The Washington times., 1920-04-08

attorneys statement that Cumming
had given the sirl his name when
tSsrs So ~ lN~ "a sAEtA = HAks
him do IT,
Cite. ska.-fsi Tssat..sst
.-rhe mere fact that he gave her
his precious name was a wonderful
thing" he said. land yet after he
gave her his name he was not ashAm-
cd to let her stayys and not ashamed
to tell her TO so out with other men
so that they could support herj not
ashamed TO tell her 20 get q divorce
and marry somebody else. He was
not ashamed to file a suit or divorce
against her and than continue 70 go
to her house. He was not ashamed
to bring her to his house and throw
her out In the morning, 30 the neigh
bors would not see her; he was not
ashamed TO tie her hands and feet
and cram soap into her mouth ana
then invite her TO visit him
The paper which Cumming COM
PEELED his wife TO sign. pledgins her
self TO take steps Immediately after
the marriage TO get divorce, coun-
sci for the defense continued. was
not nled In the records when Cum
ming tried to get a divorce. Cum
ming knew. he said. that Il was too
raw, too raw even for that case ana
that was saying a great deal"
The other paper, by which she
agreed TO accept S5 a week for six
months in full sttlement OF all claims
against him and 50 a week for the
support OF their son until he was six
teen years old. he said was a cruel
contract
"And upon that cruel contract Cum
ming stodd whenever she wanted
money to put bread into the boys
mouth and bread into her own mouth.
He said, Il am not bound; 1 have
contract Like Shylock OF old he de-
manded the last pound OF flesh, even
though IL meant every drop OF blood
from her poor, half-starved body"
.Pesr Mother Good Guardian"
That a "very poor mother is a great
deal better guardian for a child than
very good institution" was the pas
sionate exclamation OF the attorney
in dealing with the attempt OF Cum
ming to take the child away from
its mother and place II in boarding
school
Here she was-a deserted wife,
condemned, scorned. Cumming was
engaged In his relations with other
women, but because she had this
child out OF wedlock and she had
become in his eyes . pariah and a
leper, and he said over and over
again, my family. my family, 1t Is
disagreeable to my family to have
this woman about. He wanted to take
the child away. He was not satisfied
with deserving her himself, he want
ed to cruelty her by denying the
bread to be put into her mouth, so
that she would be starved into sub
mission to his will and send the child
to an institution.
while Cumming was taking his
lady loves to the Chamberlain Hotel,
at Old Point Comfort the attorney
continued, MRS. Cumming was going
about in cold. penury and hunger"
During the argument OF counsel
Kenneth. Mrs. Cummings son. sat on
her lap playing. When the attorney
concluded his appeal with the state
ment that the little boy had "sensed
something was wrong" and asked his
mother what the twelve men in the
jury box were going to do with her,
the child stopped playing, leaned for
ward on the table and buried his
face in his hands and cried. After
his mother comforted him, he sat with
his hands tightly clasped about her
neck, as the attorney, turning TO the
jury. said, when the little boy asks
his mother tomorrow what did those
men do to you, mother?-she can say
son, they have given me life and
light; they have given me a. chance
to go out in the sunshine and air that
/ have not seen in two months; given
ne a chance to take care of. you and
be with you, see that you grow to
manhood and strength, and some of
these days, perhaps, L will know peace
and repose.'"