Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-12
A Family That
PiCketed For
Back A|inn0nQ

FHE PRACTICE Of pckeng has been extended to a new
field by Mrs Velma Alderman AZ and her five chill
who armed with blatant banners. recently sta
toned themselves in front of the offices of her former
husband Jack Alderman Jonesboro Arkansas real estate
dealer demanded back alimony amounting to about
$500.
The banners bore these inscriptions:
"Alimony bust" and Jack Alderman. Soldier for
the Stacker for father Record: Four wives
Six children"
children belonged to the picketing Mrs.
Alderman and they helped carry the home made banners
They Mrs. Lorraine Wheeler 20 Georgianna, IL
Virginia Faye IS and twins Jack and Betty Jean. aged Il
The family took their posts at the height of patriotic
parade talked with hundreds of interested visitors until
when the cold sent them indoors
Mrs. Alderman number two her former husbands
list of four wives and her children left their home at Can
ton Illinois Jonesboro the parade"
They Immediately Mr. Ackermans office but he
longer has any interest in the establishment they drove
to his country home about ten miles to the east.
Mrs Alderman told Jonesboro people that she and
Alderman married after whirlwind courtship of
nine days Fort Madison, Iowa December 81 1918
At that time Alderman a buck private in the army
mustered out short time later. Mrs. Alderman
FASTENED to add I'm not Dragging brother I'm making
apologies for that short courtship"
She said her former husband had been fairly decent
while they lived together but occasionally had
sorted to force to prove his point At time. she
said had received cracked rib
HRS. Alderman said her husband a travelling sales
man who moved about a great deal She estimated
they had lived in 10 different towns and II while they
made their home in Canton Illinois that her divorce had
been obtained.
Miss Peggy Montgomery at Hannibal Missouri without
the legal technicay of divorce This double arrangement
continued about three months before the law interviewed
according TO Mrs Alderman number two and he
victed of bigamy.
Her story that she S75 every month
alimony and it this sum- spread a period of
nine years that she still seeking. The idea of the sit
down strike occurred to her and her children novel
way to collect the
Their original plans stage a s-down strike
in the real estate agency with which Mr. Alderman had
learned that Alderman had left the company. And
further hinder their pickeng campaign. the sheriffs
office informed the family that they would be arrested
for trespassng
Their plans thwarted they went to the Alderman
farm house only receive the cool hostility of Mrs Acker
man number four who had become a bride the day after
Mrs Alderman number three became eXwife last April
Then officers appeared and hustled the determined
little group off the premises and they returned to Jones'
boro, where Mrs Alderman number three put them up
for the night in the hotel and gave them supper.
Sunday spent mostly in the throes of gnawing
hunger and in tourist camp west of the city They
managed to procure enough money for breakfast the next
morning.
a last rebelous gesture they formed picket lire
in front Of the offices and advertised their
throngs At they lost nerve bundled up their
few belongings and started the long trek back Canton
where Mrs Alderman has kept her family together by
working on a WPA sewing project and State pension
or widowed mothers.
The pcketing mother said she and her children never
Voui have made the trip but the pension officials had
Of apparent good fortune and
fbHity TO pay alimony and had removed her
he pension lists. So she had Try radical measures to
ollec what due from MI Ackcman.
For the past two years Mrs Ackerman has been car
ne for apartment house and taking in washing She
and she trying 10 build barn" her family
the town and counting Jack @ help out
She said her former husband has been a married man
he is and that he has without a wife only
a month and day that The first spouse was
last heard Of in Kansas with her only child
NJ Alderman tried TO have her former husband
e%tradee to Canton to stand trial for the back amony"
Cf
pay made IL hardly worth the
The fatherless family apparently a happy one but
mother and children obviously disappointed over the
their visit to oDesboro novel attempt
"alimony' picketing.