The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-04
HERMAN ASCHE
Gets DIVORCE
FROM HIS WIFE
Justice in New York Cuts
. Off $3.50 Alimony, Too, in
Rendering Decision.

I New York, Jan. A decision by
Justice Cohalan yesterday cut off the
$3.50 a month alimony Of Mrs Asia
Asche land awarded y her husband,
Herman T. Asche, a wealthy importer,
a decree of separation on his counter
claim of abandonment. .,t
| Mrs. Asche is 81 and her husband
about twice her age. He has an in
come of over $4,000 a year. A year
ago he married Asia OConnor, teacher
of modern dances, after a short court
! ship. Six weeks to a, day after their
marriage she deserted him, without a
word of warning, and began suit forsa
separation.
Asche, on recovering from his sur
prise, started an investigation. In the
Brooklyn hotel where she was living
he found the manuscript of a novel
cite, "Justice?'' written by his bride.
In it she sketched the history of her
own married life in Fictitious guise,
declared her affection was not for her
husband but for a secret lover, and
admitted the heroine of her story was
very clever
Asche tried to set up a defense of
fraud to her separation complaint He
said she and her mother deliberately
planned a loveless marriage to get his
money. The court refused to- allow
the annulment counter-claim so he
asked for separation decree. l.
On the witness stand Mrs. Asche did
not deny that her husband was SEEM
ingly kind, considerate and generous
with her. But, in their home, she
said, he was cruel in expressing his
affection. Justice Cohalan, in his
O1oir hro nd >1oi
Lof almost incredible nastiness.'' He
adds: ~
'The case is unusual from many
points, with scarcely a precendent in
matrimonial actions. The cause Of
action must stand or fall on the truth
or falsity of the wife's story. In
view of the testimony and Of the fact
Of plaintiffs former marriage (she
| was married to former husband at
Is and had her marriage annulled),
! together with the positive denial of
illicit acts by the defendant, I am
forced to reject the wifes claim. :.
"She is a young womans of mag
ination and talent, with an expert
| ence beyond her years. She is of the
pleasure-1oving type, while her hus-
band is of phlegmatic temperament.
| He is a man Of business and she is a
woman Of the lighter things Of life.
She apparently did not want to. be
bound by any of the restrictions OF
married life. 81
l. '"The husbands character is an i'm
portant issue in this case. It is UNI
| disputed that he was kind and gener-
| Gus to his wife. His demeanor on
kthe stand, as we'll as the documentary
evidence he produced, from boyhood
until the present time, is convincing
/ proof that he is a man of standing
and is worthy of belief. !.
| ''He is a Norwegian by birth, COM
\ ing to this country after business
career for which he was fully ac-
| counted by documentary evidence
| from Europe. He is now a member
| Of the firm Of Van Bramer, Asche
Co. He has been three times elected
president of the Association Of Foo6
Importers, and has frequently beer
called as a witness for the governs
ment, as an expert in customs ap.
praisal cases. :
Several of his competitors in bust.
ness and other men of standing have
testified with respect to his. industry
! and good. reputation" g
1 Finally the court rejected Mrs
| Asche's claim of ''affectionate Cruz
city, as incredible and completely Hx-
onerated her husband. :