The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-31
That Is Charge ]. A. Mallory
Makes in Petition.
Silver Lake Farmer Does Not
Want Her Given Divorce.
HE SAYS SHE WAS FIGHTER
One Time She Blacked His Eye
With a Stick.
Mrs. MallOry's Original Petition
Alleged Cruelty.

Hanging her stepdaughter on a
clothes line to dry is an act of cruelty
charged against Vira Mallory by J. A.
Mallory in cross petition filed in the
Shawnee county district court today.
The cross petition answers a petition
for a divorce filed several days ago
by Mrs Mallory. Mallory is a Shaw
nee county farmer living near Silver
Lake.
Mallory had four children by
former wife. A month following his
marriage to Vira Mallory in May, 1914.
he charges that his wife became pre-
JUDGED against Adabel aged 3 years,
one of the children Acts of cruelty
set forth in the petition are described
as fiendish and barbaric.
A systematic system of cruelty was
adopted against the child, according
to accusations in the petition. At one
time it is charged Mrs Mallory COM
to a stove that her leg was burned so
badly a physician was called. Fur
ther punishment for childish miShapS,
described in the petition, was day af-
ter day spent by the child in an out
side toilet.
In Toilet All Day.
Mallory claims that Immediately
after breakfast the little girl was sent
to the toilet. She was forced to re-
main there until dinner time and after
eating dinner was again sent to the
clubhouse to remain until supper time.
Such treatment continued almost every
day until the Summer of 1916, accord
ing to Mallory.
That summer new method of
cruelty was adopted by the step
mother, Mallory charges. Punish
ment for accidents during the sum-
mer of 1916 consisted of suspension
from a clothes line.
The clothes line mode of punish
ment is described minutely in the petit
ton. The little girl was hoiSteda to the
clothes line and her garments fastened
to the line, the petition sets forth. A
soap box was placed under the girl,
Mallory admits, but it was not high
enough to permit her to rest anything
except her toes on it. Mallory claims
that at one time the sheriff was called
to put quietus on the inQuisitorial
methods of his second wife.
Husband Couldn't Stop 1t.
As. for interference, that was a
mighty serious matter, Mallory adj
mits. Usually any attempt on his part
to take a hand in affairs resulted in
a storm of words and bombardment
of kettles, wood or anything at hand
at the time, he tells the court. One
such bombardment following a dem
onstration, she Nput a black eye on
him, Mallory claims. The ebony eye
was the result of a stick of wood
hurled at him by his wife, he says.
W. E. Atchison and ]. ]. Schenck filed
the cross petition.
Mallory admits he owns cattle and
other property valued at $4,000, but
declares he has outstanding obliga-
tions which eat up most of this prop
erty. He asks that divorce be denied
his wife, that it be granted him and
that he be given all his property.
The petition asking for a divorce
filed by Mrs. Mallory contains much
heat. She charges he has struck her
and cursed her and spoke disparag-
ingly of her church going proclivities.
In fact, she states, that he accused her
of going to church merely because she
had improper relations with brother
members including the minister