Category Archives: William B. Schwartz

Divorce Law Attacked

DIVORCE LAW ATTACKED

Law Requiring a Deposit Fee Said to Be Unconstitutional

The new divorce law was again attacked in Judge Carter’s court yesterday by the filing of a petition to reinstate a suit that was dismissed because the plaintiff failed to deposit $5 as a fee for the prosecuting attorney to defend the case. The case is that of William S. Moorman against his wife, Alforetta Moorman. The petition says that the plaintiff did not comply with the law because his suit was filed before the passage of the new divorce law requiring the plaintiff to advance $5 for defending the case, and that the law could not affect his action. He says it is unfair for the litigant to bear the burden of his own and his wife’s misfortune, and ‘pay a premium to the wrong doer from bringing about such wrongs.’ A paragraph of the petition reads: “That said law under which ruling and order was made in unconstitutional for the reason that it is local legislation, as, if it is a blessing to Indianapolis, it has more than its share of blessedness, and if it is a curse, this same place has more than its share of the burden.” The petition was filed by W. B. Schwartz.

“Divorce Law Attacked,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 30 June 1901, p. 7, col. 3; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 23 March 2014).

New Suits Filed

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NEW SUITS FILED

Wallshier D. Bodenhamer vs. William B. Schwartz et al.: mortgage foreclosure. Superior court, Room 2.

“New Suits Filed,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 11 June 1901, p. 6, col. 5; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 21 March 2014).

W. B. Schwartz’s Suit

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W. B. Schwartz’s Suit.

William B. Schwartz yesterday filed suit against his wife, Mary F. Schwartz, for divorce. He avers that she possesses a violent tempter, and suddenly became insane. He asks that a guardian ad litem be appointed for her while the proceedings are pending.

NEW SUITS FILED.

W. B. Schwartz vs. Mary V. Schwartz: divorce. Circuit Court.

“W. B. Schwartz’s Suit,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 4 June 1901, p. 6, col. 5-6; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 20 March 2014).

“New Suits Filed,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 4 June 1901, p. 6, col. 6; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 20 March 2014).

[Editor’s note: This is the second time W. B. Schwartz filed for a divorce. The first filing was in May 1900.]

The Court Record

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THE COURT RECORD.

SUPERIOR COURT.

Hon. Martin Hugg, Special Judge.

William Schwartz vs. Mary Schwartz; divorce. Evidence partly heard. Continued.

“The Court Record,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 25 June 1900, p. 3, col. 5; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 17 March 2014).

Divorce Suit Continued

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Divorce Suit Continued.

The divorce suit of William Schwartz against Mary Schwartz, tried before Martin Hugg, special judge. In Room 2 of the Superior Court, yesterday, was continued. He alleges that his wife is an inmate of the insane hospital, and asks that a divorce be granted.

“Divorce Suit Continued,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 24 June 1900, p. 6, col. 3-4; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 16 March 2014).

Suit For Divorce

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Suit for Divorce.

William Schwartz brought suit for divorce from his wife, Mary Schwartz, yesterday. He alleges that they separated in 1890 and charges her with having an ungovernable temper and striking him. He also says she has been an inmate of the Central Insane Hospital for the last ten years.

NEW SUITS FILED.

Joseph Souer vs. Richard M. Crosby et al.: damages. Demand, $1,000. Superior Court. Room 2.
William Schwartz vs. Mary Schwartz; divorce. Superior Court. Room 2.
Max Gundelfinger vs. Sarah Gundelfinger et al.; partition. Circuit Court.

“Suit for Divorce,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 26 May 1900, p. 3, col. 3; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 15 March 2014).

“New Suits Filed,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 26 May 1900, p. 3, col. 4; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 15 March 2014).

__________________________________

There is plenty information available on-line about the early Indiana medical health system and the Central Hospital for the Insane. Below are several links to sites regarding the Indiana Central Hospital for the Insane. (I have avoided those sites and videos that dwell on the ghost hunting and paranormal activity around the old hospital site, if you are interested in those, just google the Central Hospital for the Insane). Several members of the extended Yegerlehner family ended up “in the system” in the 1890s and early 1900s. At this time, three women are known: Mary Victoria (Wheeler) Schwartz, Rosina (Yegerlehner) Wolfe and Nancy (McCoy) Walker Kline. Accessing mental health records in Indiana is not easy due to privacy restrictions so it may never be clear why these women were institutionalized, basically for the remainder of their lives. In Rosina’s case, she spend nearly 40 years in the state hospital system. Were these women merely victims of the time in which they lived, when medical science did not understand conditions and symptoms that are more easily understood today? Were they genuinely ill? Or were they sent away to be hushed up? Whatever the reason, the conditions that existed at Central and the other state hospitals was deplorable.

http://www.in.gov/icpr/2650.htm

http://historicindianapolis.com/a-room-with-a-view-central-state-hospital/

http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php?title=Central_Indiana_State_Hospital

http://indianapublicmedia.org/momentofindianahistory/central-state-hospital/

Relocated

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During 1895, William B. Schwartz appears to have relocated to Indianapolis. I have not found any newspaper articles announcing his departure from Brazil. By 1896, he appears in the Indianapolis City Directory.

Schwartz, W. B. - Indianapolis directory, 1896

W. B. Schwartz, Indianapolis, 1896

E. Washington Street is one of the major boulevards through the city of Indianapolis. The Marion County court house is located on E. Washington. William’s office would have been located down the street.

Sanborn map of Indianapolis (1898) showing the Marion County Courthouse

Block with W. B. Schwartz’s house

W. B. Schwartz’s house would have been one of the long skinny homes to the west (or to the left) of the livery. The modern map at Google shows that these buildings no longer exist.

