Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-18
SEEKS DIVORCE
FROM MAN Who
SHOT HER DOWN
Paterson Woman Faces Hus-
} band for First Time Since
Tragedy in 1911.
BREAKS DOWN TELLING
OF STREET SHOOTING
Defendant, Released from Prls-
on Under Parole, Appears
Without Counsel.


For the first time since he shot her
down in the street in Paterson in
April, 1911, and then turned the gun
ons2ifmself, sending a bullet through
ffs head, Hugh Strang, a Paterson
bricklayer, faced his wife Christina,
OF 1874 Edmund street, Paterson, m
Chancellor Howelrs court to-
day. -
He was called to answer his wife's
suit for divorce. The petitioner
charged constructive desertion. Vice
Chancellor Howell advised former
Judge Francis Scott, counsel for Mrs.
Strang, that he would grant a de-
cree, after few minor amendments
In the petition were made.
Dressed neatly in a brewn chinchilla
coat and wearing a gray afailor-made
suit with large black pisFure hat,
Mrs. Strang took the witness stand to
tell of her marital troubles. fs-a.a
Strang, who was released on parole
from the State prison only a short
time ago. occupied chair at the ex-
treme end of the lawyers table. He
was entirely alone. had no friends in
court and was not even represented
by counsel. &
Several times during the course OF
her testimony. Mrs. Strang broke
down and wept. she said she was
twenty-seven years old and was en-
ployed as a ribbon weaver in Pater-
son up until the time of the recent
silk strike, when she was thrown oui
of employment With tears streaming
down her cheeks, she told of being
shot down by her husband
Il was coming home from the mill
on the night of April 20, 1911" she
said "As neared the corner of
Spruce and Oliver streets, a girl
friend who. was with me. spied my
husband. He was standing behind a
pole. ] started toward him and as
did he drew pistol. Then-oh!" the
witness broke down.
"He fired" she continued after a
minute Il was shot twice. Then in
the next second, saw him shoot him
self. He fell and ! remember falling
on top of him.
Married Five Years.
Mrs. Strang said she was married
!. .December. "a, 1908, by Rev. j. A. Gibbs.
Of the Paterson Avenue Methodist
Church. Paterson. At first she and
her husband wenh - 3zss.s W ~ v ishe9
mclfitF. lie left her on four different
occasiors she declared, each time
noming back to her. He drank heavi-
1y, the witnessed testified anu threat
e7ed her so that she was always in
ar of her life.
e "One time he took me for walk.
Mrs Strang said. He showed me a
store window in which a. number OF
revolvers were exhibited. Pointing
out one he said: I have one just like
that. It's going TO come in handy
for you some day.
Strang, when placed on the stand,
attributed his attitude toward his
wife to the nagging to which he was
subjected at the hands of his moth
er-in-law, Mrs. Isabelle Pierrie.
~ was always happy with Chris
tina he said. "One day she left me
for what reason | do not know. She
went to her mothers home. / fol-
lowed her and asked her to come
back. She reused ] started drink
ing. The day of the shooting / must
have been crazy. I'm sorry | shot
her and always have been. / don't
know what prompted me to do it..
I shall never molest her again"
Mrs. Pierrie, mother of the petit
toner. created scene on the stand
when the question of the shooting
was brought. The woman broke into
tears as she recalled her daughter
lying at the point of death in st.
Joseph's Hospital