Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-13
PLAINTIFF AIRS HER MARITAL
TROUBLES IN COURT At
FORT DODGE.
CHARGES OF NlGGARDLY
TREATMENT BY HUSBAND
the Noted and Wealthy Prohibition
Claims Woman Companion Was
Filthy ImbeoiIe.

Fort Dodge. Oct l3.-Thursday af-
ternoon the Coffin versus Coffin separ-
ate maintenance sui, opened With the
examination Of Mrs Nellie S. Coffin,
the plaintiff by her attorney. L. s.
Coffin the defendant, Was in the court
room in company with his attorneys.
Also in the court room as Mrs. COT
fms daughter. Mrs Irwin, OF Detroit.
The court room was crow ded and there
was q noticeable number Of women
among the audience
The testimony up TO 3 o'clock. re-
terred almost entirely 10 conditions a,
The home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Coffin after
Mrs. Coffin went there TO live. II also
included recounral OF certain trips Mr..
ana Mrs. Conn took during the iirst
few months II her life here in Fort
Dodge
Must Use Wormy Flour.
Mrs. CUI@n Was asked about tto&r
she vas given Tor use after she took
up her abode IL the Coidn Farm. She
replied that i was Iuu Of worms and
bugs and dirt OF various Kinds. She
SAID She objected 10 using it and Nj
Cotan told her i was good and 10 use
IL After il VS. gone she testified that
ne ordered more from someone IN "a
town some distance from Fort Dodge
About Doing Washing.
She was then asked concerning other
untensilss she Used il keea ping house.
she mentioned wash pcard with
which she did the family washing.
Il told Nr. Coffin had never done
2 family washing before in nay lie and
thai 10 do il successfully should like
20 have 3 Washing machine, said Mrs
Conn
she then said that he objected 10
b,,vj-- one because he thought her
iu6.rlenr as 10 what kind she should
ha-e MAS not good. She occasionally
borrowed Mrs. I&ulledge's machine. The
latter lived nearly on the Cofan farm
al that time.
After much discussion concerning q
washing machine Mrs. Coffin said he
decided 10 order one, The cost she
quoted al something over s. Plus
freight,
Claims Soft Soap Was Bad.
Mrs. CONN next testified concerning
SOAP she. used in doing the work. She
said i was soft soap and that il was
d.-,r and contained bugs ard worms.
When she objected TO its use for Ane
white clothes, she said Mt. Coffin said
that Mrs. RutleGse used soft soap and
tina, her. clothes would warrant the
use OF soft soap for Mrs. Coffin 5
/ clothes. She also testified that he said
it was rot necessary 10 have so many
KINDS Of soap around the house when
~ l.
ing.
/ She testified that ne told her 20 use
the soft soap until it was gone.
! Salt Brought From Barn.
j salt Used for cooking vas next the
subject of investigation. Mr., Cohia'
Mrs coffin ,esti-ed, brought il IN
from the barn tor her TO use when size
asked for salt TO cook with. she tes-
tiael that il was filed with excreta
o. various kinds. dir and filth, sheep :
wool, and was Very coarse in quality.
she objected TO its use and he re-
piled telling her 10 use il that il was
good and would be used until il was
gone. said Mrs. Coffin. She did not
use il.
Mrs. Coffin next testified that she
lived in & sixteen room house in which
they occupied three rooms during the
first months OF their marriage.
About Other Occupants.
Before her marriage, it next devel-
1 oped in the testimony that Mr.. Coffin
! had informed Mrs. Coffin TO be that
she would have companion al the
farm called Aunt Jane who had lived
there for some time and was kind
docile old woman who had been fine
! character in Ter day. She would be
company and great help TO Mrs. COT
! fin, so Mrs. Coffin said she was told.
! In further examination it was stated