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January 22, 1910

GETS WHAT HE ASKED

FOR WIFE'S AFFECTIONS.

Jury in Five Minutes Gives A. L.

Sherman $50,000 Verdict

Against J. C. Silverstone.

After less than five minutes' deliberation yesterday morning a jury in Judge Thomas J. Seehorn's division of the circuit court gave A. L. Sherman, a Kansas City lawyer, a verdict of $50,000 as a balm for a wound his feelings sustained when his wife lost her love for him in favor of another man three years ago. The suit, for $25,000 exemplary and $25,000 actual damages, was instituted by Attorneys L. C. Boyle and C. M. Howell.

The defendant was J. C. Silverstone, who for several years owned a drug store at Ninth and Wyandotte streets, but is now in Seattle, Was. Silverstone was not present at the opening of the case yesterday, but his lawyers were, and there was some interesting testimony. Mrs. Sherman obtained a divorce a year ago and is not in the city.

According to the testimony of Sherman he and Mrs. Sherman were married in September, 1898. Their life was happy until about January, 1907, when, he testified, Silverstone rose over the domestic horizon and began to shed compliments and other attentions on Mrs. Sherman.

One time Sherman said he asked his wife how it was she could buy millinery and fine dresses without approaching him for a loan. He had noticed for several months past that she was making purchases with out either consulting him or having the bills charged. She told conflicting stories of how she could perform the miracle, Sherman testified. He was not convinced and went to Silverstone's store to see him about it.

Sherman said he seized Silverstone by the throat and forced him back on a barrel in the rear of the drug store. Under threats of killing him, he said he obtained a partial confession and made the druggist beg for his life.

"After that my wife and I had frequent quarrels, and finally she left me, taking our child. The last I heard of her she was in Seattle."

Labels: attorney, circuit court, Divorce, druggists, Judge Seehorn, Lawsuit, marriage, Ninth street, Wyandotte street

January 18, 1910

IN WAY, MAJOR'S

WIFE GETS DECREE.

Told She Hindered His Army

Progress, Returns From

Islands for Divorce.

When Mrs. Ruby B. Rutherford returned to the Philippines after a visit with her mother at Columbia, Mo., her husband, who is a major in the army, met her at the boat and frankly told her he was sorry she came back to hinder his progress as an ambitions officer. Mrs. Rutherford lost no time in returning to "the States." Yesterday a divorce was granted her by Judge Seehorn in the circuit court.

Mrs. Rutherford lives at the Brunswick hotel, at Eleventh street and Broadway. She introduced as character witness her brother, C. P. Bowling, cashier of the Exchange bank of Columbia, and Judge James E. Goodrich of the circuit court. Her daughter, Dorothy, aged 9 years, was not in court.

CALLS HIM INSOLENT.

The Rutherfords had domestic trouble before they went to the islands, and Mrs. Shepherd, wife of a captain, who often visited them at the Presidio, San Francisco, was a witness. Major Rutherford, she said, was insolent.

Mrs. Rutherford said most of her trouble had been at the Presidio, although she said the major stayed out nights after they went to the Philippines and was sorry when she returned to him after visiting at home.

A highball incident when Mrs. Rutherford gave a party at the Presidio was told in court. She said they ran out of whisky. She thought they had had enough, any way.

ANOTHER BOTTLE GOTTEN.

Another officer insisted, Mrs. Rutherford said, in going out for one more bottle. When he returned Mrs. Rutherford had her highball made "light," and Major Rutherford was angry because it wasn't the same strength as the drinks served the guests.

"When I insisted on a light drink," said Mrs. Rutherford, "my husband became angry because I did not drink as fast as he thought I should and he came and pured whisky into my glass until it ran all over me."

Mrs. Rutherford testified that while she liked to have a clean, neat house her husband, in his insolent manner, always made fun of her tidiness.

PUT FEET ON TABLE.

One of his delights, she said, was to finish his meal before his wife and then "rear" back in his chair and put his feet on the table.

When Major Rutherford, the wife testified, told her she was a "drawback," that she hindered his progress in the army and that he was downright sorry to see her back again, she left him, determined to sue for divorce.

Major Rutherford is connected with the medical corps and has an income of $4,000 yearly. They were married at Columbia, Mo., January 10, 1900, and Mrs. Rutherford left him February 14, 1909.

Labels: Broadway, California, circuit court, Divorce, Eleventh street, hotels, Judge Seehorn, military

August 17, 1909

"BAD" MAN BUSINESS

DOESN'T PAY, SAYS COLE.

Former Bandit Tells Politicians It's

Best to Walk the Straight and

Narrow Path.

