Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-15
MRS. COFFIN PUSHES CASE
Wife Of Wealthy Iowan Gives Testi.
mony at Fort Dodge.
TELLS OF PARs1MoNy IN HOME
AEed PhiIanthropist Did some Of
MS ssvinE OFF Grocery BILL
He Alleges Woman L.
After His Money.

FORT DODGE. la. oct Il -tSpectal
Telegram 1.-The suit Of Mrs Nellie s
Coffin against the well known philan-
thropist, L. S Coffin. for separate main
tenance In progress here. is bringing
out some decidedly interesting testimony.
on the part OF the wife she swearo she
was forced TO submit to niggardlv,
almost revolving parsimony by her
sged husband on his part the allega-
ton is that his wife designedly planned
trouble and made her departure with the
purpose of obtaining money. Mr.. Coffin
is 50 years of age. is a leading prohibi-
Zionist and has donated money tn small
colleges and taken an especial interest
in railroad men
Witnesses have been brought here from
many places Among them are Mrs Ida
b. Wise of the woman's Christian Tenn
perance union. and Mrs. John Irwin OF
Detroit Mich, daughter OF Mrs. Coffin
Judge Albrook of Eldora Is presiding The
two strongest law firms in Fort Dodge
are interested in the case. Kelleher 6
OConnor for the DEFENSE with Maurice
O'Connor conducting the examinations.
and Healy Bros for the plaintiff with
NJ, f. Healy actively engaged in the case.
wife Used Dirty Food.
In the beginning Mrs Coffin was put
on the stand and testified 10 deplorable
conditions under which she said she was
compelled to live while she resided with
Mr.. Coffin after her marriage in 1905
she said he demanded that she use wormy
flour filled with bugs and dirt. and also
brought her, upon request-for salt coarse
salt from the barn II was filled. she
said, with bugs and worms. She said he
asked her to use decomposed pork and
that she was compelled to cook IT, She
testified he demanded that she use soft
soap solely in her homework and that II
was black with dirt She also said she
did family washings for four people for
the first time in her life and was cont
PEELED to use an old washboard. Mr.
Coffin conserving TO the purchase OF a
Sc washing machine after long and re.
peated discussion
Letters were introduced in the case.
The letter written by Mr.. Coffin proposing
marriage was read Mr. Coffin wrote he
felt like going way back to sit down
after comparing his letters to her beauti-
| fully expressed ones. He frequently re-
ferred to his letter as naughty" because
he suggested marriage, and said he was
bashful and wished she would exercise
| her prerogative because II was leap year
/ He said he considered God had brought
/ them together He assured her she would
get not less than S25 900 as her share al
his death and that II she found she had
made mistake ne was old and wouldn't
live long anyway.
Mrs. Coffin today submitted 70 cross-ex.
animation, in which the defense tried "a
bring out evidence she had designingly
planned trouble and departure with the
purpose of obtaining money. Other wit.
nesses were then called. corroborating hei
testimony
Mr.. Coffin was called 70 the stand thi.
afternoon and a special session tonigh
was held TO finish his testimony. He ties
titled he never had words about spoiled
food and his sole object in every act wa,
/ his brides happiness and betterment. Al
criticism, such as the application OF thu
words, liar and pauper" were used fol
his wife's refinement and to point ou
wrong actions on her part and 70 correct
her ways. He said he had had only grea
pity for such a woman.
When reciting his last farewell TO heI
he cried and frequently sobbed during
the testimony
The Key to the Situatson-Ths Bee,