Smyrna times., 1920-02-25
KENT COUNTY COURT HOLDS
SHORT SESSION At DOVER
FIRST DAY TAKEN UP LARGELY
CONSIDERING DIVORCE CASES
Only Nine True Bills Found by Grand
Jury-Little Work Found For
COurt-C.Ose Up This Week

Arthur F. Dawes was elected secre-
taTy. The greater part of the day
was taken up in hearing divorce cases
as follows:
Dorothy r. Knox VS.. Charles P.
Knox, desertion, reserved.
Alexander Watson VS.. Alice Wat
son, infdelity; continued for further
hearing.
Benjamin F. Simmons, Jr., of Do
yer, VS.. Anna J. Simmons, deseltion;
decree nisi granted.
William J. Douglass VS.. Mary A.
Douglass, desertion; decree nisi.
Isaac Henry Wilson VS.. Margaret
Annie Wilson, infidelity; decree nisi.
Mary L. James VS.. James N. H.
James, infdelity, decree nisi.
Estella Schriener VS.. Edwin A.
Schrieser, extreme cruelty and deser-
tiOn; decisios reserved.
The Schrener case savOred some
what of sensational. The marriage
took place in the church of the Trans
figuratiOn, New York City-the "lit-
tie church around the corner"-Octo-
ber II, 1911, the bride at that time
being about is years of age. Schrien-
er, it was testified, was a travelling ac-
lobat and athlete and exhibited at
various places in the country as 2
tTapeze actor. 1t was testified by ,he
wife, that her husband compelled her
to participate in the busisess with
him, but that on account of her age it
was difficult to do the trapeze acting
and because of her inability to make
the swings in aerial trapeze work. he
abused her and used violent means
to induce her to do the work, which
she said at times it was impossible
for her TO do.
Two sisters of the petitioner also
testified to the treatment of the hus-
band, one sister, Mrs. johnson. of
Camden, N. j., saying trat on recent
visit of Schriener to her home in Cam
den, she informed him of her sisters
intending to get divorce and Schrie-
ner asked where she was APPLYING.
On being told in Delaware, he said.
according to the testimony of Mrs.
johnson, "she could go to no better
place in the country, as that was
Where they sent men to the whipping
post" and also, "when men were ar
rested in Delaware and convicted they
were put in Jail and the key thrown
away"
The grand jury returned true bills
against the following: Clarence Man
love, Edward Layton, larceny; David
5. McKnatt, assault and battery; Ilv-
ing H. Green, non-support of wife
and children.
Shortest Session in History of Court.
Possibly never before in the history
Of Kent county court of General
Sessions, has there been such a short
session as the one which convened
on Monday last. Ire grand jury in
the two days sitting acted on eleven
bills, nine of which were true bills.
one ignored and one withdrawn. OF
the nine true bills. three were against
one party, John Dyer, and two against
another party, Louis Merr, leaving
but six bills against other individuals.
Another surprise was that not one of
the persons against whom true bills
were found, were tried by jury. all
being settled by the defendants plead
ing guilty.
In the case of the State VS.. David
S. McNatt, indicted for an assault
and battery on Mark M. P. Scout. of
Smyrna Landing, in December last.
McKnatt pleaded guilty and was SEN
fenced to pay a fine of $50 asd costs
OF prosecution and be imprisoned for
a term of months in me Kent coun-
ty Jail.
In the case of the State VS.. Louis
Mehr, against whom two indictments
had been found and as additional in
dictment found without presentment
to the Grand Jury, Mehr plead guilty
to two indictments, one for issuing a
worthless check on Louis Gross of
Dover and another indictment for
non-suppOrt. In both of these cases
Mehr was sentenced to one years i'm
p11sonment in the New Castle County
Workhouse, the sentence to run con-
secutively and that so cents of what |
he makes each day at the Workhouse
is to be paid to his wife and children.
\ fine of $500 was also imposed in tire
case of issuing the worthless check.
In the case of the State VS.. Irving
Green, indicted for non-support a plea
OF guilty was entered and he was