The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-11-09
PARENTS SAID
HE WAS A FOOL
Testified Douglas Wood
house in Million-dollar
Alienation Suit
DENIES THEY EN-
COURAGED HIM
To Continue His Relations
With Mrs. Lillian
Mcclellan

Burlington, Nov. 9--Reading OF the
deposition of c. Douglas Woodhouse N
the resumption of the million dollar
alienation suit here this morning re-
vealed the fact that Douglas said his
parents never encouraged him to con
tinue his relations with Mrs. LIlhan
Hendricks Mcclellan Of Washington,
but that they called him fool, not once
but many times.
A new development in the case was
the testifying Of Mrs. Mary Kennedy
Woodhouse, mother of Douglas. Ac-
cording to her story, she never knew
that, young Mrs. Woodhouse before
her marriage lived around the corner
from her nor did she know that young
Mrs. Woodhouse's family even ex-
listed.
The romance in his life began when
he met Dorrit Stevens in June, 1917,
at dance at the University OF YER
mont. Their friendship grew rapidly
and Douglas said that he considered
Dorrit Stevens socially his equal in
the community. When she went 70
the Philippines and was gone about
six months, they corresponded on the
basis of friendship and when she re-
turned he met her at the train.
They became engaged to marry IN
February, 1918. He bought her an en-
gaQement ring in the summer while ne
was in the service but did not give IL
to her until later, keeping II IN the
safe deposit vault in the meantime.
He did not announce his engagement
to his parents until September. He
did not take Dorrit to his home. The
reason he did not tell his parents
about the affair WAS that he thought
| il was customary that the lady's par
ents should first announce the engage
ment. He said that the only time he
remembered of his parents comment
ing upon Dorrit, previous TO the DIS
cussion Of marriage, was when they
had spoken fayorably of her looks and
bearing
He told them on Sept. "a, leiS, that
he was going to marry Dorrit Stew
ems and they said that was perfectly
agreeable to them. The whole affair
| appeared as matter of indifference
to his parents, Douglas said They
neither approved nor disappfoved. 1t
was consistent with their previous ac-
tions, he thought, that they did not at
tend his marriage in New York on
Sept. 29.
As soon as he was able to get out
after his sickness in January, 1918,
his parents wanted to know II he
would like TO 90 to Florida with them.
He said he would and accepted the in
vitafion with the expectation that he
would leave them after he arrived in
! Florida and would take trip by him
self. Asked if be did not think II
strange that his wife was not invited
! Ia 20 also, Douglas said he did not
think so knowing his parents attitude
of indifference. 1t was arranged that
/ his wife should visit relatives IN Louis
VILE. XIV, while he was In the sDith.
He gave her S400, he testified, add
ing that she begged for more but ne
could not give it to her. He declared
he went to Florida on a furlcugh tick
ct and that he paid his own expenses.
Douglas would net admit in his tes-
timony that his parents attempted 70
I influence him against his wife by tax
ing him away from her for trip TO
the south. He thought this was all
Imagination. Dorrit seemed TO feel that
the family had a strange and unnat'
ural influence over him. As a matter
OF fact, he declared, their attitude was
totally Indifferent. They said nothing
against his wife, but she seemed q
| interpret all Of their actions as hostile
to her. He admitted that later he was
much annoyed at this attitude. After
he became fed up with Palm Beach
he went TO Louisville to see his wife
| m March. 1919, remaining with her one
dav and then going to New York
| Although his wife stopped at th'
Woodstock hotel in New York, al
times when Douglas went 70 see ms
parents, Douglas did not visit her mol
aid he take her to their home. He wa'
discharged from the service about
April 1. 1919, and il was arranged tha'
his wife should go TO the home OF he
aunt in Westfield, Mass, while n
went to the home of his parents II
New York. He was asked. II he love-
his wife at that time and he answered
81 did"