Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-16
DENIES MANY OF THE SENSA.
sArioNAL ALLEGATIONS IN
WoMAN's TESTIMONY.
SAYS HE ALWAYS SOUGHT
TO MAKE MRS. COFFIN HAPPY
Gives Different Versions Of Many Incl
dents Wife Claimed Were Cruel
Says Hs Provided Plenty Of Whole
some Food-Always Helped Wife Do
Family Washing.

Fort Dodge, Oct. 16.-The testimony
of Father" l.. S. Coffin, who is de-
tending in a suit brought by Mrs. Cof-
fin, was a general denial Of the sensa-
tional charges Of cruelty and parsi-
mony testified to by the wife.
Mr.. Coffin said he expressed many
times hat his chief desire had always
been to make his wife happy and any
thing he said to her was in the spirit
of assistance to her in becoming a finer
type of Occasionally, he said,
under stress Of excitement or nervous
ness he a things he regretted and
apolOGized for them He said now he
considered Mrs Coffin a perjurer. be-
cause Of her testimony, and said he
meant 1t when he said she lied and
deceived him. knowing he could not
obtain a divorce on grounds of deser-
ton until she had been away w
years. He thought he would "a her
until that time was up and then AXE
what action he pleased
Mr. Coffin answered examination by
giving the following information:
He is well along in his S9th year.. has
lived here over fifty-six years, lived
in a log house for seventeen years,
and has a 7O0-acre farm under cultiva-
ton except for some pasture and tim
her,
Not a Rich Man.
Asked at what he values his farm,
he replied that, at a forced sale he
thought it would not bring more than
SIS an acre. If forced to sell he would
take that. He mentioned other prop
erty including a f~orty-acre farm in
Jackson township worth from 500 to
1928 an acre. lots in town worth from
$4,000 to $4,000, small bunch Of stock
In the First National Bank, fifteen
shares in all; very little livestock, cor
poration stock in a Lehigh Clay Pro-
ducts Company, and forty three shares
Of stock in Ozark Peach Orchard Com
! pany which he said was income bear
Ing at times. If he wished to realize
it would be difficult for him to sell this
stock. He has something like $4,000
invested there. When he answered the
shares were worth $3.50 each, the OPP
posing attorney moved the answer be
stricken as incompetent. Mr.. Coffin
said he had notes and mortgages to the
amount of $4,000 and owed between
$4,000 and $4,000 in debts.
He said he knew Mrs. Coffin about
twelve years before their marriage.
She was secretary of the home where
her husband was manager and h was
very efficient. He saw her often then
fer the reason the home was poor and
he necessarily made many visits there.
He a carried or very little cor
respondence with her until she went
to Detroit. FFe heard from her about
once in two months. She came to him
as a friend who would help her. When
she borrowed the money he said she
sent the watch altho he did not ask for
it.
Concerning Marital Troubles.
Marital troubles were first mention
ed to Mr.. Coffin when asked in the
question. after you first tool her to
the farm did you have difficulty be-
tween y~ourselves?"
oh. no, Oh, no."
Asked if she complained about food
he gave the same answer.
Mr.. Coffin was then allowed to give
rambling testimony, rather in nara
tive style because Of the difficulty
| with which he was made to hear. Con-
corning the food question he went
back and spake about killing a little
pig. mentioned that he had a lease
from his daughter n her husband
which included their supplying him
! with all foods raised or procured on
farm, such as butter, milk and eggs.
When the question was repeated he
said that he could not say she COM
planned Of the food. He said there
was no dispute about the meat. She
said she wanted it Inc he got it. He
| also remarked he got some a few days
| before and thought there was enough