Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 277, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 November 1911 — Divorce Defendant Admitted He Did Not Pay His Debts. [ARTICLE]

Divorce Defendant Admitted He Did Not Pay His Debts.

A number of people from Roselawn and Thayer and from Keener township and Newton county were here Wednesday to testify in the suit for divorce brought by Mrs. Mandora Alice Cox from James Cox. The case was a little spicy at times, because the husband tried to make it appear that the plaintiff had jilted hi™ in favor of Charley Snyder, who had made his home with the family for the...past 23 years. He did not make a very good showing, however, and the worst thing he could remember was a little loving demonstration between the two one morning in the kitchen. According to Cox, his wife and Snyder got up. before he did, one morning and after a time he got up and went out to the summer kitchen and Snyder was setting on the woodbox and had his arms about Mrs. Cox, trying to pull her over on his lap. She was making feeble resistance, he said, and threatened to hack him with the hatchet with which she had been splitting kindling. On the occasion of Cox’s leaving home last Christmas he said that his wife had “thrown him down” and accepted Snyder’s company to call upon a neighbor and he could not stand it and pulled out. The defendant admitted having come home

drunk a few times. He also admitted that he had left a trail of debts about everywhere and that he did not pay because his health was bad and he could not earn the money. Mrs. Cox and the children all testified that he had never provided far them verv

well, even when he was healthy, and two of the girls testified that they could not remember a time in their lives when the father had brought them anything to wear or given them any money. One of the girls is only 16 years of age and was married-last August but is not living with her husband. ""

Snyder and Cox had a fight on the depot platform at Roselawn last August and an effort was made in the testimony to show that each had been carrying firearms since that time. Snyder was expected to testify for Mrs. Cox but could not be found, although he had accompanied the plaintiff and other witnesses here on the 11:20 train. It was rumored about the court room that the defendant had threatened to shout Snyder, the alleged corespondents, if he testified, and he saved his hide by staying away. All the children were in favor of Snyder and agalnet their “dad” and it is expected that the way being now clear Snyder will become the legal head of the house of Cox.