The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-19
She WINS Her CASE
Mrs. Maria Chumos Granted
Divorce by Judge Dana.
Wealthy Greek Must Pay Wife
$4,000 as Alimony.
CHILDREN GO TO HER.
Member Chumos Counsel At
tacks Opinion of Court.
Says Evidence Does Not Support
Verdict in Case.
CHILDREN GO TO HER.

Maria Chumos. wife of Constantine G.
Chumos, the Greek confectioner whose
wealth is estimated at $4,000. was
| granted a divorce. custody of the chill
! dren, and $4,000 alimony by Judge
Dana late last evening after a trial
lasting a week.
| The alinony which was the princi
pal feature of the suit is hardly as
much as was offered in an attempt to
| settle the affair by the attorneys of
| both sides. When the suit was ready
for trial, defendent attorneys offered
a settlement of SIS a month for IL
years, or $10.S00. and a return of the
wife's dowery of $1,000. This was stout
w refused by Maria Chumos and her
brother, A. Chacona, who has managed
her side of the suit. The alimony as
granted by the court provides that the
| Cowery when returned shall be deduct
ed from the $4,000 which would make
the amount $4,000. This is to be paid
as shall be agreed upon by the attor-
reys from a suggestion by the court
that it shall be from $50 to 500
month.
The divorce was granted not upon
aEy establishment of fact that Chumos
neglected to clothe ard provide for his
wife and children but upon his lack
of devotion. ''Provfdeut associations
can furnish clothing. the county can
supply food" said Judge Dana, but
only a husband can give that affec-
ton and tenderness a wife should en-
JOY" Constantine ChumoS, after send
ing his wife and children to the farm
on the recommendation of d doctor,
visited her but four times in u days.
He also admitted that he never held
the babies or fondled them because they
soiled his clothes.
A Regular Reno.
eff these are grounds for divorce,
said c. A. Magaw, of counsel for the
defense, then Topeka ought to adver-
tise in competition to Reno, New. and
draw here a colony of millionaires and
rich mems wives. What has Reno got
to offer to beat that? The husband
provides in every way but does not law
ish affection. He is not unkind to his
wife, he is simply not demonstrat1ve of
devotion. No questions will be asked
concern ng the wife. conduct. isn't
that easy?"
The confectioner. Chumos, himself, is
satisfied with the award. 1.-THE court
gave her $4,000" said he. ''I agreed to
pay that much by my attorneys. 1 al
ways have provided for her and want
ed to, but when the suit was gone
through I thought we would win 1t II
she does not want to live with me and
wants divorce. that's her business.
when we refused the settlement ar
ranged by the attorneys, did not care
whether my sister got anything, I can
take care of her. But what l wanted
to know was whether Chumos treated
my sister right said A. Chacona OF
Oil City, Pa, rated worth quarter OF
a million dollars and himself con-
fectiorer eff we had taken the set
tlement, it might be thought everything
had been squared I'D and that my SIS
ter had not been in the right NOW
know, and everybody. KNOWS, now con
treated her..
AssaiIed Chumos in Court.
Mrs. Churnos' counsel bitterly asSailed
Chumos in their argument of the case
for sending his wife to an isolated farm
in a creek bottom and that IN the oeao
of winter. DR.. S. T. Willard had ad-
vised sending her out into the country.
Chumos made use of the farm he had
1t was after an Investigation there that
Kilmaurs King, agent or the roster
Humane society filed charges against
Chumos in the probate court alleging
that he was a delinqueSt parent wan
tonly neglecting his family. The farm
end stone house is about three miles
from the city near Indian creek. Chu-
mos ATTORNEYS cited the fact that the
Provident Association has established
a tuberculosis camp in identically the
same sore of a place ia the bottoms III
Soldier creek and that in place of a
good stone house they furnish only
tents.
Court Raps Defendant.
In making his decision, which attor-
neys jol<ingly nken to a Reno case,
Judge Dana said: when he permitted
his wife to go to the farm last winter
and kept her there three months he
should have gone to see her. That
would have been sentiment but 1t is the
least a husband can show to his wife.
That he failed to do and he has not a
plausible excuse. He pleads business
cares but business is a secondary mat
ter when a mans wife and children are
in distress
In giving the custody of the children
tc the mother. judge Dana provided
that the father should see them once
a week if he so desired. There are two
Toys aged and years, and one baby
girl 10 months old. Mrs. Chumos may
not take the boys out of the jurisdic-
ton of the court without an order but
may take the little girl with her any
here except that none of the children
shall at any time be taken from the
United States.
The trial has been a peculiar one and
created more stir among the Greeks of
the city than the Oympian games, all
of the local contingent being lined up
by Chacona for his sister.