Less than 5,000 people attended the Lone Jack picnic yesterday, which is a considerable crowd to gather up in the farthest corner of Jackson county, but nothing to the crowds which have gone there in days of yore. On the speakers' list were Congressman Borland, Representative Holcomb, former County Judge George Dodd and Cole Younger. Ex-Criminal Judge W. H. Wallace started for the picnic, going past F. M. Lowe's house in his automobile and inviting that congressional candidate to go with him, but something must have happened for there was no Judge Wallace at the Lone Jack all day. Sam Boyer, county clerk, was the only Republican official who reported, but there was a herd of Democratic officials. Circut Judge E. E. Porterfiled and Thomas J. Seehorn, both of them with records of never having missed the August pilgrimage, were given ovations. the speeches were tame, Cole Younger's being the possible exception. The well known old guerrilla has a lecture he reads, which is a little classic. It is moral in that there is not a cent nor a good night's sleep in being a "bad" man, and the only people who think there is are those who do not know the man who was "bad," while they who do know him always remind him that he was off the reservation once and cannot get all the way back on.

The weather was torrid, hundreds of buggies stopping short of the destination. Automobiles which carried the Kansas City contingent passed derelicts at almost every shade tree on the way. It was 100 in the shade but nobody on the way to the picnic had any shade to get under.

Labels: automobiles, James Gang, Judge Porterfield, Judge Seehorn, Judge Wallace, Lone Jack, picnics, politics, weather

April 18, 1909

YOUTH GETS A DIVORCE.

Married a Woman Old Enough to

Be His Mother.

When 20, he married a woman of 47. At 29 he secured a divorce.

Samuel W. Yohalem told his story to Judge Seehorn of the circuit court yesterday and was given a decree. He is employed by the Brown New Company and she lives in Cleveland, O.

"In 1900," said the youthful husband, "Mrs. Kate H. Yohalem wrote to me to come to New York and we were married. She then owned a summer home in Clinton county, N. Y . She left me after we had some disagreement."

Labels: circuit court, Divorce, Judge Seehorn, New York

March 16, 1909

CALL IT THE BULL PEN.

New Name for Jury Room at the

Court House.

"You are now discharged and you may report tomorrow morning in the ah---"

Judge Thomas Seehorn said these words to a jury in his court yesterday afternoon and hesitated when he wanted to say jury room. One of the jurors helped him out.

"At the bullpen," shouted the juror, using the courthouse term for the jury room.

"At the jury room," finished Judge Seehorn with a smile.

Labels: courtroom, Judge Seehorn

February 25, 1908

DID HE KISS A GRASS WIDOW?

Mrs. Murphy Says He Did, and She

Is Asking for a Divorce.

On the charge that her husband, Albert E Murphy of the Monarch hotel, had kissed a grass widow at the hotel, Mrs. Murphy sued yesterday for a divorce. Albert Murphy owns the Monarch hotel, at Twelfth and Charlotte streets, and the wife secured a temporary order from Judge Seehorn of the circuit court which forbids Murphy's disposing of the property until the divorce suit is settled and her application for alimony is heard.

Mr. Murphy was not in his hotel when a reporter called. The clerk howeevr, said:

"I do not believe that Mr. Murphy kissed a grass widow in the hotel. I never saw any widows here and I've been a clerk here for over a year."

Both of the night bellboys gave it as their opinion that Mr. Murphy had never kissed a grass widow in the hotel.

"I guess I would have known it if he had," admits one of the boys, whose name is Ephriam. "There's mightly little kissing going on around here, and I keeps an eye on that little."

Mr. Murphy's attorney, who was in room 124, stated that Mr. Murphy had never kissed a grass widow in the hotel.

Labels: Charlotte street, circuit court, Divorce, hotels, Judge Seehorn, Twelfth street

February 21, 1908

BUSCH MAY BE INDICTED.

Orchestra Leader and His Men Liable

to Suffer for Sacred Concert.

The grand jury will meet at 1 o'clock this aftrnoon and return indictments against theater managers, actors and others who will be charged with working last Sunday. The names of Carl Busch and his orchestra have been reported to the prosecutor's office by a deputy marshal, who heard them giving a sacred concert last Sunday at the Willis Wood theater. T. F. Willis, foreman of the jury, declined last night to state whether or not the jury would indict Busch and the orchestra for violation of the Sunday labor law. At least three of the four membes of the jury, who were absent last week, will attend today. The jury, therefore, may take up the Merchants' Refrigerating Company's tangle over warehouse receipts.

