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Show AVFULIAL5 0?Cl1U2LTY TOLD: DY WITNESSES IN DIVORCE SUIT HEARING One at the most pitiful cases in the annals of poverty and suffering la this city was brought out this morning; in Judge Hall's court when the separate maintenance suit 7 of Josie I. Smith against Charles Smith was taken up. Miss Ora Smith, fourteen-year-old daughter of the parties was first called to the witness stand. She testified that for the past fourteen months Smith had bought the coal, medicine and bread and that she had supported her mother and herself otherwise on the 41.60 per week which she earned as nurse girl. "My mother has been confined to her bed with a cancer. Charles Smith sent 11 worth of groceries after the first story about our condition appeared in 1 the newspapers and another dollar's worth last Friday, which were the only groceries furnished in two years, except stale bread said- the girl. "My mother has taken in washing for flour or no tea In the cupboard. The remainder re-mainder of her testimony was In regard to the condition of the. room. ' Jane Marck " testified .- that she brought Mrs. Smith food on several occasions, oc-casions, because she had nothing to eat, but stale toreadv and that her little boy, Wtlfordv aged 9, was her only nurse at times. "Mrs. Smith came to my house-at one time, Since February 1st and said she was starving- and.lt was more than I could stand. She has taken in washing .for several years.' She told1 me that she had sat on the edge of the bed and washed clothes, falling' over from exhaustion," ex-haustion," the witness declared. Mrs. Caroline Anderson stated that she had known 'Mrs. Smith for eight 1 years. Mrs. Anderson said: "During the last two years she has called at my home many times to get something to eat and when she did not come we knew she was sick andi we would send her food. One time when the past three or four years. Mr. Smith had worked nearly all of the time. He lives in three rooms and my mother In one room. I have a little brother, but he lives with Mr. Smith. Mother and I have one room. He has cot been In pur room for six months. "The only nurses my Aother has had were my brother aged 9, and myself when I was not at work. The floor of my mother's room is bare except for a small strip of linoleum. He has treated my mother most cruelly. At one time he choked her. when she was very sick with the cancer. Smith paid for four meals furnished by Mrs. Snow. "'No, sir, the odor arising from my mother's sickness is not disagreeable to me. It was the cause, I believe of her being driven from Mr. Smith's bedroom. At the time of the separation he used language too vile to repeat." Here the witness broke down and wept. Mm Mary Pitcher was called. She testified that she called at the Smith home at 75 East First North street and found Mrs. Smith ill in bed. The only food In the house was a hard crust of bread, the remains of a can of Jam, no we went there she had not had anything to eat for a day and a half. One day I was going to her house with food, when Smith stopped me and demanded to know who I was. He seized me by the wrist and scratched me. I threw the whole meal in his face. She told me that she had prayed for food and bad been unable to get it. Smith has taken the boy and bumped him up and down by the ears Just to torment his wife." Dr. Brooks testified that she was a physician and had been practicing In this city for about two years. She had known Mrs. Smith about two weeks. The doctor testified: "When I first went to the place I found the woman ill in bed. The reom was very uncomfortable. I understood that the little boy has been the poor-woman's poor-woman's nurse, which I should say was not proper. I offered my medical cervices cer-vices to Mrs. Smith, but she said she had nothing to complain of as far as medical attention was concerned, as Dr. Richards was taking care of her' Mrs. Smith is confined in a miserable little room of a frame shack at 75 East First North street, with barely enough bed clothes to cover her. . |