The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-14
SUES TWO JUDGES
Atwood Man Asks for Total of
$4,000 Damages.
Claims That Relatives Are Try
ing To Get Her Property.

When Mrs Sarah E. Craig, for the
alleged alienation of whose affections
her husband, S. J. Craig OF Atwood.
Kan, is suing two former judges OF
the Rawlins county district court and
SeveraI other prominent citizens OF
western Kansas for S42,700 damages
signed a stipulation asking for the re-
versai Of the decision in her divorce
case on January IS, 1921, she was OF
uusound mind. according to findings
made by Judge r. NJ Picker. of
Smith Center, commissioner appointed
by the supreme court to investigate
the case.
After Mrs. Craig had received her
decree of divorce in March, 1920
Craig claiming il was procured thru
fraud on the part of the defendants in
the present laWsuit-her husband ap-
pealed to the supreme court. Whlle
the matter was pending there. MIS-
Craig returned and lived with her hus-
band and in January, 1921, they both
signed a stipulation asking that the
supreme court reverse the Rawlins
county court decision. This was done
and the divorce case dismissed Later
parties interested in her will filed in
the supreme court a motion asking
that the order of reversal be set aside
The supreme court then appointed
Judge Picker to investigate His re-
port was filed June 6. 1922, and states
that Mrs Craig was Of unsOund mind
when she signed the stipulation for
reversal .
Says He Was Betrayed.
As a basis for his S42.7OO lawsuit,
which is now being tried in Judge
George Whitcombs division of the
Shawnee county district court, Craig
claims that relatives of Mrs Craig.
together with Judge W. s. Bangmade
and Judge G. A. 2. Falconer, together
with Dempster and Charles Scott. and
Earl Howard. Atwood attorneys, and
rea-1
spired together to ALLEVIATE from him
Mrs. Craig's affections and thus get
possession OF her property, valued at
more than S55,OOO- He charges that
the SCOTS. who were his attorneys in
the divorce action. betrayed him. Tes-
timony was introduced in the present
trial however, to show that the SCOTS
had sued him for $1,000 attorneys
fees and won the case, altho Craig set
up the same allegations in his. defense
that he has set up in his petition for
damages.
Mrs. Craig was born in Crittenden
county, Kentucky, and died April IT,
1921, at the age of Il years. She mar
RED Craig in October. 1915. She had
been twice married before, living with
her second husband, Morse, more than
fcrty years. Judge Picker states tina.
the death OF her husband in 1915 was
a severe blow to her and that symp-
toms of a disturbed mentality began
to appear at that time. altho she was
not then believed TO be of unsound
mind.
Charged Him With Cruelty.
During the three years following
their marriage, Mrs. Craig left home
three times, and in September, 1918,
instituted her divorce suit, claiming
extreme cruelty on the part of her
husband. She received the decree in
March, 1920. 1t was this decree that
Craig claims was obtained thru fraud.
Judge Picker in his report to the
supreme court states that Mrs. Craig
was suffering from paranoia and that
her action in signing the stipulation
for reversal was caused by the per-
sistent persuasions and opportunities
on the part of S. J. Craig, which under
the circumstances were undue and
went beyond reasonable and legiti-
mate solicitation and such on her part
in her then mental condition and
dearth of will power was in effect ard
amounted to the expression and re-
Election OF the will and the desire of
the said S. ]. Craig instead of it be-
ing that of her own"