The Washington times., 1922-10-08
SOUTH BEND|S
STARTLEDW|TH
NEW SENSATION
Professors Wife, Now With
4 Mother, Plans Permanent
Separation.
HE WILL NOT CONTEST
.Tiernan Proposes to Support
Her and Children If Decree
.. Is Granted.
BY International News Service.

BY International News Service.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. Oct. "A
sensational climax to the Tiernan
Poulin paternity case came this after
noon, when Mrs. Augusta Tiernan
filed action for divorce against her
husband, Prof John p. Tiernan, of
Notre Dame University. Mrs. Tier
nan charges cruel and inhuman
treatment on the part Of her hus-
band, and asks the custody of her
three children.
lProf. Tiernan announced that the
sdit would not be contested. No
specific acts of cruel or inhuman
treatment are cited in the complaint,
noimention Is made of alimony, and
nothing is said relative to the Gus
tody Of the two children.
Will Live with Mother.
Almost simultaneously with the
signing Of divorce papers. Mrs. Tier.
nan bade farewell to her home at
1893 Diamond avenue and left for
Bronson, Mich, where she will live
with her mother until her presence
in South Bend becomes necessary
with the trying of the divorce action
and the appeal from Judge Ducomb's
decision that Baby Billie" was not
the son of Harry Poulin as charged
IN her court action against him.
Accompanied by her three chill.
dren, Mrs. Tiernan left this afternoon
for Bronson, Prof. Tiernan taking
her to that little village in his own
car.
Following his return, after leaving
Mrs. Tiernan at Bronson, Prof. Tier.
nan will live at the Diamond avenue
home until the court hearing comes
up. Then Mrs. Tiernan will return
to South Bend and occupy the
Tiernan home, Prof. Tiernan finding
living quarters elsewhere. When the
various court actions are disposed
Of Mrs. Tiernan will again leave
South Bend, Prof. Tiernan will dis
rose of the Diamond avenue home
and both he and Mrs. Tiernan will
Shape their lives as time decrees, en-
tifIely apart, unmindful as possible OF
thAt period in their lives which was
disclosed to the entire world.
Will Support Children.
Prof. Tiernan will contribute fl
nancially to the support Of Mrs.
Tiernan and the children until the
divorce decree is granted, and will
also give all the moral and financial
support he can to the pressing of the
case to have Harry POulin legally de-
clared the father Of Mrs. TieHnan's
third born child BILLY"
While no specific acts OF cruel
or inhuman treatment are cited
in Mrs. Ticrnan'S plea for divorce
from her husband. the testimony that
will be offered in the trial of the
divorce action will probably be
similar to that developed in the
paternity hearing before Judge Du-
comb. That was to the effect that
Professor Tiernan, with his inter
est tied up in legal research and
writing books on law, neglected his
wife. Mrs. Tiernan testified be
fore Judge Ducomb that incom-
patability of temperament had been
the direct cause of her suCcumb-
ing TO the advances of Harry POu-
lin She resented the oversight
of her husband in not providing
her with sufficient diversion from
the humdrum existence of ordi-
nary home life.
During the past week Prosecutor
FIovd Jellison has. had several con
ferences with the Tiernans, and
these conferences were for the
Rpurpose of finally preparing plans
for the second trial of the pater'
nitv action. On this one point,
the determination to wage n fight
to the highest court in thc land,
if necessary, TO have Harry Poulin
legally adjudged the father of
Baby Billie" Mrs. Tiernan and
Professor Tiernan are in absolute
accord.
Up to the present time the appeal
from Judge DuCOmbs decision has
not yet been filed with the circuit
court. The appeal from the decision
has been filed with city clerk and
will be filed from the city clerk $
office early next week in conjunc-
ton with other routine business of
the office Until the appeal is
formally filed with the circuit court
no date for the trial will be set.
Mrs. Tiernan recently brought her
third child, Baby Billie" born last
November, into court here and
charged Harry Poulin. the campus
haberda shCr, with being it's father.
.After a dramatic trial the defendant
WAS found not guilty Of being the
childs father and was discharged
Aided Wife at Trial.
During all the trial Tiernan aided
ms wife in her charge and it was an
nounCed that they had been recon.
ciled At the conclusion of the trial,
however, in which Judge Chester
Ducomb stated he believed the story
of the woman scorned" but refused
TO hold that Poulin was Baby Fill.
lies" father, the reconciliation was
declared off and Mrs. Tiernan went
TO the home of her mother. in Bron.
son, Mich.
1t was az first given out that the
Tiernans would separate. that The
two elder children would he placed
in a suitable school for their educa.
tiOn, while Mrs. Tiernan would take
little Billie with her 10 her mothers 6
home.
lThc action just filed. II was
EtLtcd today viii reveal a hitherto