East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-04-02

MIR. Peterson states that from his
own personal knowledge there are a
score or more families in Pendleton
suffering from want and privation be-
cause the heads of the families spend
all of their earnings in the saloons
and let their poor, brokendown wives
exc out an existence for themselves
over the washtub or in some other oc-
cupation equally as severe.
ANY attorney in the CITY," said Mr..
Peterson this morning, will tell you
the same story, for they come in con-
tact with this pitiful condition almost
daily. AS a last resort, the over
worked, much-abused woman seeks
the divorce court to free herself from
the man who does not recognize the
obligations resting upon him"
One Case.
AS evidence of his contention. he
cites the complaint which he filed in
the circuit court today by which Mrs.
Jennie Crabtree seeks to divorce her
self from Pink s. Crabtree. The story
told by this woman is one of the
most pitiful that can be imagined and
even should she free herself OF her
marital bonds, her prospects in life
are but gloomy indeed.
She has been married since Novem-
Der, 1899. and she is now the mother
OF six children between the ages Of
IL and s. In addition she has suf-
fered the pains of miscarriage three
times and expects to become a moth
er again in three months. And yeG
though in this delicate condition, she O..
declares she is now earning the food
which the family eats by bending over
the washtub. Every cent her husband
earns, the complaint states, is sQuan-
dered over the bar and he is alleged
to come home in a drunken condition
and curse and abuse his wife. On
March so. she alleges, he kicked her
above the hip. in spite of her fearful
protests. She demonstrated against
his conduct in vain, she says. and now
in despair turns to the court for dis
solution of her marriage bonds. She
asks that the court require her hus-
band to pay over each month a rea-
sonable sum for the support of their
children.
Remedy Suggested.
That this is only a sample of the
tales told by mistreated wives is the
statement of the attorney and certain
ly the records of the court show that
the Crabtree case is by no means un-
usual. Mr.. Peterson suggests a par
tial remedy for the situation in the
appointment of a vigilance committee
by local charitable organizations
which could ascertain the families
that are suffering from non-support.
If the cause of the husbands delin-
quency is liquor, he declares. a list OF
the names of these men should be fill
ed with each saloon in the city and
the saloonmen be forbidden by law to
provide them with liquor.
THE liquor ordinance of the city
provides for blacklist" he said" and
the charitable organizations could de-
termine whose names should be added
to this blacklist. For selling liquor
contrary to this provision, saloon
proprietor can be closed up and made
to surrender his license"
4 Meeting Tonight
The matter was brought to the at
tention of individual members of the
Red Cross society today and they
expressed themselves as thoroughly in
sympathy with Mr. Peterson's sugges-
tions. The Crabtree case and several
others had already been called to their
attention and they have been looking
to the needs of the families. A meet
ing will he held this evening and the
suggestion of Mr.. Peterson will prob
ably be formally brought before tho
organization.