New Britain herald., 1916-06-07
MRS. ROOSEVELT ON
 ABUSIVE HUSBAND
Tells How Cousin of "T. R." Acted
 on Their Honeymoon.


 Hammersley Biscoe Roosevelt testi- fled yesterday before Justice Clark of the Supreme court in her suit for a seperation from her husband, John Ellis Roosevelt, a cousin of Theodore Roosevelt. The 1itigants were married at the Washington home of Robert B. Roosevelt, the defendants brother, on Jan. 6, 1914, and five weeks later be- gan the quarrels that friends sought unsuccessfully to adjust, and which finally ended in the court action.
 After his wife sued Mr. Roosevelt brought action to have the marriage annulled, and that action, tried first, resulted in victory for Mrs. Roose- welt. Then she sought alinony, say ing that her husbands income was $40,0OO a year, and that during their brief married life together they had lived at the rate of s1,500 a month She got alimony of s4o0 a month, which she is still enjoying. Both Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt had been married before. He has two daughters by his first marriage.
 In her complaint Mrs Roosevelt said that her husband had treated her cruelty in Naples in March, 1914, which was less than two months after their marriage, and that she had again suffered at his hands in the Hotel Savoy in London the following April, and again at their homo, SIS Madi- son avenue, in this city, in October of the same year.
 Honeymoon Trip Unpleasant
 Mrs. Roosevelt testified that six weeks after the marriage she and her husband sailed on the Adriatic for Alexandria. Asked if her relations with her husband were pleasant dur Ing the voyage, Mrs. Roosevelt re- piled, 'Not at all pleasant Then she told of the quarrel in the Naples Hotel after a day of motoring and sight seeing. She said she was very weary, and had retired early. About 10 o'clock MT. Roosevelt awakened her, she said, and when she asked him to please let her alone he flew into @ rage and choked her. She threatened to call for help and he then desisted.
 Were there any marks on your neck?" she was asked.
 "There were a great many" she re- piled. 1T spoke to Howard Meredith about it two days later, and Mrs. Meredith also saw the marks, because they were visible in evening dress"
 The witness explained that she had met the Merediths on board ship on the journey over. After that they travelled together, going to Rome after leaving Naples, and then to London where they all put up at the Savoy While at this hotel, on April 10, 1914, Mrs. Roosevelt said she had spent the day shopping with Mrs. Meredith and
 
 theater and then they had refresh ments at the Romano cafe. They got back to the hotel about midnight. What happened then Mrs. Roosevelt described in this way:
 During the evening MT. Roosevelt acted in a peculiar way. He left the box and did not come back for a long time. At Romano's he was moody and when we got to our apartment I told him that he had been very rude That made him angry. He raised his voice and sWore. l went to my room and he followed me using insulting language. I ordered him to leave and he grabbed me by the throat, threw me on the bed and threatened to break my bones un- less I obeyed him.
 Mrs. Roosevelt said she called the Merediths on the tlephone and that MT. Meredith went away with MT Roosevelt while Mrs. Meredith re- nained with her.
 T was very nervous,' she said "and my gown was torn off my shoulders" Bitter Quarrel at Sayville After a five months stay abroad Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt returned to this ! country and lived in their town house until May, when they went to their | | Another quarrel occurred between them on Oct. 8, 1915, on the veranda of the Sayville house. She had dined 1 with the Robert B. ROosevelts on the adjoining estate, her husband having refused to go with her. This quarrel grew out of difference of opinion as to how the coming winter should be spent. MT. Roosevelt wanted to jour- ney leisurely through some of the southern states, stopping wherever he pleased and as long as he pleased but Mrs. Roosevelt did not care for such a trip.
 MT. Roosevelt, the witness said, grew very angry and used insulting language, and Robert B. Roosevelt rebuked him for using such language in the presence of ladies.
 Under cross examination Mrs. Roosevelt denied that she had ever been in the habit of going to teas and luncheons at Sherrys and Delmonico' s and not returning home until late. She said that before their marriage MT. Roosevelt told her that his income was s6O,000 year. Concerning her relations with her husbands family Mrs. Roosevelt said:
 1T never was on good terms with his family, because they were always talking about money"