The second batch of habeas corpus cases, growing out of the release from jail last Saturday of four theater managers, who refused to give bond in sixty-six cases to Judge W. H. Wallace, was assigned yesterday by Presiding Judge T. J. Seehorn to Judge J. E. Goodrich's division of the circuit court. Judge Goodrich has asked the other judges to meet with him Saturday morning and hear evidence in the cases. Agreements of attorneys on both sides was necesary to this call, as Saturday is a legal holiday.

Labels: Carl Busch, circuit court, Judge Goodrich, Judge Seehorn, Judge Wallace, theater

February 5, 1908

BECAUSE HE HIT A LAWYER.

B. T. Hardin Is Being Sued by T. B.

Buckner, Also and Attorney.

"Yes, I slapped him and I will hit any man who charges me with what he did," was the statement of B. T. Hardin on the witness stand in Judge Goodrich's division of the circuit court yesterday when the trial of the suit of T. B. Buckner against Hardin for $1,000 actual and $5,000 punitive damages for assault was in progress.

The suit is the outgrowth of a quarrel in Judge Seehorn's division of the circuit court in January, 1907, when these attorneys acted as counsel in a damage suit against the Metropolitan street railway. According to the evidence introduced in trial Buckner accused Hardin of appropriating certain papers connected with the former trial. Hardin resonted the statement and called Buckner a liar, at the same time hitting him with his fist, according to Buckner's statements. John T. Mathis, who was at that time connected with the Metropolitan street railway, and who was assisting Hardin in trying the case, also hit Buckner.

Mathis was at first one of the defendants but yesterday afternoon he was dismissed by Judge Goodrich and the trial proceeded with Hardin as the only defendant.

Besides the plaintiff and the defendant there were several prominent witnesses in the case yesterday. Among these were Judge T. J. Seehorn, John Tobin, clerk of the circuit court; Deputy Sheriff Harvey and jurors who were serving on the case in Judge Seehorn's division of the court at the time of the alleged assault. All were witnesses of the affair.

Labels: attorney, courtroom, Judge Goodrich, Judge Seehorn, Lawsuit, Metropolitan Street Railway Company

October 31, 1907

STENOGRAPHER WAS PRETTY.

That Led Mrs. John D. Hamrick to

Secure a Divorce.

Mrs. Nellie Hamrick, who quarreled with her husband, John D. Hamrick, Jr., some months ago because she thought one of the stenographers employed in the Hamrick Remedy Company's offices, 214 East Eleventh street, was too pretty, was granted a divorce yesterday afternoon by Judge T. J. Seehorn of the district court. The husband is to pay her $25 a month permanent alimony. Hamrick was owner of the Alkano Remedy Company until its failure about a year ago, and is now president of the company which bears his name. The Hamricks live at 2419 East Thirteenth street.

Other divorces granted yesterday in the circuit court were: Mrs. Beula Edwards of the Densmore hotel from Wilkie L. Edwards, Maggie O'Moore from Edward K. Moore and Hiram F. Adams from Mary Adams.

Labels: circuit court, Divorce, Eleventh street, Judge Seehorn, Thirteenth street

August 20, 1907

MORE WOE FOR DR. OTTO BOHL.

Suit in Ejectment Brought Against

the Scientist.

A. Kiss, of 218 Clinton place, after two sessions in police court with Dr. Otto Bohl, who had a laboratory in the Kiss' chicken house, brought suit yesterday afternoon in the circut court to enjoin the specialist from occupying the chicken house or the adjouining property. Judge T. J. Seehorn issued a temporary order, returnable Saturday.

Mr. Kiss, after reciting that the initial A. before his name stand for Andor, proceeds to state in his petition that on March 10 last Dr. Bohl applied to him for permission to occupy his chicken house, with the understanding that Bohl was to care for his lawn and flower beds for the rent. Kiss says he refused the permission, but the doctor moved in anyhow, much to the discomfort of his chickens.

Dr. Bohl has been "at home" there since, Kiss says. What Kiss objects to especially is that Dr. Bohl builds confines in the yard and asserts he cooks weeds, toads, turtles, snakes and sundry other kinds of beast and vetgetation in open kettles.

Labels: animals, doctors, Dr. Otto Bohl, flowers, Judge Seehorn

April 2, 1907

THESE MAY TRY AGAIN.

Divorce Decrees Granted
by Judge Seehorn

It was default day in Judge Seehorn's division of the circuit court yesterday, and a number of unhappy couples were qualified to again take a chance at Cupid's game. Those granted decrees were:

Frank L. Smith from Byrd Smith.
Louis Vardy from Mary Vardy.
Charles L. Rucker from Ruby Rucker.
Adad Good from Jacob Good.
Nellie Weltman from Charles Weltman.
Olga Voltoth from John Voltoth.
C. E. Whittiker from Florence A. Whittiker.
Ida E. Brayton from David Brayton.
George Washington from Senovia Washington.
Emma Skeeles from L. C. Skeeles.

