New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-19
NEICHBORS FLOCK
TO DIVORCE CASE
Suicide Named in Doctors
Charges Against His
Wife of 20 Years.
LATE AUTO TRIP
CAUSED BREAK
Plaintiff Tells of Card Parties,
Drinking and Other
Diversions.

Tire trouble and no headlight"
was the explanation given by Mrs.
Charles D. Cropsey to her husband. a
we'll known physician of Rutherford,
y. j., for her failure to return home
until the morning after from an auto
mobile trip with DR.. Edwin De Baum,
Of Passaic.
"Too thin!" was the only comment
Dr.. Cropsey made, and a few hours
later they separated. In January, 1914,
DR.. De Baum killed himself after DR..
Cropsey had begun an action for $780,
900, charging him with alienation OF
Mrs. Cropsey's affections. On March
I6, 1914, DR.. Cropsey began suit for
divorce, naming DR.. De Baum as CO.
respondent.
The first hearing was held yesterday
in Jersey City before Vice Chancellor
Baches. Many Rutherford men and
women were present. Mrs. Cropsey ap-
peared in court dressed in black silk
and a modish white hat. She is a slen-
der, handsome woman Of forty. The
Cropseys were married in 1892 and have
no children.
DR.. Cropsey on the witness stand
told Of card parties, attended by Mrs.
Cropsey. DR.. De Baum and Mr.. and Mrs.
Jones. Whiskey and highbslls, he said,
we're the favorite beverages at these
affairs, which were held in the Cropsey
home.
Found House Dark.
Then one evening in May, 1913, the
witness said, he found the house in
n..A a l. aNta sc
Cropsey and DR.. De Baum.
What are you doing here with my
wife ~ he asked DR.. De Baum. :.
Mrs. Cropsey answered quickly: 81
had a pain in my neck and he was mas
saying it with the electric vibrator"
"Did you ever hear Of doctor using
a vibrator at night in dark room -
Cropsey's lawyer asked.
al never did" was the emphatic an
swer
The eventful automobile trip took
place on July 26. 1912. when DR.. De
Baum and Mrs. Cropsey went to Gull
yer Lake TO spend the week end at
the house of Mrs. Albert Thompson.
Mrs. Thompson on the stand said the
pair had arrived Friday afternoon and
departed early Saturday afternoon.
They wanted 70 remain longer. but she
discouraged them. She saw Mrs. Crop
sey cross the hall, she testified, and
enter the room occupied by DR.. DE
Baum.
II usually takes three hours to drive
from Culver Lake to Rutherford. At
| o'clock Sunday morning the tele-
phone bell rang in DR.. Cropsey's Of
fee and his wife informed him tho
machine had started.
Mrs. Cropsey got home at o'clock
Sunday morning. Her husband asked
her where she had spent the night.
She told him that she had slept in the
car and DR.. De Baum on the running
board. Then DR.. Cropsey remarked
"Too thin" His wife's answer, he
says, was: "Well, that's all the ex-
PLANTATION you'll get from me-
Admits Kisses Were Rare.
DR.. Cropsey was subjected to rigid
cross-examination by Merritt Lane,
counsel for Mrs. Cropsey.
How long is it since you kissed
your wife," he was asked.
81 can't remember" was the reply.
"Did you ever take her out even
ings?'
81 can't remember"
"Has your wife asked you TO forgive
and forget?"
"She did, but refused
Bridget Mckay, who was employed
in the Cropsey home, told how DR.. De
Baum had spent the night in the house
while DR.. Cropsey was in the Passaic
Hospital with a broken leg: DR.. De
Baum and Mrs. Cropsey frequently
drank together, she said.
Robert Johnson, a Rutherford tailor,
testified that he hM seen Mrs. Cropsey
kiss a man while she was walking with
him I'D the steps from the tube to the
Erie station in Jersey City. He was
unable to identify DR.. De Baum as the
man when photographs were SHOWN 10
him.
Barred from Hotel.
Anthony Cudinelli, of Roselle Park,
Union County, who was night clerk
at the Berkley Hotel, in Roselle Park,
told Of a runabout stopping in front
of the hotel on July %, 1918, and
man coming in to engage room. Inc
register of the hotel, which was put
into evidence, showed the entry OF Or.
De Baun's name.
81 have my wife with me, but | don't
want 10 put her name down. | Will
pay for her, but ! don't want 70 reg
lister her." the stranger said, accord
ing to the clerk. When ne refused 20
give him the room the man drove on
toward Rutherford.
The hearing will continue on April
!. Mrs. Cropsey has filed cross suit