Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-06-03
WIFE DESERVING
INVENTOR RUNS
into TROUBLE
Court Finds Him Guilty and
Constable Arrests Him on
A. her Charge.

1 Arrested on 4 writ from the Court
Of Chancery as he was entering the
| Court of Special Sessions at the
| Court House for trial on a charge of
desertion today, John Henry Allen,
an inventor, of New York fell in for
more hard luck when Judge William
P. Martin, after listening to his trial
and intimating that perjury charge
might be made against him, found
him guilty of deserting his wife and
son.
| Bail was fixed at 200 on the writ
of ne exeat from the Court of Chan
Gerry and bail was raised from $1,000
| to $4,000 after his conviction, on the
| desertion charge. to await sentence.
He was unable to get bail and he
wound UP an eventful day in Jail.
| Mrs. Florence A. Allen, wife of the
inventor, was responsible for John
Henry's difficulties. 1t was she who
made the complaint for desertion,
and it was upon her application that
the Court of Chancery ordered her
| husband held in bail to secure the
payment of back alimony which now
amounts to $500.
Former Verona Residents.
The Aliens formerly lived in Verona,
where Mrs. Allen now keeps a board
ing house. Mrs. Allen alleged that
her husband deserted her in May
1913. In May, 1914, he started a di-
vorce action against her for deseT"
tion, and pending the outcome of thar
action he was ordered to pay her $40
a week alimony.
According to Mrs. Allen he has
failed to pay the alimony and the
writ of ne exeat was issued on her
petition. When Allen entered the
court room today Francis w. Smith,
a court constable, told him that he
was under arrest on the chancery
order, but that it would not interfere
with his presence in court for trial
| on the desertion charge.
Later, when his trial was over, AL
lens counsel, Joseph H. Lecour, of
Belleville, made motion to have the
constable adjudged in contempt of
| court for making the arrest in the
courtroom, but Judge Martin took no
action when Lecour failed to press the
motion.
Allen was put through a severe
| cross-examination by Judge Martin
| He said he was forty years old and
| until a week ago was employed by
the O'Leary Iron and Steel Company,
| Of New York, who manufactured a
rail joint, which he invented, for use
| on railroads. He said he had made
about $100 a month. He lost his job
on account of his marital troubles, he
said.
| He denied deserting his wife, and
1nd hnf Aa1 e,ir
| agreement to separate in May, 1913,
and that he was living apart from her
under this agreement. He admitted
| that he had failed to pay her $50
month, as provided in that agreement,
but excused his lapse on the ground
| that she had lied about him and by
her actions lost him several positions
in which he would have been able to
| earn enough to pay her that amount.
Couldn't Answer tho Question.
Allen declared that at the time he
| agreed to pay his wife $50 month
| he expected to get job paying $500
a month, but the divorce proceedings
which he started spoiled his chance.
why, you didn't file the petition
for divorce until May, 1914" said the
court. How could it have infu-
enced your prospective employers in
May. 1913, when you made this agree
ment?"
Allen was unable to explain and
could only deny the courts accusa-
tion that he was lying.
Allen admitted that he never sent
any support to his thirteen-year-o
son. He thought, he said he might
be able to support himself But for
the boy, Allen said he and his wife
would have separated long before
they did He was waiting for the
boy to grow up, he said.