Dawson v. Dawson

50 S.E. 613, 57 W. Va. 520, 1905 W. Va. LEXIS 59
CourtWest Virginia Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 28, 1905
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 50 S.E. 613 (Dawson v. Dawson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dawson v. Dawson, 50 S.E. 613, 57 W. Va. 520, 1905 W. Va. LEXIS 59 (W. Va. 1905).

Opinion

McWhorter, Judge:

Charles S. Dawson and Clara B. Fearnow were married on the eighth'of April, 1896, in Morgan county, and lived together as husband and wife in said county until the 14th day of May, 1898, when the wife left their home and went to the home of her parents, taking with her their only child, at that time, Bay, who was born on the 5th day of December, 1896. On the 20th of October, 1898, another child was born to them, named Agnes. She remained away from home and at her parent’s home ever after the time she. left. On the 31st day of July, 1898, Charles S. Dawson went to the home of his wife’s parents and took the child and started away with it before his presence was discovered. He wras followed some distance by the mother who not being very strong was unable to overtake him and he succeeded in getting away with it. On the first day of August she filed her petition to the judge of the circuit court of Morgan county, praying for a writ of habeas corpus, which was granted. In response to the writ the defendant made his return and brought the child into court and on the 17 th day of August, 1898, the court having fully heard all the evidence offered on both sides took time to ■consider and in the meantime placed the child in the custody of the petitioner, Clara B. Dawson, bond having been given for the safe keeping and production of the child in court when the same should be required. At the January term of 1899, the court awarded the care and custody of the child to the petitioner, Clara B. Dawson, until the further order [522]*522of the court, and gave judgment in her favor for costs against the defendant, providing that the defendant should have access to the said Ray Dawson at any hour between 9 A. M. and 8 P. M. at any day that he might desire to see him. To which ruling of the court the defendant took exceptions and was granted leave to prepare bills of exceptions within thirty days from the adjournment of the term. No' appeal or writ of error was ever taken to this judgment. On the thirtieth day of July, 1901, Charles S. Dawson sued out of the clerk’s office of the circuit court of Morgan county, his subpoena in chancery against Clara B. Dawson and at the August rules 1901, filed his bill therein alleging the marriage of the plaintiff and the defendant and the birth of the two children, Ray and Agnes, and alleging that on the 14th of May, 1898, defendant, without just cause or excuse, had wilfully abandoned and deserted him, taking with her their said son Ray, and going to the home of her father in Morgan county, where she had ever since resided; that he was always true and kind to his wife, treating her with consideration and well providing for her comfort and needs; that she left his home during his absence therefrom and refused to return and resume the relations of married-life with him,.and also refused to give him possession of his said children and mentioned the habeas corpus proceeding had two years before wherein the court awarded the son of the parties, Ray Dawson, to the defendant, the mother, subject to the further orders of the said court. “Plaintiff says that he is clearly entitled to the care and custody of his said child, and that there is now no valid or just reason or cause why he be not restored to the said father’s care and custody,” and prayed that divorce be decreed him from the bond of matrimony on the ground of willful abandonment and desertion, and that said children, Ray, Dawson and Agnes Dawson, be given into his custody, and fot general relief.

The defendant appeared and filed an answer in the nature of a crossbill praying affirmative relief. The answer denied all the allegations of the bill charging her with misconduct and alleging that she was obliged to leave plaintiff because of cruel and inhuman conduct towards her; denied that plaintiff had been true and kind to her and had always treated her with consideration, providing well for her comfort and [523]*523needs, and that she willfully abandoned and deserted him and refused to lire with her husband without just cause; alleging' that the conduct of the plaintiff toward her, both before and since their separation had been cruel and inhuman in the extreme, rendering it impossible for her to live with him, and ruining not only her happiness but also her health; that plaintiff was a man of ungovernable and insane temper and passionate and overbearing disposition; that during the first year of their married life while they lived with respondent’s parents they lived in comparative peace and happiness; that after they had moved to the farm of plaintiff’s father and were living by themselves difficulties began, the first of which was because of the objection of respondent to the bringing into their home, from the alms house, a half-witted girl of- bad reputation, who was not long afterwards delivered of a bastard child. In the fall of 1897, respondent’s health became seriously affected involving her lungs, she having a tendency to pulmonary trouble, which with the labors incident to the duties of a farmer’s wife and the care and nursing at the breast of an infant rendered respondent in no condition, physically or mentally to bear the insults, injuries and out rages set forth in the answer; that instead of sympathizing with respondent plaintiff’s ill temper increased, charging that her delicacy was pretended, and that respondent’s mother had put into her head the notion that she was likely to' die soon and resented her mother’s solicitude as a personal affront; that in the spring of 1898, respondent undertook- to discharge the household duties, nursing and caring for her child, without any hired help, finding that she was unable to do so, and that her health was giving away under the strain she told plaintiff at breakfast, on May 13, 1898, that she would be obliged to have aid; he refused and flew into a violent passion; said he would not have a dozen in his family; that he would pay for no help, later in the day, about 11 o’clock he returned to the house and began upbraiding respondent who only begged him to cease; he violently asserted that he would not be run over by any woman, declaring respondent was a liar and a double-faced woman, and ordered her to leave and go to her parent’s home. Fearing for her life respondent said and did nothing, till on the next morning when he had left the house, she then, acting [524]*524■on his orders left for her parent’s home, where she has since resided; she left a note explaining that she had gone because of his cruel treatment and because she had been told to go; that from that day to this plaintiff had offered no explanation ■of his conduct or withdrawn his order to go, or requested the respondent to return, but on the contrary his subsequent conduct had been even more cruel and insulting and inhuman; that the episode on the 13th day of May, 1898, was only the culmination of a series of acts of cruel and inhuman conduct.

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Bluebook (online)
50 S.E. 613, 57 W. Va. 520, 1905 W. Va. LEXIS 59, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dawson-v-dawson-wva-1905.