Divorce Case De-
clares Hopkins Hindered Her.
Trials of WOrshipper Are Re-
cited to Judge Dana.

NAGO0 w y OUSO OGA0O
The Hopkins divorce suit, a study in
feminine temperament and a realistic
account of married life on a farm, be-
ing the domestic relation of Mrs. Cora
Mabel Hopkins and John L. Hopkins.
WeLl-to-do farmer near Dover, was
begun before Judge Dana this morning.
In forceful manner, Mrs. Hopkins
barred the history of her uncommon
experiences of married life, showing a
brand of temper and spite all her own.
She was married to John Hopkins
seven years ago and Is now well quail
flied to write a volume on IAN Unsuc-
cessful Wife, or When a Woman
Fights, and How"
Religion, that gentle influence of the
gentle sex, plays the disturbing role in
the domestic tragedy. According to
her testimony, which occupied the en-
tire morning, she was a most religious
girl. John Hopkins. just before our
marriage, had boasted,'' said she, :thaI
he would take the religion out of me-"
About the first Sunday when she
wanted to go to church, he refused to
let her have rig, and just for that
she resolved never to bear him any
children-and in that resolve lies the
greater part of the rest of the trouble.
She did go to church, however, twice
on Sundays and quite often to Thurs
day night prayer meeting, often getting
a rig, after a long quarrel, and other
times walking. Several times, she adj
mitted on cross examination, she had
gone to church on Sunday and come
back Wednesday. not telling her hus-
band for fear of his curses. Several
times, she said, she had remained
week at revivals.
Once she wanted to go to a revival
near Valencia 31s miles distant but
John would not let her have a horse
so she walked. He would not give her
any money, so she slept on a hay
stack and ate when she got back home.
Didn't Like Church Women.
Then her husband began to accuse
her of too much affection for preachers,
she said. and said that all the church
women were unfit for wives, would
curse and use indecent language at the
table and shuttle his feet or hammer
with his fist when she asked blessings.
The husband also got close listed with
his money. she said. One day when
she wanted one cent to complete the
postage on a letter to her sister, he
swore about 1t but searched his pock-
cts and finding nothing smaller than
a dime, threw 1t into an alfalfa patch
and let her hunt for it.
She used to get the egg money to
buy clothes and groceries with she said.
But VIII, never that was insufficient and
Fhe asked for more. he gave her $1.50
or 81 with an oath asking, What in the
- do you do with SO much money!"
What the do YOU do with 1t 2"
entered into coalitions for torment
with his hired men to taunt her and
insult her which together with his ex-
cessive abuse drove her to the verge
of nervous Drostration and she went
home for several months.
But on the other hand, Mrs. Hop
| Eins admitted in cross-examination
that she often refused to cook for her
husband and his men after some little
trouble came up. and that she made
home life uncertain by attending religi-
Gus meetings by the week. Then, when
he would refuse her money, she would
borrow from the preachers or their
wives, and once took the household
furniture and bed comforts to q camp
meeting where such things were scarce.
Pig Ate Little Chicks.
She was allowed the money made by
raising chickens, but SO that she would
get none. her husband and hired man
let his pigs eat up the little chicks
and young turkeys. Seventy or so hogs
were turned into her chicken yards.
when I'd go out to water the chicks,
brood and eat them and if 1 sat the
pail down to run there some other hog
would root my pail of water over and
trampie the pail and dipper all over the
yard"
That sort of treatment at the hands
of her husband and the shouts of his
pigs drove the wife well nigh mad,
she says. So she made it up that If
|
three times in half an hour she would
shoot them. She timed them by the
clock and as the third paid of water
was spilled in less than 80 minutes, she
got busy y 18th the rifle and killed two
pigs after many misses. 81 just shot
TT. I killed some" she said.
Another time when hubble tried to
come into the house when she was
angry she wrestled with him and bit
him on the face.
81 fed the cattle. cleaned out cow
sheds, carried water, sat on the same
sled and helBed John cut up 200
shocks of corn: but I did not milk a
cow. No. wouldn't milk a COW for
any farmer" she said in reply to a
fused to cook at times. she said:
''While I had to use the pitch fork
and the hoe, let my husband use the
frying pam"
Asked If she had not told her hus-
band if she had a child by him she
would kill it. she admitted that she
had said that once in fit of anger
and repeated that she would never
have any children for such man.
Nailed Quilts to Windows.
Mrs. Hopkins also alleges that John
would not furnish the house; that it
never had lace curtains nor decent
carpets and that she had to nail quilts
up to the windows in winter and buy
a cooking range and sewing machine
with her o money. got from the sale
of a steer John had given her previ-
ously. Once, though, he did give her
$25 and told her that If God would
forgive him for it he wouldn't do it
again.
That Hopkins was a good provider.
the defense claims, she had told all the
neighbors. 1t was also shown that
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