The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-05-29
Mrs. o. Maurer of Burling-
! ton, Appears Here in
Divorce Action.
SAYS HUSBAND CRUEL
Testifies Spouse Refused to AL
low Her to Handle Thousands
Loaned by Her Mother.

handle all the money, particularly II
the majority of it came via his
mother in law, and is he justified in
staying away for a couple of days at
a time, and then informing his wife
when she demonstrates with him, that
she is getting what she is entitled to
namely three squares, and roof.
These are questions which Attorney
Alfred L. Dury propounded to Judge
E. B. Belden in circuit court Jester
day on behalf of Mrs. Otto Meurer Of
Burlington, who is suing her husband
for divorce and the custody of her
two sons, Francis, age IA and Edward,
H.
Mr.. and Mrs! Maurer, who make
their home during the cold months in
Burlington, are properietors of the
Oakland hotel, well-known summer
resort at Powers Lake. The majority
of the money with which this property
was purchased, was loaned to the
couple by Mrs. Maurer's mother, it
was testified. At the request of Attor-
ney Drury the case was held. open
until a property stipulation can be
read into the record. Mr.. Maurer is
not making any contest.
Start Hearing Late.
Attorneys, together with both hus-
band and wife, arrived at the court
house early yesterday morning, but
it was not until late in the afternoon
that the taking of testimony got I'M
der way. The earlier hours were spent
by. the attorneys in conference, get
ting to an agreement relative to a
property settlement.
When Mrs. Maurer was at last
sworn and took the stand she testi-
fed that she had been married in 1903
in Racine by a priest. When the OPP
portunity came to buy hotel property
consisting of 81 bedrooms and another
building divided into dining room,
kitchen, dance hall and living quar-
tiers for the family, her mother adj
vanced them $500. At later date
other money to the extent of $4,000
was advanced.
The wife testified that uvtil 1923
she was in complete ignorance of the
family financial standing. Mr., Maurer,
she said, always handled all of the
funds. When they moved to the lake
last summer, she demanded that her
husband bank all of the money and
give her the check book, with the un-
derstanding that she was to check
out all of the funds to pay the bills.
Mate Holds Out"
At the close of the season, she said,
her husband "held out" somewhere in
the neighborhood of 81 900 as near as
she could determine. Just what he did
with this money she said that she
never knew. Her first intimation that
he had not banked the money, came
when a check which she had written
for fuel for about 1886 came back as
an overdraft of $3.50. Then, she said,
she made out note for that amount,
and in that way covered the instru-
ment. She said that the 1928 taxes for
$1S9 had not been paid and there were
other obligations outstanding for
about $500 which were covered by
mortgages on the Powers Lake pro-
perty.
Last winter when the family were
in financial straigh hts, Mrs. Maurer
stated that she asked her husband to
hunt job instead of hunting animals.
She said that when he departed on the
first hunting trip, she did not remon-
strate, but that when he wanted to
borrow money to play nimrod again
shortly after this she informed him
that job hunting, she believed, would
be more profitable. She testified that
he lead the life of man of leisure,
arising at or 8 o'clock in the morn
ings and doing nothing all day
In December of 1922, she stated that
he purchased asoft drink parlor in
Burlington, in which he is still inter
ested, but added that for months he
had not contributed anything to the
support of herself or the children.
Husband Starts Action.
In 1923, just before going to the
lakes, she said, her husband had
summons served upon her, but that
nothing ever came of it. when she
questioned him later about this, she
testified, he replied: II just wanted
to see who your attorney was"
Asked if her husband had ever
struck her, she replied that he had,
and stated that it occurred in 1921. An
argument led up to the trouble which
ended when he struck her several
times.
Then under the questioning of her
attorney, she told of his neglect. She
said that he was accustomed to going
away for a couple of days at time
without telling her. When he did tell
her, she said, he informed her that
someone had to stay at home. On
other occasions when she complained
Of his treatment he replied that she
had three square meals day and
roof over her head, and asked what
more she wanted. At another time, she
testified that he told her that all she
was good for was to "scrub, wash and
make out notes" He added. that she
couldn't make her own living.
Since starting this divorce action
last fall, she said that others had
m entioned the fact that her husband
was paying attention to other women,
and that the worry of this had caused
her considerable mental anguish.
Mrs Witten, who rents the upper
fat of the Maurer's Burlington home
then took the stand. She stated that
Mrs. Maurer had asked her for an adj
vance of the rent during the winter
when her husband was not living at
home, and when she was out of fuel.
BORN.
To Mr.. and Mrs. Stewart Hefflefn-
ger, 1917 Sixth avenue, daughter,