The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-08-05
CRUELTY TALE
IS ALMOST
INCREDIBLE
Of Flendlsh Treatment
Told BY Mans wife Moves
Spectators TO Tears
tBy Associated press.l

n Liberty. Mo, Aug 0-~A ialc OF hi
most Incredible cruelty was related i
the court room OF Justice OF The
Peace William G Courtney here to
day, as the result of which Lafayette
Choate, q farmer, was held 20 appeal
before the Clay county grand jury II
November on the charge of felonlons
u beating his wife, whom he tied
with a team OF mules with which he
was narrowing large tieM His
bond was fixed at $4,000, The story
of the mans cruelty was related BY
the mans wife, who had been ia q
kanAas city hospital for several days
receiving treatment for the bruises
she charges her husband placed upon
her body.
I The Judge and a large audience
heard the woman say that her hus,
band had knocked her down, tied her
hands behind her and forced her TO
walk with his mules while he harrow.
ed six times around large field.
Two thirds OF the spectators were
women aud many OF them were NOV
ed to tears as Mrs Choate stripped
up her sleeve and displayed the black
and blne bruises on her arm.
Choate il 33 years old His wife
is 20 Although be can neither read
nor write. he chose to act AIS his own
attorney. The two small children OF
the couple played in the court, room
while the hearing was in progress.
There was "a flutter among the won.
en- as one Of the little boys ran to his
father With a cry of Papa and was
picked up and kissed and hugged BY
the alleged wife-beater
Mrs Jseate testified that after her
husband united her from the mules
so that he could unhitch them, he tied
her to a post
Then he took me to the house and
slapped me- she added She said
that while sffe.was tied 10 the mules
her husband frequently proddcd her
with 4 stick ~
Did he hurT you much Nhen he
prodded you?@ the COURT aska1E1>
Yes. and he jerked ME against the
harrow handles and hurt my side
In cross-examination, Choate ask
ed
so you SAY before these people
that took you to the house and
whipped You like dog21
Eyes, I4afe she answered in low
voice, YOU whipped me worse than
You would whip dog27
According 20 that / must be bad
man?n
YOU aret YOU nave threatened to-
kin me with shotguns, razors and ev-
sou could get your hands Ou.
You choked me nearly 10 death just a
before this child was born
We've never got along together. II
seemed like you had the idea you
had to scare me TO get along with
me
Choate then took the witness stand.
He said he was working In the tiea
when be saw his wife and two chile
aren going down the road with a niae.
He said he went over to the road ana
the man ran. He threw some stones
at the man as he ran.
AMY wife said she was going 70
the man, said Choate. y told her
She would not She said she would
hit her twice | made her go to
HE field with me She said she was
going to the man and ! took q rope
ana tied IL to her wrists behind her
and led her with me over the field as
Fnarrowed When ! was through
led her to pos, and when the
mules we're unhitehed | led her home |
md took the rope or That's all there
S TO IT,"
He denied that he beat her but ad- |
nitted that he showed her doWu' |
When he said this, one OF the htlle
BOYS interrupted in shrill voice !
Yes. YOU did, papa, and you struck /
ler with whip, too"
gheate said the man had been ~
ITS home In his absence while ms
wife was there.
4 love my little boys. Fhey are
m have now" said Choate
Did you have a chain when you
vent to the house after you had your
Vie ia the neldg" he was asked
Yes
what were You going 70 do with ~
.haiu her upY
We'll. she kept saving she WAS go
ng to this man and wanted 20
care her up and make her stay az
lome. he answered.