Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-07-03
, AWARDED PRELIMINARY DE-
CREE IN DENVER FROM MRS.
ETHEL NORRIS. +
fESTIFlEs WIFE WAS
JEALOUS, ACCUSED HIM
fearing Held In Private Before
Judge Dunn In chambers-Mrs.
Morris. Files No Answer and Did
Not Appear at Hearing, Being Re-
presented by an Attorney--AIimony
Said TO Have Been Settled Out of
Court and Division Of Property Not
Made Public.


Rev. G. II. Morris. former pastor
pf Central Church OF Christ. city,
Ind formerly president Of the Iowa
Christian Convention. but more re-
Gently pastor Of Central Christian
church. Denver Friday was granted
preliminary divorce from Mrs.
Ethel McDougal Morris, former
dean &c women Of Drlke University,
Des AIoines. by Judge George w.
Dunn at Denver.
The ding Of the petition early in
the spring, and the subsequent con-
troversy between Rev. Mr.. Morris
and members of the board Of his
formel' Denver charge, which was
given vide publicity in Denver
papers proved equally sensational
here. where both Rev. Mr.. and Mrs.
Norris were widely known.
BY mutual agreement of all in
terested the hearing was held before
Judge Dunn in chambers, none but
attornsys. reporter and Rev. Mr..
Morris, being present. He testified
his wife was unreasonably Jealous
had accused him Of improper con-
duct with other women and had SO
greatly disturbed his peace of mind
he could not do his work properly.
Judge Dunn Hears Case.
$no1 3vnrr
Republicans Denver correspondent
tells the story OF the hearing:
Special to Times Republican.
Denver. Colo, July 3.-At q secret
hearing In the chambers of County
Judgs George w. Dunn Friday, the
Rev. g. II. Morris. formerly OF Mar
shautown. but more. recently pastor
OF the Central Christian church here,
was granted . preliminary decree Of
divorce from Mrs. Ethel McDougal
Morris. Mrs. Morris was not in
cour: but waS represented by her
attorney. Roy o. Samson. who is
CHIEF. special agent OF the bureau
OF the United States department OF
Justice.
After the decree had been granted
John T. Maley, attorney for Rev.
Mr.. Morris announced that an un-
deritanding regarding alimony had
been reached without a court order
but refused to state what the terms
OF tho agreement are.
Secrecy marked every step in the
proceedings carried out Friday in
the trial OF the case. Mr.. Morris.
his attorney and counsel for MrS
MoEyis. waited until the regular
court docket had been disposed of
and the court room had been closed
and then quietly entered the judges
chambers and asked that the case
be set down for immediate trial.
Testifies Wife Jealous.
MT. Morris. according to court at
ta',hes. was the only witness ex-
anlined. He is said to have testified
that his wife was unreasonable,
Jealous and suspicious of him and
that was the cause Of their trouble,
and It 80 upset him he was unable
to pursue his way TRANQUILITY. On
ORC occasion, the witness said:
II was obliged to drive out into
tie country in q buggy, it was very
hard going, and. realizing that
could not get back to town as soon
1 as / expected phoned my wife that
I would be late getting home.
Wife Looked Door.
when ! did get home found the
doors Of the house locked. Later my
wife accused me OF being out in the
buggy for Z wrongful purpose. At
another time was attending a COM
raittee meeting OF the Ministerial AL
lance at the Shirley Hotel. was de-
layed an hour longer than expected
70 be. My wife called the clerk of the
Shirley and the clerk told her that
] was not there, altho was there
with eighteen other people. When I
not home she accused me of using
the ministerial Alliance meeting as
an altbi to cover up my visits to other
women
Says Mrs. Norris Suspicious.
II went out to my garage one after
noon and was out there fixing my
Gear for about thirty minutes. When
II came Into the house my wife ac-
5cused me Of ttlephoning to another
woman from the garage. If I came
back from the garage by an unusual
way she always accused be of teles
4 phoning to q woman. The Anti-Sa
loon League appointed me to conduct
some investigations Of dives with de-
tectives. Ny wife suspected me of
wrongful purposes in this work and
one day she sneaked into the room
where was working with one Of the
detectives"
oass caused Furor.
Mrs. Morris aled no answer to her
husbands complaint and court at
taches said no evidence was offered
in her behalf. During his occupancy
OF the pulpit Of the Central Christian
church, Mr.. Morris preached con-
s!stently against divorce.
Mr.. Morris resigned his pulpit here
last October, about the time when,
according to friends, his differences
with his wife arose and is now en-
ployed by the Mid-Texas Oil Com
pany as salesman. His suit for d.
vorce filed April l, 1920, and
suppressed for several weeks, created
furore Of comment among his
former parishaoners and in social cir
cles turnout the city, both he and
his wife being widely known and pop
ular.
Married In 1908.