The Mother-in-Law Made Me Do It: A Seattle Divorce Battle

George E. Brown, who was formerly in the men's furnishing goods business in Seattle, yesterday filed an answer to the divorce complaint of his wife, Annie, who says that he never supported her and compelled her and her little boy, 2 years old, to live at her mother's. He says that the charge is untrue, for he was one of the best of husbands and spent all his salary on his wife, baby and mother-in-law until he got out of work and the mother-in-law thought he was no longer a 'good investment,' as the answer puts it.

Brown says that for three years before his marriage in 1891 he was a boarder at the house of Mrs. Paulina Knox, afterwards his mother-in-law, in Spokane. Then he was paying $40 a month out of his salary for board and room, and in addition to all this spending a great deal more money upon the family in various ways. He married the daughter and at his mother-in-law's request, as is alleged, continued to live at the house, but with the difference that he had to pay all of his salary except car fare, etc., for his own and his wife's board. Then he lost his job and came to Seattle, where he was set up in business by Mrs. Knox, who put in $2,300 and paid him $100 a month as manager. Mrs. Knox's son was a partner in the business. The venture was unsuccessful and some of the money was lost on account of hard times. Since then, Brown says, his mother-in-law has followed him from one situation to another, telling people that he squandered $1,000 of her money and making him lose his place.

Brown says that he was happy with his wife until he became poor and that she has admitted to him that she herself would not have sued for a divorce; that her mother made her. He also says that his wife once wanted to come back to him, but was prevented by her mother.