The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-11-23

paratlOn vi lOou III tHt IOoili, Wuiie inc
coal range had evidently not been ign
tied for hours.
81 expect that | will continue on my
strike against food until | die, unless
Louis comes to see me Just to think
he is not an eighth of a mile away
working for the family next door and
he will not even come in sight of the
house while |, his wife, am alone here
slowly killing myself, by inches for
love of him. | mean every word
say. Even If | collapse entirely. or
am taken down with pneumonia and
someone sends a nurse here to take
care of me, | will not eat, although
perhaps | will relax a bit and allow
thee nurse to build a fire and keep
warm" Mrs. Britton said.
Mrs. Britton was aroused by the be-
lief of her neighbors that she was
taking food, and offered to undergo
any watching which may be deter
mined upon, to prove that she Is not
taking food of any kind
Selectmen CLYDE II. Smith was APP
pealed to and he took the first step
which he believed to be legal and no.
tilted some blood relation of the wo-
man. This he finally succeeded in
doing by reaching her brother, Chas.
X. Cole of Brighton, Mass.
Mr.. Britton's lawyer is quoted as
having said: "She can stay up there
until she freezes or dies from starya-
ton for | will not turn my hand for
her. And am sure Mr.. Britton feels
the same way
According to the same attorney the
evidence In Mr.. Brittons divorce suit
will include the evidence in his divorce
suit will include testimony about his
wife's aim with various household
utensiles, including d butter churn,
a tin of beans and other things.
THE Brittons have been fighting
ever since they came to Skowhegan
and | have done everything to bring
about an amicable settlement OF their
troubles. She has been cruel and
abusive to him to the extent that he
is actually afraid to go near her.
Last summer she forged his name
to a check for 500 and cashed it
and ran away to Boston, leaving a
note that she was going forever. In
August she wired him that she wanted
him to meet her at Gardiner, where
she was going to arrive on the boat
from Boston, Britton came to me and
told me that he was going down with
the divorce papers and sheriff to
meet her, and being afraid, asked me
to go along for protection. And he
needed it.
when she got off the boat Sheriff
A r. RnhfnGnn MI |
her in the waiting room and served
where's my husband?' and then she
darted for my car, where Bfitton was
sitting in the back seat with the cur
tain rolled down.
"She jumped in and announced her
intention of staying had to forci-
bly, put her out, and then. when
got the car started, | looked back to
see her with her hands clutched on
the spare wheel in the back, running
along with the car for all that she
was, worth. | stopped and told Sheriff
Robinson to make her let go. He had
to call help from the crowd, and then
she broke the rear bumper when they
pulled her away.
when she came back here last Mon
day and when Britton and | went
to see her Tuesday night she wanted
to do nothing but pick Il fight with
him. saying that she was going to
kill herself by starvation unless he
gave in to her. Britton and. | then
left and he has not been near her
since. But ! have notified her lawyers
that he is able to do anything in the
way of providing care for her They
have evidently decided they can do
nothing"
Mrs. Britton's complaint against her
husband is that he is lackadaisical in
caring for his farm and that he has
failed TO pay her a separation allow
ance for five weeks She claims that
she could not assault her husband be-
cause of d broken bone in her right
arm. and demonstrated to the report
er that she could not throw far, al
though admitting that she did try to
hit him several times. once with
can of beans and again with small
butter churn She asserts that he
broke a door to get at her one time
tearing her clothes from her in a
scuffle which followed.
DR.. Oliver j. GAIA who attended Mrs.
Britton early last week. told her then
that she would collapse before two
weeks are over If she stuck to her de-
termination.
Monday saw another day much the
same as preceding days at the Britton
home only that Mrs. Britton was
growing weaker. Two newspaper
men who went to the house late in
the afternoon lighted a fire in the
house after somewhat strenuous OBJ
iccions upon the part of the hunger
striker. Mrs. Brtton is said to have
declared when the matter of the Sc
! lccimcn taking the case in hand was
made known to her that she might
consent In entering an insane asylum
! If that would prevent her husband
| from getting divorce. The woman
declared however, that she was not
really insane but that she hadn't de-
& died m that way to block the divorce
and was going on with the hunger
strike Mrs. Britton denied Monday
the charge made against her on the
claim that she had forged her hus