The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-20
LOCKED HIM OUT
William CritchIOw Says He
Was Afraid To Go Out.
Could Not Even Go To Get a
Bucket of Coal.

William Critchlow. defendant in
divorce case brought by his wife,
stated on the stand in the first division
of the district court today, that before
he and his wife separated he was
afraid to leave the house for bucket
of coal or water because his wife had
a habit of locking the door while he
was out.
The CritchIows lived at SIC Chest
nut street. They were married IN
1911 and the testimony offered in the
divorce case sounds like the narrative
of a soldier at home on sick leave
from the French front
One of the charges made by Critch-
low in his cross petition was that his
wife refused to permit him to visit his
parents who live at Medina, Kan. Ed
Rooney, attorney for Critchlow, asked
her TO explain that.
Il didn't keep him from visiting his
people" she declared. I'VE lived
right across the street from them and
he went there whenever he wanted
to-"
But you did quarrel with his peo-
ple," persisted Rooney, what was that
Talked About Her.
why they flung insinuations at
me-" she said They talked about
my character and 1 told them II they
didn't quit it L would horsewhip the
BILE was about"
Critchlow is charged with beating
his wife and while she was on the
stand she told of different occasions,
running the total number up to near
the forty mark. CritChlOW followed
her and he denied every alleged as
sault except two. On one occasion, he
admitted, they had trouble and in
some manner his wifes ear was cut
On another occasion, just before they
he admitted.
Critchlow testified that his wife
charged him with being responsible
for the death of their two babies in
infancy. One OF them died at the
age of five days and the other at the
age of five months.
What caused their death?" asked
Rooney.
The doctor told me the cause was
hereditary replied Critchlow. He
told me they had water on the
An aunt of Mrs. Critchlow took the
stand and the part of Critchlow. She
declared that her niece had an I'M
governable temper.
She Cursed and Cursed.
"One night she asked me to stay
all night with her because her hus-
band was working at night and would
not be at home" said the aunt. That
night we went up town to a picture
show and on the way home she
] scratched her shoe on a wire in the
street. She began cursing and ours
| ed all the city officials because of the
wire. Sac became worse and worse
and 1 was afraid to retire. She ours
/ ed her husband for the death of her
babies and his mother, too. She de-
! elared his mother was responsible for
their death because it was from her
( they inherited a weakness"
w. A. $. Bird attorney for Mrs
Critchlow, took the aunt for cross
examination after she had run down.
| One of the first admissions he obtained
was that she was released from the
Topeka state hospital a short time
ago and that she had been restored to
citizenship less than four months.
All the testimony was taken today
! but Judge Dana declined to hear the
| arguments at once. He had another
case following the Critchlow case i'm
mediately He will hear the argu-
ments and determine upon the matter
of a divorce decree later. Mrs.
Critchlow applied for the divorce a.--$
Critchlow filed an answer and cross
npf;tiOn