The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-11-25
ISGR.lNT TED
FREEDOM
BY COURT
Contended D. c. Specialist
Guilty of Cruel and In
human Treatment.

WINCHESTER. Va, Nov. 25.-
A decree has just been entered in
the corporation court of the city
OF Winchester, under the terms
Of which Mrs. Grace Butler Polk
Unborn is awarded an absolute di
vorce from her husband, DR.. Henry
A. Polkinhorn, prominent sp.
cialist in diseases of the eye, ca,
nose and throat, with residence and
office at 1889 harvard street
Washington, d. c
Father Was Pastor Here.
Before her marriage, on June ].
1904, Mrs. Polkinhorn was Mas
Grace Butler, the daughter of the
Rev. DIR. John George Butler. who
of the English Lutheran Church of
Washington. Her mother was Miss
Elizabeth Baugher, of Washington.
The couple have one son, John
Henry Jack Polkinhorn, now boy
of fifteen years, who is living with
his father at 1883 Harvard street,
Washington.
The decree awarding Mrs. Polkin.
horn an absolute divorce from her
husband contains no mention Of the
son. 1t provides that neither party
to the suit may remarry until after
the expiration of six months from
November 20, 1922. Mrs. Polkin-
horn did not ask the right to re-
sumo her maiden name.
Elected from Home, She Says.
She bases her suit upon the
charge that her husband was guilty
Of cruel. inhuman and abusive con.
duct toward her, and that he de-
serted her and wilfully elected her
from her home i'm Washington in
April, 1918, and that Since that date
she has not lived with DR.. Polkin
horn as his wife, although she re-
turned to her home May 81. 1918,
In order to celebrate her sons birth
day with him.
The marriage ceremony that
united DR.. Polkinhorn and his wife
was performed by the father of the
bride.
In dispositions taken in the office
of Attorney Williams, in Winches-
ter, and filed with the suit, Mrs.
Polkinhorn says she Is "A years old.
and testifies, in part, as follows:
Suffered Agony"
"I have suffered both mental and
physical agony at the hands of DR..
Polkinhorn for years. He has hui
inflated me: he has abused me. No
self respecting servant would take
from him what ] have been forced
TO suffer in my desire to protect my
hn In. nd httsf Hot IN ~
of a public divorce. From a time
very soon after the birth of my son
DIR. Polkinhorn was both profane
and obscene in his denunciation of
me, and appeared very often to be
simply wild with determination to
humiliate and injure my feelings.
TINS was a condition that be-
came unbearable. l do not W sh to
repeat DIR. Polkinhorn's language.
1t was too vile to be repeated. I
do not see how a man could say
viler, worse things to woman.
At times DIR. Polk nhorn would get
40 beside himself that he would at
tack my character, although he
would try to take back any reflec-
tion upon my character as soon
as his anger would cool.
ct lived in a perfect hell. He had
M control over his temper and
neyer tried to control his tongue. He
anpeared to have no natural affec-
tion for me, and simply poured out
q stream of abuse.
"There was certainly no good
reason for his cruel conduct toward
me. was q faithful wife to him.
and he had no good cause for com.
pla'nt of me In any way. l was
very economical and considerate OF
his wishes, but he would not brook
the 81 ghtest disagreement. He was
determined to bully everyone around
him into complete submission to his
wis~es.
"Twice before my husband finally
Arove me from his home. his con.
duct became SO unbearable that /
hoa left home for brief periods. Once
7 went to Frederick, Nd, for two
,yeeks. and on another occasion I
-yent for a few weeks to the home
~ nv brother, DR.. w. X. Butler.
1907 M street, Washington, d. c.
have never lived with DR.. Polkin.
horn as his wife since April, 1918.
, "On this occasion. in April, 1918.
no worked himself up into a great
rare. insulted me violently and
snded by catching me by the
shroat right by the bed in my bed.
,ooyn. He shrieked out to me, You
domned -, get out of my house
and stay out II things don't suit
vou.' He choked me until the
marks were on my throat. / have
had marks on my throat and on my
arms over and over again from the
assaults made upon me by DIR.
Polkinhorn. -.
1T returned to his home in Wash.
,raton and lived separate and apart
from DIR. Polkinhorn. l returned
hecause I hoped to prevent a public
scandal and save my child's feelings.
All that I could do. however. only
appeared to anger DIR. Polkinhorn
fbe more. II was evident that he
-. doterfnined To get rid of me