Evening journal., 1919-03-03
DIVORCE MANY ON
COURTS FIRST DAY
Wife of Slayer is Among
Those Who Obtain
DEGREES
WOVEN RECITE
TALES OF CRUELTY

Boyce and Conrad in Superior Court
this morning. Judge Boyce sat In Court
Room No. and Judge Conrad In Room
No. 2.
Florence NJ. Stidham was granted O
decree from Harvey w. Stldham. They
were married In Old Swedes Church,
July 10. 1907, and separated about
seven years ago. Mrs. Stldham said
her husband would not work and
would not support her. They had
separated three times before the last
time. she was also granted the custody
! OF her ten-year-old girl. Mr.. Garrett
was Mr.. Stidhsm's attorney.
, Annie Buddell Card sought a decree
] from Charles Henry Card on grounds OF
desertion; extreme cruelty and habitual
drunkenness. Mrs. Card said that her
husband, who was an ornamental
painter. was almost constantly drunk
for ten years and often beat her, twice
having knocked teeth out OF her mouth
by blows. He 1nslly left after he had
been held under a non-support order,
and has not been In this city within
the past ave years. The couple were
married In Old Swedes Church In
q February. 1898, and have i've children.
A decree was granted. Philip Q.
! Churchman was counsel for the peti-
4 toner.
Mr.. Garrett obtained a decree for
Sophia Mcgee from Charles z. Mcgee.
on grounds OF desertion. The couple
were married in 1901, at Asbury NJ. e.
Church, Mr.. Mcgee testified
Be tha NJ Hanson was granted a de-
cree from Peter c. Hansen. The de-
| fendant left the city about fourteen
months ago after being released from
the workhOuse, where he served time
for failing 10 support his children, Mrs.
3 Hansen said Judge Churchman ap-
! peared for Mrs. Hansen.
The couple were married In this city,
/ in July. 1900. Mrs. Hansen also was
granted the custody OF their four
children.
On grounds OF desert'On Is~aol Ra~her
was granted a decree from Dora Bar
/ Der. The petitioner was reprcsru,vu Dy
Juoge Churchman.
Barber testified that he was married
In Philadelphia in June fl, 1916. HIS
wife left him 10 December, 1916.
Richard S. Anderson was granted a
decree on his petition for divorce from
Martha S. Anderson on grounds OF de-
sertion. Anderson was represented by
/ judge Churchman.
The couple were married on June IA.
/ 1910. and Mrs. Anderson left her hus-
band in March, 1915, taking with her
their children, about $1,000 in cash and
their furniture.
| On grounds Of desertion, Spearman
! Meredith was granted a decree nisi
/ from Katherine Meredith. The peti-
! TONER was represented by Daniel o.
Hastings.
Mr.. Meredith said that be was mar
ried ia May, 1910, and that his wife
left him Ave weeks later. The differ
enoe in their ages was the only reason
that he could give for his wife leaving
him. He is forty-lve years old and
sne Is thirty-two, the petitioner said.
II was Meredith's second marriage.
David Bradley was granted decree
from Sallie Bradley.
Before Judge Conrad Aryiila G.
Lodge asked for a divorote from
Charles Lodge. The plaintiff alleged
that she was married February
26. 1906. by Rev. George w. Dawson,
and that her husband deserted her and
her flve-year-old boy on March 1. 1914,
after a severe blizzard. She stated she
knew OF no reason why her husband
left her, other than that he was always
duarrellng over trivial matters. lie
has made several attempts 10 effect
reconciliation but 10 no avail David
]. Reinhardt appeared for the plaintiff.
The mother, Mrs. Emma Jones and sis-
ter. Mrs. Mary Hinder eorroborated the
testimony OF the plaintiff. The court
rendered decree nisi upon filing OF mar
riage license this afternoon.
The case OF Ida NJ. Taylor vs.sLittle-
ton c. Taylor was next heard. w. w.
Knowles represented the plaintiff. The
plaintiff alleged she was married July
IS, 1918, and that her husband left her
November 6, 1913. He claimed. accord
Ing 10 the testimony OF Mrs. Taylor
that he wanted % go back 10 his home
IN Virginia but did not ask his wife 10
accompany him. Her stepson Garland
Davis. corroborated the testimony Of
his mother. A decree was given.
In the case OF Estella Z. Smith and
H. Smith, the plaintiff. Mrs.
Smith testified that she was deserted
by her husband for more than two
years, following an argument over 81
other woman. The child. now 1--WE years
old. has been in the custody OF the
mother. Mrs Sarah Lesinger corro-
borated the testimony Of Mrs. Smith.
Mrs. Maggie Savage, her mother, also
corroborated the testimony OF her
daughter. The decree was granted.
The case OF Loretta G. Fitzpatrick vs..
William Albert Fitzpatrick was next
heard. The plaintiff, Mrs. Fitzpatrick,
- \ h4r
her husband on September 4, 1917, Ia
the breast and back. She still has one
bullet in her body near her heart. The
husband, who at the same time shot
and killed Mrs. Catherine Frick, is now
serving a life sentence in the work
house. Deputy Clerk OF Peace William
Douty, corroborated testimony OF Mrs.
Fitzpatrick, insofar as Court OF Oyer
and Termner was connected with the
case. Decree was granted not on
grounds OF extreme cruelty but on ac-
count OF the fact that her husband is
now serving life sentence in the work
house.
In the case OF Lille p. sewell and
Charles n. Sewell, a desertion was al
leged by the plaintiff. Mrs. Sewell
stated she knew OF no reasons why he
had left her. The plaintiffs testimony
was corroborated by Mrs. Cora Rash.
Decree nisi was granted.
The case IF Clara T. Hale VS.. Ellis
Loyd Hale, desertion, was next called.
Mrs. Hale was married in Phoebus, Va,
and came 10 visit In Port Penn 10 July
1909 Her testimony showed that her
husband. who was In the army, was
unable 10 provide for her. He was
IA come 10 Fort Dupont after his dis