Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 58, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1908 — KERN IS COUNSEL IN RHODIUS CASE [ARTICLE]

KERN IS COUNSEL IN RHODIUS CASE

Represents Woman Wc to Wealthy Invalid. ANNULMENT PROCEED!’. 5 Matter to Being Tried Before Judge R6bert L. Maeon In the Circuit Court at Greenfield—Millionaire Haa Been Declared Mentally Incompetent and Now la Under Curt, of Guardian. Wife Will Go on Btand and Tell of Wedding and Subsequent Journey. Greenfield. Ind., Dec. 22.—The auit to annul the marriage of Elma Dods-worth-Dare-Rhodlus to OeoVga Rhodiua, a wealthy Indianapolis citizen, field by the circuit court of Boone county to be mentally incompetent and now under tbe care of a guardian, ia under way before Judge Robert L. Mason in the circuit court here. This is the second step in the litiga* lion that has obstructed Rbodius’ hazy horizon since that day, Jan. 21, 1900, when he plunged, or was plunged, into matrimony at Louisville, Ky. The” third and final step, perhaps, Is the trial yet to come of a criminal charge of kidnaping pending against the woman in the Marion county criminal court. She was the proprietor of a resort in Indianapolis. Guardian Brings Buit. The present action is brought In the name of the guardian, James M. Berryhill, under instructions of Judge M. N. A. Walker of the probate court: Contesting the suit for Mrs. Rhodlua are John W. Kern, whose first appearance In the tangle Is made in tbe present action; Ryan & Ruckelshaus and Cass Connaway. william Ward Cook Is local counsel. The annulment proceedings are expected to prove ever more interesting than tbe Insanity hearing at Lebanon, since tbe latitude allowed for the introduction es evidence will naturally be greater. A detailed account of the wanderings of the wedding party from the time Elma Dare helped Rhodlua down the stairs of the Circle Park hotel at midnight. Jan. 20, until she was brought back under arrest from Cambridge Springs, Pa., several weeks later, will go into the court record, It It expected. Will Tell Her Btory. The guardian has for a star witness Mrs. Rosa Stonestreet, former county superintendent at Louisville. Her testimony in the Insanity proceedings, tolling graphically of the marriage coremony itself, was largely responsible for the appointment of a guardian. Witnesses are on hand to tell of tha long flight from Louisville to Now York, New York to Rochester, Rochester to Pittsburg and Pittsburg to Cambridge Springs and thereabouts. Mrs. Rhodlus is present, and will tell her own story for the first time in open court. The manner in which she stood the attorneys’ fire in deposition-taking makes it certain that she will be an Interesting witness.