Sources Used:

“U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989,” database and images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 March 2014), Indianapolis, 1896.

“Indianapolis Sanborn Map and Baist Atlas Collection,” database and images, Indiana Memory Project (http://www.in.gov/memories : 4 March 2014), Indianapolis, 1898.

Regardless of Party

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REGARDLESS OF PARTY

The Attorneys Commend Hon. S. M. McGregor as a Judge

It has been currently rumored during the present campaign, that Judge McGregor in the discharge of his official duties upon the bench, has shown partiality and favoritism to certain attorneys practicing in his courts; that said rumors have been circulated by certain parties for the purpose of influencing votes to oppose his re-election; that they are false and without any foundation whatever. We take pleasure in publishing the following statement voluntarily furnished by the members of the bar of Clay and Putnam counties, who have signed the same without regard to party affiliation, as an act of simple justice to Judge McGregor, whose conduct upon the bench has been characterized at all times and upon all occasions by absolute fairness and impartiality to all litigants and their attorneys. He has no pets or favorites at the bar to whom he show special favors. All such charges are false, as is shown by the following statements, over the signatures of the attorneys practicing in the two counties composing the judicial circuit in which Judge McGregor holds the courts:

“We, the undersigned attorneys of Clay and Putnam counties, hereby gladly bear willing testimony to the uniform and unfailing kindness and courtesy of Hon. S. M. McGregor, Judge of our courts, to everyone connected with or having business therein; and especially do we commend and honor him for his fairness and impartiality toward all attorneys at the bar, in the conduct and management of their business in said courts. We do not believe anyone can truthfully make a charge or entertain a just cause of complaint against him contrary to the above statements.

This October 8^th, 1894.

S. W. Curtis, W. B. Schwartz, Albert Payne, J. M. Rawley, Homer H. Harris, Thomas W. Hutchison, Will P. Blair, Robert Fisher, Frank A. Horner, Peter T. Luther, Geo. A. Byrd, A. W. Knight, Geo. A. Knight, e. S. Holliday, Charles E. Matson, Stokley Campbell, Jas. A. McNutt, Geo. W. Wiltse, Jno. T. Gardner, S. B. Riley, John Hutchinson, Jr., Jacob Herr, D. E. Williamson, John P. Allee, Smith c. Matson, C. C. Matson, P. O. Colliver, J. H. James, Smiley & Neff, Henry H. Mathias, Tarvin C. Grooms, Silas A. Hays, W. S. Scott, Jno. W. Lane, G. C. Moore, Jonathan Birch.

“Regardless of Party,” The Brazil Democrat (Brazil, Indiana), 11 October 1894, p. 1, col. 4; digital image, Newspaper Archive (http://www.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 1 March 2014.

William B. Schwartz flashback

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[Editor’s note: I am placing this biographical entry here for two reasons: I just rediscovered it and I want to remind my dear readers about how fickle history can be. Over the last month, we have read about William’s early career, his marriage and the insanity of his wife. Although I have not found any 1892 newspaper clippings to apprise us of her condition, Mary Victoria continued to struggle with mental health issues. Whether they were real conditions as we know them today or misunderstood ones because of the limitations of late 19th century society on woman’s health, we may never know. Accessing the court records is an adventure for another day. So be mindful that William was under a lot of strain. A once bright future, full of promise, was heading towards disaster.]

WILLIAM B. SCHWARTZ was born in Holmes County, Ohio, July 1, 1858, and is the thirteenth of a family of fourteen children of Nicholas and Barbara (Kuntz) Schwartz, the former a native of Switzerland, the latter of Italy. In 1852, they emigrated to this country, settling in Holmes County, Ohio, on a farm, where they still live. William grew to manhood on a farm, enjoying the advantages of common schools until, at the age of eighteen years, he entered the Normal Department of the Humboldt School at Pittsburgh, Penn., remaining there eight months. He then returned home and assisted his father on the farm until the following winter, during which he taught a term of school in Holmes County. At the close of this term, he entered the Millersburg Normal Academy; remained there two years, graduating from the institution, in the scientific course class, in 1881. He again returned home and taught another term of school in his native county, at the close of which making a tour of pleasure and recreation through Missouri and Kansas. On his return through Missouri, he taught one term on the frontier of that State, returning to Ohio at its close, where he completed his studies in common law. He at the end of this time moved to Brazil, and was admitted to the bar February 2, 1883, since which time he has been in the active practice of his profession. Mr. Schwartz is one of the promising professional young men of Clay County, and is in possession of literary attainments and an energy which bid fair to place him in the front rank of the legal profession.

Charles Blanchard, editor, Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana: Historical and Biographical (Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., 1884), 384.

Wedding Bells

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Sunday, immediately after the morning service, at the parsonage, Rev. Middleton united in marriage Mr. W. B. Schwartz, the well known young attorney, to Miss Victoria Wheeler, daughter of A. B. Wheeler, Esq. So quiet had the matter been kept that but few if any at all of their friends knew that the event would take place. The young couple, however, have the best wishes of a large circle friends, who extend their congratulations and wish them a long and prosperous life. Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz are housekeeping on east Church street, near the Catholic church.

“Individualities,” The Democrat (Brazil, Indiana), 20 May 1886, p. 1, col. 3; digital image, Newspaper Archives (http://www.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 12 January 2014).

Schwartz, William & Victoria Wheeler - Marriage, 1886

Image via Family Search

“Indiana Marriages, 1811-1959,” database and images, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 15 January 2014), William B. Schartz and Victoria Wheeler, 1886; citing Clay County, Indiana, Marriages (1883-1887) v. 6: 418.