The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-05-07
Wife Reluctantly Testifies
Against Spouse in Assault
and Battery Case in Police
Court.
MADE UNCONSCIOUS
Blow Leaves Woman Bereft
of Senses While Children
Wonder Why Mother Is
Silent.

With one arm about her three year
old son and the other about her one
year old daughter, Mrs. Lester Horn
beck, 302 Southwest Fourth street a
pretty young woman only seventeen
years old and a wife since the age OF
thirteen, told today how her husband
had beat her on an average OF once
week the past three years.
Mayor Robbins in city court had just
taken Hornbeck's case under advise
ment He had pleaded guilty to
charge of assault and battery on his
young wife. who is sixteen years his
junior
Fears Her Husband.
Although he had kicked her in the
head yesterday, knocking her off the
kitchen porch because she had com.
planned because he had given all the
groceries to the dog, Mrs. Hornbeck
was a reluctant witness against her
brutal spouse. 1t was necessary to
bring her Two children and little Helen
lSchroufe, aged 10, who has been liv-
Ing with the Hornbecks, to court In
the police automobile.
You are very much afraid Of your
husband, aren't you?" reporter
asked.
Lies To Clear Spouse.
81 am" she replied, glancing appre-
hensively in his direction as he was
being removed to city Jail pending the
mayors procurement of judgment.
II had to complain to the police about
him some time ago, but the next day
! lied for him and got him out of trou-
BILE | didn't appear against him then
because he threatened to kill me II |
did So
why don't leave him. Well, these
are his children and I don't want to
break up the home, although he has
told me he would rather serve time in
the penitentiary than support the chill
dren and myself.
Il used to be awfully jealous OF Les
ter. am not so any more although he
runs around with other women. l
know he does so although he told the
mayor he does not. | guess / still like
him a whole lot, although he has whip
ped me at least once week the last
three years. He has treated me worse
than a dog and he has told me he likes
the dog better than he does me. He
has treated me even worse than my
father did"
Child Helps Mother.
My father has been in places like
this in Dayton lots Of times inter
posed little Helen Schroufe. She said
this pridefully, her black eyes dancing.
The little miss had substantiated on
the witness stand the charges Mrs.
Hornbeck had made against her hus-
band.
Mrs. Hornbeck when she took the
stand frequently glanced at her hus-
band, each time bursting into tears.
the two babies ceasing their romping.
about the court room each time to
gaze with wonder at their mother.
Mrs. Hornbeck said she went out
with the Schroufe child, who has been
her companion for three weeks. early
Yesterday afternoon. When she return.
ed she found her husband had over
.urned the furniture, broken some stat
lary, had thrown the tapioca into the
4oal bucket and had given the grocer.
les, which had just been delivered. to
he dog When she demonstrated he
clicked her off the porch.
Unconscious Half Hour.
Two weeks ago. she said, Hornbeck
knocked her down with blow to her
read, rendering her unconscious for
lalf hour, when she accused him OF
having been in the company OF anoth-
n woman.
He might have killed me yesterday
IS he had put loaded revolver on the
stand, but | hid it when | found 1t,
she said Lots of times he has threat
,ned to kill me. He never mistreated
he babies, however,.
She told how he deserted her last
summer and was gone for two weeks.
When he returned. she said, he chased
Ter down the street with revolve!
Iornbeck was then arrested on
.harge of wife and child desertion bu'
Judge Fox dismissed the case WheA
Iornbeck promised to return to hi
amily, treat his wife considerably and
provide for her and the babies He I'M
nediately resumed his brutal conduct
oward her, however, Mrs. Hornbeck
aid.
"He gets drunk" said little Miss
,chroufe, and you can always tell
when he has teen drinking because
lis eyes turn green
Hornbeck admitted that he had not
reated his wife as he should" and
confessed to having an ungovernable
emper He was in very sullen mood
nd the prosecutor had difficulty in
obtaining answers to questions.