Put husband under bed, 1907
This sounds like it was straight-up spousal abuse, and the wife got away with it.
The Washington Post - May 24, 1907
PUTS HUSBAND UNDER BED
Wife Tells Court She Also Whips Him "When He Needs It."
New York, May 23. — Joseph Bjelik, forty-eight years old, small in structure and meek in appearance, was haled before Magistrate Finn in Yorkville Court this morning on a warrant obtained by his wife, Katherine, who charged Joseph with abandoning her and their two children a month ago. Their home is 340 East Forty-eighth street.
When the magistrate asked Bjelik what he had to say for himself, Joseph held up a crooked little finger and pointed to an eye that was out of order.
"She did that," he exclaimed through an interpreter. "And she makes me sleep under the bed and feeds me on cold victuals. Besides, she is jealous, and when she sees me as much as speak to another woman she beats me."
"How is this?" demanded Magistrate Finn of Katherine. "Do you beat your husband?"
"Yes, sometimes," the woman replied.
"How often?" persisted the magistrate.
"Whenever he needs it; sometimes only two or three times a month. Sometimes every day. when he is good I don't beat him."
"Why do you make him sleep under the bed?"
The woman was unable to answer this question for the fit of laughter into which it threw her. She finally subsided, however, and then the magistrate asked Joseph if he was willing to go home with Katherine. Joseph didn't think he was.
"Well, I guess there is no use trying to reconcile you two," said the magistrate. "Are you willing to pay your wife $6 a week, Joseph?"
Bjelik said he was. Then the magistrate wanted to know of Katherine if she would take her husband's word for the payment.
"I will not," replied Mrs. Bjelik, promptly.
"Then I will have to send him to jail," warned the magistrate.
This made Mrs. Bjelik ponder a bit. Finally she said she would take Joseph home whether he wanted to go or not and give him another trial.
"All right," said Magistrate Finn.
So Katherine motioned imperiously to Joseph and started for the door, poor Joseph in her wake.
Wife Tells Court She Also Whips Him "When He Needs It."
New York, May 23. — Joseph Bjelik, forty-eight years old, small in structure and meek in appearance, was haled before Magistrate Finn in Yorkville Court this morning on a warrant obtained by his wife, Katherine, who charged Joseph with abandoning her and their two children a month ago. Their home is 340 East Forty-eighth street.
When the magistrate asked Bjelik what he had to say for himself, Joseph held up a crooked little finger and pointed to an eye that was out of order.
"She did that," he exclaimed through an interpreter. "And she makes me sleep under the bed and feeds me on cold victuals. Besides, she is jealous, and when she sees me as much as speak to another woman she beats me."
"How is this?" demanded Magistrate Finn of Katherine. "Do you beat your husband?"
"Yes, sometimes," the woman replied.
"How often?" persisted the magistrate.
"Whenever he needs it; sometimes only two or three times a month. Sometimes every day. when he is good I don't beat him."
"Why do you make him sleep under the bed?"
The woman was unable to answer this question for the fit of laughter into which it threw her. She finally subsided, however, and then the magistrate asked Joseph if he was willing to go home with Katherine. Joseph didn't think he was.
"Well, I guess there is no use trying to reconcile you two," said the magistrate. "Are you willing to pay your wife $6 a week, Joseph?"
Bjelik said he was. Then the magistrate wanted to know of Katherine if she would take her husband's word for the payment.
"I will not," replied Mrs. Bjelik, promptly.
"Then I will have to send him to jail," warned the magistrate.
This made Mrs. Bjelik ponder a bit. Finally she said she would take Joseph home whether he wanted to go or not and give him another trial.
"All right," said Magistrate Finn.
So Katherine motioned imperiously to Joseph and started for the door, poor Joseph in her wake.
Comments
Boy didn't run fast enough!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 08/22/15 at 09:02 AM
That's terrible! The poor man shouldn't have been forced back.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 08/23/15 at 09:53 AM
I believe I would have high tailed it as soon as we got home, although there was most likely a beating first.
Posted by Gary Foster on 08/24/15 at 12:19 PM
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Category: Husbands | Wives | Marriage | 1900s