AnneTheWriter

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RT-in for #BicycleDay...

"She Had an Affair with Her Bicycle Instructor Because Her Husband Snored"

The divorce of Samuel Freligh (b.1852 NY) and his wife Mary Miller was salacious enough to warrant several newspaper articles in 1900 NY City.

It seems that Mary was accused of having an affair with a "Bicycle Instructor," and was tired of her husband's loud snoring. When the Judge gave his ruling on the case, daughter Ida (who had sided with her mother during the proceedings) began to yell in protest and had to be removed from the courtroom.

Daughter Ida later became a #Burlesque actress in the theatre.

Samuel Freligh (b. 5 Sept 1852 NY, d. 29 Nov. 1929 NY)
Mary Miller/Muller (b. abt.1858 NY, d. 28 June 1934 NYC)
m. 28 Sept 1873 King's County, NY

Children:
Ida (1885-1972, m. Leroy Smith)
Charles Penamen (1879-1935, m. Mildred Barrett)

#Genealogy #Freligh #NewspaperArchives #NewspaperArticles #Divorces #Scandals #Bicycles #BicycleHistory #Geneadons #History
@geneadons

Sep 28, 2023 at 8:27pmWeb
Show threadAnneTheWriterSep 28, 2023

@geneadons
Newspaper article from:
"The Brooklyn Daily Eagle" (Brooklyn NY)
12 April 1900, Page 15

TRANSCRIPTION:
>> FRELIGH GETS A DIVORCE.

His Daughter Ida Protests Against the Decision and Is Led From the Court Room.

Justice W. D.-Dickey in the equity term of the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon, after trial, granted to Samuel Freligh an absolute divorce from Mary Freligh. The wife first brought an action against the husband and Freligh made counter charges of Infidelity, declaring that Mrs. Freligh had been too intimate with a bicycle instructor, Wm. L. Baker. The Frellghs lived with their children at 632A Lexington avenue. It was alleged by Freligh in his counter charge that Mrs. Freligh left her home last summer to go on a vacation to Asbury Park, and that it was discovered that a card was tacked on her trunk which read: "Mrs. William L. Baker, Shady Side House, Monroe avenue, Asbury Park, N. J." Baker had been giving bicycle lessons to Mrs. Freligh...

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Show threadAnneTheWriterSep 28, 2023

@geneadons

...>> A son of Mr. and Mrs. Freligh testified for his father that Baker had visited the family home frequently when Mr. Freligh was away on business and that his mother met Baker at Asbury Park. The son also said that his mother had directed him to tack the card on her trunk.

At the close of the evidence Justice Dickey said that he found by it that Mrs. Freligh had not been true to her wifely duties and that he would give a decree for the husband.

There was a commotion at once in the court room caused by the conduct of the son and of the daughter, Ida, who has held firmly to her mother's side of the marital troubles. The son lost his balance and with his chair fell to the floor. He picked himself up quickly, however. Ida sprang to her feet and said that lies had been told about her mother. Being called before his honor, Ida repeated: "It's a lle, all the same, and I will say it. My mother is a good woman." ...

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Show threadAnneTheWriterSep 28, 2023

@geneadons

>>Justice Dickey in a kind voice directed that the court attendants lead Ida from the room, and it was done, the girl crying bitterly.<<

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Show threadAnneTheWriterSep 28, 2023

@geneadons
Newspaper article from:
"The Standard Union" (Brooklyn NY)
07 Feb 1900, Page 2

Transcription:
>>A SNORING HUSBAND SUED.

Mrs. Samuel Freligh Denied Divorce
Son and Landlady Figure In Proof.
Privileges of Platonic Friendship Defined.

Justice William D. Dickey denied the motion made before him yesterday for allmony and counsel fee in the suit of Mary Freligh against her husband, Samuel Freligh, a stereotyper, for absolute divorce. In her complaint the plaintiff accuses Freleigh of being too familiar with a Mrs. Clark and a Mrs. Hoffmeyer, the latter being Freligh's landlady. Freligh submitted affidavits in which he de- posed that Mrs. Freligh was too friendly with Wilbur F. Baker, a bicycle teacher. In behalf of Freligh his son made an affidavit in which he deposed that, when he put his feet on the sofa at home his mother said that Baker was the only one who had that privilege; that she liked Baker beter than her husband, because Freligh snored and Baker did not.<<

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Show threadVirginicusSep 29, 2023
@AnneTheWriter1 “She was headed for the shady side of town” as the Eagles might have put it.