New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-08
TRAIN TRIP COSTS
HUNTER DECREE
Wife's Relations with ker-
foot, Court Finds, Were
Perfectly Innocent.
HE STAYED AROUND
TO PREVENT SUICIDE
Those Black Tights, Too. Were
Just for Cold Weather, Not
TO Draw Attention.

Mrs. Anna Belleville Hunter will get
her decree OF divorce from Frederick
William Hunter, her lawyer husband.
who failed to convince Justice Erlanger
in his counter suit for divorce that
the relations between his wife and John
Barrett Kerfoot,' novelist and literary
critic Of Life" were anything but
platonc
The trial closed yesterday. Justice
Erlanger refused to believe the wit
nesses for Hunter, the most important
OF whom were former servants. The
court thought that they might have ex-
aggerated in describing what they had
seen az the summer home Of Hunter,
where Kerfoot, the correspondent, was
living. On the other hand, the justice.
although he reserved decision, indicat-
ID that Hunters indiscretion had been
proved By his trip 20 New Orleans with
Mrs Sarah +. Grenor.
Kerfoot was revealed by himself yes
terdsy as lifesayer.
81 was in trilemms, IL you will al
low me to coin q word" he said. There
were three things that could do
could stay in the house as before. /
could leave and allow Mrs. Hunter 70
commit. suicide, and I could do the
other things she asked ME to do and
help her"
you are his brother-in-law and were
his best friend You lived in his
house, and yet you undertook a jour
ney TO New Orleans to get evidence
against him." asked counsel for
Hunter.
Correct" replied kerfoot.
"And you were never ashamed Of it ?"
mo"
"Are you ashamed OF it now"
81 am not
kerfoot Driven Out.
Several times during the cross-exami-
nation the same question was asked
kerfoo. and he made the same answer.
He went on 10 tell about the unhappi
ness OF Mrs. Hunter, who had told him
that her husband had put her aside
and that she wished she were dead.
he said that he never had any intima-
tion that Hunter was jealous and that
he never tried to bring about a recon
ciliation between husband and wife. lie
helped Mrs. Hunter because he did not
want her TO be driven to suicide.
The parting between the brothers-in-
law took place one night after dinner
at the Hunter city home, at 1877 East
Thirty-seventh Street. Kerfoot testi-
fed that Hunter requested him to leave
his house in these words:
John, you drive me to very dis
agreeable duty. II you had a grain Of
honor or a spark OF manhood you
would have left before now. In con-
siderstion of the conversations you
have had with Nan Mrs. Hunter in
this house this spring, wish you
would get out Of here. How soon can
you get out-to-morrow or the next
day."
Kerfoot said he could ge: out the
same night, and Hunter said, "All
right A few days later the deposed
Kerfoot wrote TO Hunter and had the
letter delivered by n messenger, wait
ing near by for an answer.
Saved Her from Suicide.
81 have no personal ends to serve"
Kerfoot wrote. IL love Nan dearly.
but am not in love with her. Rad to
choose between seeing her driven to
suicide or acting as did. | would
deliberately make the same choice il
] had to choose again. think it would
be worthier of the past and better for
US all TO talk it out. II you do not
think so, however, at least | would
have made this explanation OF fact,
which ! feel is due you and myself.
Sincerely. JOHN"
Several postal cards left behind by
Mrs. Hunter when she left her hus-
band were introduced. One of these
had the printed lines: az you walk
in your sleep, you know my address"
Mrs. Hunter denied that she had
bought this card for Kerfoot Another
card had list OF "Cupid's IFS and
Butts"
Justice Erlanger said that he would
1ui bt4lfNt tA-NfTNhHlS testimony
against Mrs. Hunter, and dwelt on the
improbabiity OF their stories, in view
of the testified fact that the doors OF
the Hunter home were locked against
the servants in the absence Of Hunter.
The justice said there were no harm
full famliarities between keTfoot and
Mrs. Hunter. But tho court would not
exculpate the husband.
Az 20 the story told by one Of these
former servants that he had seen
mirror reflection of Mrs. Hunter in
her room. wearing tights, she explained
on the stand:
at must have been my black woollen
tights. the kind ! always wear when
going out in cold weather. They were
not worn to accentuate the figure, but
merely for comfort. As they were
black, they were not designed TO at
tract attention. Still. as seldom
shut my dressing room door. il would
have been possible for the butler, as
well as the maid, 10 see me in the mir