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In the circuit court of the State of Oregon for Lane County,

M. A. Poill Plff

Vs

J. J. Poill Deft

 

M. A. Poill a witness in her own behalf after being duly sworn testified as follows.

 

Q1: State your name, age, occupation and place of residence.

A1: M. A. Poill age 33 years  reside in Springfield OR occupation housekeeper.

 

Q2: When & where were you married.

A:2 The 29th day of Aug 1873 in Cottage Grove Lane County.

 

Q3:  How long have you lived in Lane Co prior to the commencement of this suit.

A3: Have lived in the county ever since 1871.

 

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Q4: What has been your general treatment of the defendant since your marriage to deft.

A4: To the best of my ability I have been a good housekeeper and a good faithful wife.  I have done my best ever since our marriage.  I have done my part.  I have gardened & raised berries to help support the family.

 

Q5:  What has been the treatment of defendant towards you since Oct 1878.  State what if anything he did then continuing on up to the present time.

A5:  When we were living at the mountain place 1st he told me to get up.  He said God damn you get up or I will make you get up.  I told him it was Sunday morning.  It was no use in being in a hurry & he swore at me the same way again & he said he would have me taken home.

 

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Q7 (sic):  What language did he use when he cursed you.

A7:  He called me a damn son of a bitch and damn bitch.

 

Q8:  State whether or not in 1882 he deserted you & how long he remained away.

A8:  Yes and remained away a year & a half.

 

Q9:  Who supported the family while he was away.  State how you did it.

A9:  I did keep some boarders.  I also had the mail contract and carried the mail a good deal of the time myself.

 

Q10:  How did he get back home.

A10:  I went after him and brought him home.

 

Q11:  After he returned home what was his conduct toward [you].

A11:  He soon fell back in the same way and commenced abusing me.  He threatened to kick me into w [missing word] and after that without cause he commenced to abuse me & I asked him to be quiet & let us have no

 

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A11 (cont):  quarrel and he jumped up & said he had had all the damn nonsense he would have & would put an end to it.  He went to the bureau & got a pistol & snapped it at me, at least the children raised up screaming & said he did.

 

Q12:  How many times did he draw the revolver on you

A12:  I can’t say exactly but several times.  At one time he commanded me to sew buttons on our son Eddy’s shoes and jerked has revolver form over the window and said I could not live if I did not put the buttons on.  I sewed them on as soon as I could.  He appeared to be very angry & violent.  Eddy & Jennie Smitson [Mila Ann’s sister] heard him.

 

Q13:  Where is Jennie Smitson now.

A13:  At Springfield sick with typhoid fever

 

Q14:  What occurred about

 

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Q14 (cont):  two years ago

A15 (sic):  He got mad because I had forgotten to do some repairing on his overcoat and he cursed me and slapped me in the face.

 

Q16:  State what followed that later on.

A16:  About 2 months ago he was coming to town and was mad about something and I went out to the barn to tell him to get some things & he struck me with the buggy whip and went in the barn & struck me again.

 

Q17:  What occurred on the 17th day of Sept 1891.

A17:  He brought the ax in & laid it on the table & ordered me to cook him something to eat.  This was about 10 o’clock.  He had already had his breakfast at the usual time.  After he got to eating I took the ax

 & slipped it on the corner of the table.  He would not let me

 

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A17 (cont):  take it away.  Mrs. Robinson who was working for me slipped it away & hid it.

 

Q18:  What occurred on the 18th day of Sept 1891.

A18:  I threw out a few bread crusts out at the door & he got mad & had a sack in his hands & struck me in the face with it when I came in the hose.

 

Q19:  What occurred on the 19th of Sept 1891.

A19:  He laid the pistol on the table and said in the morning we will have a little fun [and] all will die together & he also set a bottle of strychnine on the table & said he would take it.  He frequently said he would take strychnine.

Q20:  How long since you ceased to live and cohabit with deft.

A20:  About three months ago he slept in the barn awhile.

 

Q21:  How are you supporting

 

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Q21 (cont): yourself now.

A21:  Keeping boarders

 

Q22:  How many children have you and what are their names and ages.

A22:  Four—Eddy age 16 yrs.  Lulu age 12 yrs.  Mabel age 8 yrs.  May age 6 years.  The children are with me in my care & custody.

 

Q23:  What threats if any did he make six or eight weeks ago/

A23:  He told me if I would raise him $600 he would deed me the place & he would leave me & I should never see him anymore.

 

Q24:  State whether or not defendant & yourself have agreed to separate mutual or otherwise.

A24  No sir we have not.  There is no agreement between us to separate.

 

Q25:  State whether or not he has deeded you any property & the

 

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Q25 (cont):  circumstances under which it was done

A25:  After I commenced this suit deft came to me and told me that if I would not ask for support for the children & for property he would deed me half as he did not want to be forced to do anything & he did deed one half and I have asked for nothing but the divorce, the children, & for costs.

 

Q26:  State whether or not you have forgiven deft for the different acts of ill usage as testified to[day] by you.

A26:  I have not.

 

Q27:  Can you live with him with safety to yourself & without fear of bodily harm.

A27:  I cannot

 

Cross

 

Q1:  You say in your direct examination that your

 

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Q1 (cont) husband has deeded you certain property.  Further than this has there been any agreement or understanding between you by which you were to secure a divorce without opposition from him.

 

A1:  None at all.  We had no agreement.

 

Q2:  No collusion at all

A2:  Not any at all

 

[signed} M. A. Poill

 

 

 

 

 

 

Divorce: Oct 30, 1891
J. J. Poill and Mila Ann Eaton

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