FORMER FRIENDS
BITTER ENEMIES.
E. J. RICHARDS SEEKS BIG DAM-
AGES OF J. C. HUMES.
President of Ginger Club Asks $100,000
for Alleged Alienation of
Affections -- "Contemp-
tible, Says Humes.
Ms. Emma Richards, wife of E. J. Richards, a hatter and president of the Ginger Club in the "300" block on Twelfth street, yesterday forenoon sued for divorce and a restraining order to prevent her husband from selling their household goods or disposing of his property. The Richardses live at 3910 Walrond avenue.
In the afternoon Mr. Richards brought suit against John C. Humes, president of the J. C. Humes Crockery Company, 1009 Walnut street, for $100,000 on a charge of alienating the affections of Mrs. Richards.
Enough charges and counter charges are made to fill a book. John T. Harding, Mrs. Richards's attorney in the first suit, also represents Humes in the second. Mrs. Richards charges that her husband has abandoned her many times and as many times has begged to be taken back. He has often accused her of improper conduct, she says, and has always later denied the truth of such charges. She also alleges cruelty. Three times, in his fits of suspicion that she wanted to talk to someone he did not wish her to talk to, she charges, he has torn the telephone from the wall of their house.
According to Richards's petition Humes and Mrs. Richards became acquainted April 25, 1907. Humes loaned Richards $6,000 and became a partner in the hat store. Last summer Mr. and Mrs. Humes spent in Europe. Richards alleges that Humes wrote a letter or a postcard daily to Mrs. Richards, in which he called her by pet names, and that Mrs. Richards answered daily.
John C.Humes, when seen at his home at 4006 McGee street, talked freely and frankly, saying:
"I loaned Richards $6,000 to keep his hat store afloat. He squandered it and now owes nearly as much more to various creditors. Because I wouldn't pay his bills he brings this suit. He offered to settle the case before he filed it.
"I have known Richards for years and thought he was a nice fellow and a promising young business man. I allowed him to live in my house rent free all of last summer, while I was in Europe. He and his wife have taken Sunday dinners with me and my wife and daughter, ever Sunday almost, until two weeks ago. I can only say now that he is a contemptible cur. I am innocent of everything he charges or hints at in his suit. I could not have settled for money, but did not because I am not afraid of a trial."
Attorney John T. Harding of Brown, Harding & Brown says:
"I don't believe that Richards's suit against Humes will ever be tried. Richards came to my office last Friday at 2 o'clock and offered not to file the case. Humes was present and refused."
Battle McCardle, Richards's attorney, comes back with a flat denial of the statements that any offer has been made to settle the case.
"I talked with Harding and Humes on two afternoons of last week," McCardle says, "and urged humes to let Richards's wife alone. Humes wouldn't talk to me at all. There was nothing said about money."
Mrs. Emma Richards is living with her mother, Mrs. Martha Pursell of Indianapolis, Ind., and her 10-year-old son in the Doris apartments. All the windows were dark last night and repeated rings on the hall bell failed to bring an answer. A knock on the door, at the head of the first flight of stairs brought the troubled face of a pretty woman of about 30 years.
"You are Mrs. Richards?"
"Yes."
"Will you testify for or against your husband in the suit he today brought against John Humes?"
"Oh, I won't talk of that. I can not believe," she began, "I can not believe that Ed would use my name for --" Sobs finished the sentence.
