The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-09-05
B. FRANK HALL
SUED FOR DIVORCE
Well-known Lansing Politician and
Lumberman, Drank Heavily and
Abused Her, Wife Testifes.


Mrs. Agnes L. Hall, daughter OF H.
w. Harding. OF the Harding Lumber
Co., Detroit, occupied the stand In
Judge Hosmer's court most OF Tues
day morning, testifying in her suit for
divorce from her husband, B. Frank
Hall, OF Lansing.
The defendant, also engaged In the
lumber business, Is a well-known poll
tician, and In the last election was an
unsuccessful candidate for the legisla-
ture.
Mrs. Hall charges her husband with
habitual drunkenness and cruelty.
Hall makes no charges against his
wife, but has entered a denial Of her
charges. The real contest centers In
the custody of the children, Mollie,
aged four, and Harding, aged two.
Mrs. Hall Is represented by Attor-
ney Ralph Wilkinson, while the hus-
band has looking after his interests
Attorney Samuel Davis, of Lansing,
former Justice of the Supreme Court
Edward Cahill and Prosecutor Van
Zile, of Detroit.
The Halls were married Jan. II,
1907, and only the day before the we'd
ding Miss Harding learned for the
first time that Hall had been married
before and that his wife had obtained
Ia divorce.
Mrs. Hall, woman Of pleasing ap-
|pearance and OF evident refinement,
felt keenly the embarrassing position
/ fxx f<.A ~ A vro 4
with dificuity that she cbuid be IN
duced to give her testimony In an
audible voice. She testified that for
eight months she was happy with her
husband, until his brother and sister
went to Europe. Mr.. Halls father
went with them as far as New York,
and during his absence from Lansing
she said her husband started drinking.
continuing the habit almost without
Interruption until she left him.
THAT was the FIRST ever knew
that he touched liquor" she said feel
ingly, "and II was great shock to
me. Since then I learned, however,
that he had used liquor to excess for
years. While intoxicated he called me
vile names, swore at me and was
cruel In other ways. He grew much
worse after he entered upon his cam
paign for the legislature, and I was
left alone most of the time with my
baby.
After Il became late was afraid
to remain In the house, SO would
put the baby In the buggy and sit on
the porch. Then I was afraid to 60
into the house and many times walk
ed up and down the street till after
midnight, wheeling the buggy and
waiting for my husband. When he
came frequently he was very drunk.
His drunkenness and his cruelty
toward me became unbearable. and
for the first time l was compelled to
let my parents know OF the situation
and ask them to come after me. My
natural pride kept me from telling
them of my trouble. wanted them
to believe that was happy"
A feature ofsfMrs. Halls testimony
was her description Of her trip to Lam
sing and the recovery Of her eldest
child, which, she said, had been kid
naped from a Detroit kindergarten by
the father.
Il went to Lansing with a friend,
and made arrangements for carriage
In which to escape In case got Mol
lie." she said. Then called at my
husbands home to demand the child.
He saw me coming and refused TO
open the door, so was compelled to
burst II open. rushed upstairs, where
I found the, child In bed. Mr.. Hall,
Sr.. followed me up and attempted to
lock me In the room, but I pushed
him aside, picked up the baby and
left. Then I drove almost all night
to Williamstone. and from there into
Detroit"
The plaintiff testified that her hus-
band was very ungentlemanly in his
conduct when Intoxicated, swearing at
her without provocation, and insisting
on telling vile stories, to which she
refused to listen. Many times, she
said, he was assisted home by his
friends. and then was unable to get
upstairs, and slept on the couch until
he was sufficiently sober to climb the
stairs"
What were some OF the expressions
he applied to your" she was asked.
Hello, Sappho, what have you been
doing today?s was his usual greeting,
she said, and this was followed with
the order to 60 to hell"
Mrs. Hall left the stand for a few
minutes, While DR.. and Mrs. Heron.
of Lansing, neighbors of the Halls.
testified Both testified to seeing Hall
intoxicated on more than one occasion,
Dr. Heron telling Of one time when
Hall and his attorney, Samuel Davis.
were intoxicated on the street to-
gether.
Hall was an interested listener 10
his wife's testimony throughout the
hearing. most Of the time with a light
ed cigar stuck In his mouth.