Gustin v. Gustin

155 P. 370, 79 Or. 387, 1916 Ore. LEXIS 195
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 29, 1916
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 155 P. 370 (Gustin v. Gustin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gustin v. Gustin, 155 P. 370, 79 Or. 387, 1916 Ore. LEXIS 195 (Or. 1916).

Opinion

Opinion by

Me. Chief Justice Mooee.

1. The evidence shows that, the defendant’s wife having died, leaving four small children, he sent to Denmark the necessary transportation tickets, whereupon his wife’s niece came to Astoria, Oregon, and began keeping house for him. Thereafter such housekeeper and the defendant were married, when he was 49 years old and she only 18. He owned a good home, had been for many years superintendent of the Astoria Box Company, at a good salary, was sober and industrious, and had money at interest. Soon after his second marriage he purchased a piano for the family and the plaintiff took music lessons. He had excellent credit at the grocery and dry-goods stores, the bills incurred at which he settled at the end of each month. Their home was supplied with every comfort that would tend to conduce to happiness. The plaintiff was always well dressed when making or receiving calls, and she moved in the best society in their vicinity. [390]*390The disparity in their ages, however, seemed to emphasize their respective likes and dislikes for matters relating to society and amusement. Thus, after a hard day’s work in the mill, he was anxious to spend the evening at home, while she enjoyed going to dances held at a Danish lodge of which they were members, but to which he rarely accompanied her. He complained to her of the monthly bills which had been contracted, asserting that she was extravagant in these respects. She was afflicted with kidney trouble, and he found fault with her paying money for medicines and treatment for such ailment. Her requests for spending money were usually denied, with the assertion that he had none to bestow. This want of mutual sentiment and these disagreements begot discontent upon her part, and in consequence thereof she left him twice prior to their final separation on June 10, 1914. On one of these occasions they, on June 15, 1908, subscribed their names to a writing whereby she stipulated to release him from all obligations to support her, and agreed to contract no liabilities on his account. At the same time she also executed to him a quitclaim deed of all her right, title and interest in and to the real property particularly described in finding of fact No. 7 as hereinbefore set forth, and to other realty which was subsequently sold and conveyed. Though on the two occurrences mentioned the plaintiff returned to the defendant’s home, their happiness was sometimes disturbed by recurrences of fault-finding, ill feeling and discord. She at one time, desiring to visit Portland, Oregon, asked him for money with which to defray the expenses of the trip. Instead of complying with her request, he purchased from her a silver coffee set, which she had received from Denmark as a wedding present, and paid her $10 therefor. She [391]*391wished to attend the Rose Carnival held in Portland in June, 1914, and again asked him for money with which to make the journey. He informed her he had only $2.50 at his command, which sum he desired to use to procure a pair of shoes. Upon her solicitation to borrow the necessary amount for the purpose of the trip, he refused to comply with her request, whereupon she informed him that unless he secured the money which she desired, she would leave him. The plaintiff testified that on the following morning the defendant ordered her out of the house, saying, if she did not go, he would throw her out, and, taking a chair, he threatened to strike her with it, and she was then obliged to leave their house. After the defendant had gone to his work, the plaintiff visited a store and obtained on his account a loan of $10, and also secured in the same manner a new trunk, into which she packed the silver coffee set which she had previously sold him, and also stored her wearing apparel and other personal property, and, going to Portland, Oregon, she secured employment as a house servant in a private family. The plaintiff further testified that in the presence of others the defendant frequently cursed and swore at her, calling her vile and opprobrious names. She is corroborated in these particulars by the testimony of her uncle, Ernest V. Jensen, and by that of her sister, Mrs. Crum. Their sworn declarations are much weakened, however, by the manifest interest they seemed to have in the plaintiff’s cause and the prejudice they __ manifested toward the defendant. The latter had loaned $45 to Mr. Jensen, who appeared to resent the suggestion that any part of that sum should be repaid. Mrs. Crum’s husband was accidentally killed in a logging camp near Astoria, Oregon, leaving her and a pm all child, who thereupon came to the defendant’s [392]*392home, where they lived several months. He complained to his wife about being compelled to furnish board and lodging for his sister-in-law and her child, whereupon the child was left at his home, while its mother secured employment at a hotel. He continued to find fault, however, because the child was allowed to remain at their home. The plaintiff’s sister was aware of such opposition, and undoubtedly felt aggrieved at his conduct in this particular. Whether or not her testimony, or that of her uncle, Mr. Jensen, was warped thereby, was for the trial court to determine in the first instance.

The plaintiff’s counsel, on the cross-examination of the defendant, referring to Mrs. Crum and to Mr. Jensen, and also alluding to Mrs. Gustin, inquired:

“Well, I think they were the only ones that had testified that you had sworn and cursed, used vile language, and applied vile, mean and indecent epithets to her at sundry and various times; have you ever done sol”

The witness replied:

“No, sir.
“Q. Did you ever swear at her in your life?
“A. Not that I remember of. ’ ’

On redirect examination the defendant’s counsel, referring to the plaintiff and to the averments of the complaint, inquired of the witness:

“Did you ever call her any such names as b — h, son of a b — h, or tell her to go to h — 1?”

He answered:

“No, sir; not to my recollection.”

His other answers to questions imputing to him acts of cruel and inhuman treatment of, and personal indignities toward the plaintiff, as testified to by her, [393]*393Mrs. Crum and Mr. Jensen, received emphatic denials. When replies so quoted are read in conjunction with all other answers given by the defendant, it would seem that he was in doubt as to whether or not he had made the observations or pronounced the imprecation attributed to him. Considering these uncertain answers, in connection with the positive testimony given by the plaintiff, corroborated as it is by the sworn statements of Mrs. Crum and Mr. Jensen, and remembering that the trial court saw all the witnesses, and thus had an opportunity to note their manner and appearance when giving their testimony, it is believed the plaintiff was properly granted a decree of divorce.

2. There are no offspring as a result of this marriage, and hence the only remaining question to be considered is: What would he an equitable division of the defendant’s property in order properly to support and maintain the plaintiff ? The averment of the complaint with respect to the asserted inability of plaintiff’s counsel properly to describe the defendant’s real property, as hereinbefore quoted, was not amended at the trial.

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Related

Schafer v. Schafer
260 P. 206 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1927)
Schoren v. Schoren
214 P. 885 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1924)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
155 P. 370, 79 Or. 387, 1916 Ore. LEXIS 195, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gustin-v-gustin-or-1916.