New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-26
PLEA OF POVERTY
FAILS IN COURT
Iron Merchant Must Pay
AlimOny Of $l0G and
500 Counsel Fees.

The plea Of Frank r. Thompson, for
merry an iron merchan, Of Pittsburgh,
that he IS "row dfty-oHc years 3D..
without vocation or occupation and abe
solutcly pcnn.Icss.' and that he would
have to go 20 jail Il the court awarded
his wife more thGn 500 month allie
uony m her suit. did not avail, Tor
Justice Hcrdr.ck iu the Supreme Court
yesterday granted % Mrs. thompson
500 q month alimouv and allowed her
500 counsel fees. However. this was
great reduction from the 900 %
month and The counsel fec Of 1880
asked by the wife.
The eI.t has developed great Bitter
ness, Mrs. Thompson resentlng what
she called the taiseh0od- OF urr IJ--
band by revealing mis- career here
and In West Virginia, where the
plaintiff says 70 was only her inc
tercessiou with the Governor that
saved him from Jail for -WlnIIu-.
Thompson admitted ln an affidavit that
some of the things his wife said about
him were true. but mentioned ,aa. even
with this knowledge Mrs Thompson
had not been averse 90 sharing Do the
alleged tainted money and hoped 70
get more of 10 by asking large alimrny.
But Thompson said that his conduct
for the last year would bear the closest
scrutiny.
Mrs. Thompson explained that She
was induced TO expose rcr husband be
cause Of his falsehoods. She alleged
that Thompson has been engaged IN
playing game that She called English
bank" and said that her husbands spe-
ciaIty was The enticlne Of Ncateuners'
Telling Of his career. Mrs. Thompson
said that her husband was convicted IN
Wheeling. W. Va. for sw.udIng O. man
ont Of 81 1000, and that after bee had
served three months she lnterceded Tor
him with former Governor -c'ofHe
who pardoued Thompson. Another
time. said the relentless wife. her huS-
band was arrested in Pittsburgh ioI
swindling one Dexter Davis, Of Marietta
Ohio. out OF $4,000. This case was
qua-hed and Thompson returned me
money, said his wife. Continuing hei
expose, Mrs. Thompson said that her
husband was indicted IN New Iork .n
connection with swiud.e IN which the
victim lost $1,000. and that he forfeited
has bail.
Tn asking for her large alimonv the
wife said her husband made 100000 at
one time. and William K. Thompson,
son. made affidavit that his father
showed $4,000 % Saratoga and told
him that he made 10 in one transaction
Mrs THOMPSON said her husband had
been known under numerous aliases.
Thompson said chat when he mar
r;cd the plaintiff 10 1855 ir Steuben'
Vile. Ohio, b. was working in a roll
ing mill. By thrift and economy BIO
was able 20 build his own home and sd
into 8 general buying and selling bust
ness Then be became q manufacturer
OF iron bedsteads. M 1905 he failed
He traded 30 oil lands. Gradually bus
fortune dwiudied, and for sIy years hf
was compelled 20 borrow money from
q friend. samuel p. Geru. When tncst
loans aggregated $4,000 Garu refused
him an additional loan OF $4,000 with
ont security and Thompson gave
mortgage on his house, which Garu rs
about 20 roreclosc. Mrs. Thompson pro-
uouuced Che mortgaciu- OF me prop
crtv fraudulent transaction 90 de
cc.y. her. and said that Garu was q
friend and associate Of her husband.
Thompson said that for ten years his
married life had been unhappy Tie
thought by taking his wife from hci
pittsburgh environments" that shC
might change her conduct toward him
but says she refused 20 live in a sac
o month apartment DO New York
Thompson tried his luck in Wall So
A. first he was a winner, but later he
lost. and concluded. he said. that there
was no living 20 oe made DO the stock
market