The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-14
JUDGE DENOUNCES
KISSING KETCHUMS
"My Soul Rebels Against Such
Testimony" Asserts JUS
tice Blanchard.
CASE SUDDENLY At END

The trial OF Mrs. Ada Brown
Ketchum's suit for a separation from
Everest p. Ketchum. lawyer and Yale
graduate. came to an end before SUI
preme Court Justice Blanchard yeeter-
day after Justice Blanchard had COM
mented sharply on the nature or the
evidence and had expressed regret that
probably the last case he will try be-
fore his retirement on December ~
should nave been az action or that Kind
Tho conclusion Of the trial was hast
ened by the following remark OF JUS
tics Blanchard: II don't want TO sit
here hour after hour and listen to such
testimony. 1t Is abhorrent 20 me and
my soul rebel against the disclosures
In this action"
Mrs. ketchum began to weep when
the court made this comment and her
mother. Mrs. Ada Denyce Brown. went
to her aid with smelling salts. Later.
when Ketchum was expressing his dis
like Of the soul kieses' his wife gave
him, the court said: III you didn't like
It. why didn't sou stop itT' ketchum
replied that he thought at the time they
were real "love kisses"
R~econcfliat ion IL Impossible.
At the conclusion Of the trial. before
announcing that the attorneys could
have two weeks In which to submit
briefs, Justice Blanchard said This
cas- never should have come 10 trial.
1t should have been settled out OF court.
II l had known what the testimony was
to be ! shouldn't have sat here
George W. Whiteside. attorney for Mrs.
Ketchum. and Abraham Levy. counsel
for Ketchum. both said that they had
done their best to bring about a settle
ment out of court and Justice Blanchard
said he ~exonerated them fully. But
rcpeat that 1t never should have been
heard In public he added.
Mr.. Levy then called the plaintiff 20
the stand and speaking impressiveiy he
said Madame. l ask o not only
as an attorney bu. as a husband and
father. is 1t possible for you and your
husband to be reconciled?"
1T 10 impossible" replied Mrs.
Ketchum.
Rebecca Wilson, housekeeper IN the
Ketchum home at 100 West 12cd street,
called in behalf OF Ketchum. She said
that although she WIS employed AS
ketchum's housekeeper when he was
living there with a Mrs. Kelly. her ex-
periences while Mrs. ketchum and her
mother were In the house shocked her.
Mrs. Wilson. who used to be house
keeper for a girls school. testified that
Ketchum brought Miss Brown M her
mother to the house for Inner three
weeks before their marriage. She gave
this description of the dinner the second
time Miss Brown was at the house:
II served the soup and then the roast
duck. When / came up from the kitchen
with the potatoes and cranberry sauce
Miss Brown and Mr.. ketchum We're sit
ting close together. ! could never get
over the way they We're kissing, Judge.
They were doing II like this liter" -he
puckered up her lips II emitted a series
of violent smacks.l never did get ;he
potatoes IN cranberries on the table be-
cause their kissing upset me So. ]
skipped the potatoes and then tried TO
serve the ic. cream. but they didn't pay
no more attention 10 me than II I wasn't
there. They just kept OF kissing"
Bothered ny the Kissrs.
DO you think the kisses were inn
proper" - asked Mr.. Levy.
Certainly they were replied Mrs.
Wilson. - seen kissing in my time, bu,
not that kind. 7 ave been taught tina;
that kline IL not proper"
Did the kissing bother you