Labels: circuit court, Divorce, Judge Seehorn

March 2, 1907

HOSPITALS MUST HAVE PERMIT.

Judge Slover Upholds City Ordinance

--Notice of Appeal Given

Judge Slover in the criminal court yesterday sustained the action of the police court in imposing a fine of $50 upon Dr. E. O. Smith for conducting a hospital in the city without a permit from the board of health. Dr. Smith gave notice of an appeal to the supreme court and says he proposes to carry the litigation to the court of last resort.

The Smith case is of considerable interest to all members of the medical profession who are maintaining private hospitals. Dr. Smith opened a hospital on North Wabash avenue several moths ago. A protest was made by people living in the vicinity of the institution and the police ordered it closed. An application was made to the board of health for a permit by Dr. Smith, but it was refused. He continued to keep the hospital open and was finally arrested by the police. He then instituted injunction proceedings against Chief of Police Hayes and the members of the board of health, asking that the be restrained from further interfering with him and his business. He withdrew his application for an injunction before it came to a hearing and brought mandamus proceedings against the board of health to compel it to grant him a permit for the hospital. This was heard in Judge Seehorn's division of the circuit court and the writ denied.

Later, Dr. Smith was arrested a second time by the police and fiined $50, which Judge Slover says he must pay. The validity of the city ordinance under which the board of heaalth is given discretionary poower in the granting or refusal of permits was raised before Judge Slover, but he held the ordinance good. I. N. Kinley, who was representing Dr. Smith, says he will take the case to the supreme court and see if that tribunal will hold that the city council has the right to delegate legislative powers to the board of health.

Labels: board of health, circuit court, crime, criminal court, health, hospitals, Judge Seehorn, Judge Slover, Police Chief Hayes

January 24, 1907

BOTH HIT BUCKNER.

HARDIN AND A CLAIM AGENT

TOOK A POKE AT HIM.

MELEE IN CIRCUIT COURT.

COMBATANTS FINED $50 EACH

BY ACTING JUDGE SEEHORN.

Dispute Over Missing Legal Papers Caused AttorneyHardin to Land on Attorney Buckner,Who Grabbed a Chair--Jury Was Dismissed.

It did not add to the decorum of the circuit court yesterday when Lawyer Ben T. Hardin and Claim Agent John Mathis, of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, played tennis, using Lawyer T. B. Buckner for the ball in division No. 3 of the circuit court. A composite view of the various versions of the unpleasantness would tend to show that Mr. Buckner said something offensive to Mr. Hardin, that Mr. Hardin thereupon tapped Mr. Buckner on the east side of his face and that while Mr. Buckner was drawing a chair with which to reply to Mr. Hardin, Mr. Mathis flanked the chair movement and landed one behind Mr. Buckner's ear, where he would hear it and pay attention.

Judge Seehorn, as official referee, fined Hardin and Mathis $50 each for contempt of court, but is holding the fine till the case is over. Meantime both men are prisoners of the court -- on their own recognizance.

It all happened while a panel of jurors was being called. Court was in session, but Judge Seehorn was not on the bench. Pending the bringing up of the panel from the floor below he was stretching his judicial legs by walking about on the court room floor. A dispute began among the lawyers regarding the disappearance of certain papers in the case of A. Cole against the Metropolitan Street Railway Company which was then called for trial. The dispute grew warmer and finally Buckner said:

"It seems as if you are trying to keep the records of this case out of this court."

"If you say that," said Hardin, "you say what is a falsehood."

Here the testimony differs. Hardin says Buckner directed his charge unmistakably at him. Buckner says he did not. At any rate--

Biff!

Hardin, who is more than 6 feet tall, had landed with his open hand on the left side of Buckner's face. The two men weigh about the same, though Hardin is much the taller. Both of them are older than they were a few years ago. Buckner accumulated a chair and was trying to impress it on Hardin when Mathis boarded it with one hand and struck Buckner in the back of the head with the other.

By this time Judge Seehorn, who was standing close to the two men, and the court deputy sheriff got into the game and stopped the fight. While this was going on the jury was coming in to take its place for the trial.

"This panel will be excused," said Judge Seehorn, "and another will be called. I will fine Mr. Hardin and Mr. Mathis $50 each for contempt of court."

A new jury was brought and the lawyers went on with the case.

When court was over for the day Judge Seehorn suspended the fine till the case is finished, which will be sometime today.

Labels: circuit court, courtroom, Judge Seehorn, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, violence