The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-03
ABUSED HIS FOLKS
Wife Called Them "ROtten,"
John A. NeiII Asserts.
Former Wakarusa Man Is Suing
for a Divorce.
CHARGES CRUELTY, NEGLECT
MRS. Neill Accused OF Trying To
Wreck Their Car.
Once She Left Him and Lived
at Topeka Hotel.

The domestic, troubles of Mr.. and
Mrs. John A. Neill, who formerly lived
in the vicinity of Wakarusa, were
aired this morning in the first divis-
ion of the district court when Neill's
s it for divorce against his wife,
charging cruelty and neglect, filed
last August, came up for hearing be-
fore Judge Robert D. Carver. The
entire morning was taken up with the
Testimony of NeiiI himself, Ed Pop
enoe, heighbor, being on the witness
stand only about fifteen minutes.
Under cross examination, Neill told
of an incident that happened less than
a year ago while they were living on
their farm just across the line in Usage
county south of Topeka. He had
taken his wife and two small children
to Topeka during the day, he said,
and was returning home with them
when she seized the steering wheel
and attempted to run the car into
ditch. In the evening, he said, he
started to take them to town again,
and when, on the way. she asked him
what they should do with the children,
fhe said he turned north on a road
Heading to his fathers house, telling
her they would take care of the chill
dren-
Called His Folks ''Rotten.''
He testified that she said that she
'didn't want to go to his rotten folks
bat insisted on getting out of the car,
which he permitted her to do, and
drove on to his fathers house, where
he left the children and picked UP
Popenoe. Returning, they found Mi 5.
<NeilI nearly mile from the place he
mad left her, so his story went, and
lifting her into the car, they went on
TO town. 1t was intimated that she
desired to stay in town but needed
money, SO Neill went to a drug store,
acashed a check and brought the money
l.. It'll s-f,o \ a
dn the car. Popenoe later testified
that while they were waiting for her
husband, Mrs. Nell confided to him
that she had gotten out of the car
f.because she didn't want her nose
broken
,Neill sail, she told him she must have
5her clothes, and he says they started
back home to- get them. Arrived at
the road leading to his fathers house,
she wanted to get the children, he
said Popenoe testified that Neil1
asked her IF she thought she'd get
them" and that Mrs. Neill answered,
in substance:
10y cure damned right. Do you think
u want them brought up by a pack of
dogs?"
Tried Again to Wreck Car.
AT this juncture. it seems, NeiH de-
|cideo to take his wife back to town,
when she seized the steering wheel
and attempted to run the car into G
ditch again. Popenoe said he tried to
stop her, while Neill kept the car in
the road, and that she slapped \him
twice in the face. Then, both wit
nesses agreed, she attempted to leap
Tout of the car, which Popenoe pre-
vented her from doing until it had
come to a stop. Mrs. Neill then got
out, it was said. while Neill and Pop
fenOe went on to his fathers house.
Some time later. according to tes-
timony, Mrs. Neill arrived at the
house. where her father-in-law pre-
walled upon her to stay all night with
her children while Neill went home.
Next day her husband came after her.
bringing some of her clothes, but said
she returned home with him, where
they lived again for some time.
A short time before he filed his
petition for divorce. it seems. she left
him and came to Topeka, putting up
lat hotel.
Go Into QUESTIONABLE.
Neill testified that he was worth
about 1900. The trial was halted for
g.