The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1918-03-21
JUDGE WILSON EXON
CRATES MIR. LEAVITT

In rendering decree for the plaintiff
in the Davis divorce case Judge Wilson
last Friday took occasion to exonerate
Rev. l.. g. Leavitt, whose name
had been connected with the case by
the defendant husband, Elmer n. Da-
vis. who charged his wife with infatu-
alton for the minister.
This case has been given publicity,
not only in local papers, but in Port
land dailies, said Judge Wilson, "and
| would request that correspondents
give prominence to what have to say
about Mr.. Leavitt. want to give MIR.
l.eavitt a clean bill of health. Nothing
has transpired, no testimony has been
produced that reflects in the least on
the character of the young minister as
a man, as a minister or as citizen.
In tact, it has not been shown that he
has been guilty Of anything bordering
on misconduct. 1t is my sincere hope
that his influence for good will not be
affected in this community by this
case.
Judge Wilson administered a serious
rebuke to the defendant. He asserted
that the cross bill, in which the wife
was charged with being an improper
person, because of alleged free love
ideas and lack of respect for the sane
tity of the marriage vow, to take Gus
tody of the couples small son, should
never have been fled In testimony it
was shown that the husband hadstold
that he had conceived the idea of draw
ing in the name of the young minister
after visit to his boy, stating that he
could not stand to give up the child and
he knew of nothing else whereby he
might secure custody of the child.
Judge Wilson in delivering his decree
declared that he could not conceive
why such charges should have been
made against Mrs. Davis or why the
minister should have been implicated
except for some such reason.
Judge Wilson stated that he would in
all probability, if only denial had
been interposed by the defendant fol-
lowing the full testimony of the plain
tiff, have granted decree to neither
party. But as he stated, since the
defendant in his crossbill charged his
wife with faithlessness in thought, if
not in action, charges. which if sub
stantiated, would have ruined her char.
acter in the community, his actions
had 50 established a cruel and inhuman
treatment as to warrant decree for
the plaintiff
The defendant alleged that he had
discovered note which had evidenced
Mrs. Davis infatuation for Mr.. Leav
lit. Judge Wilson accepted the denial
of the plaintiff that she had ever writ
ten any such note. The court went
further and read letters, which had
been introduced as evidence, which, he
declared, established the wife's inno-
cence in his mind. Judge Wilson said
that no evidence had been produced to
show that Mrs. Davis had ever been
guilty OF any misconduct.
While the court granted the custody
of the child to Mrs. Davis, the hus-
band is granted the privilege of seeing
the baby at seasonable and convenient
times Judge Wilson recalled testi-
mony to the effect that the plaintiff s
father, S. A. Veach, was guilty of
swearing on frequent occasions.
MIR. Veach may go out behind the
woodpile and relieve himself of all the
cursing he pleases, said Judge Wilson,
but he must cease such practice in
the presence of this child