194 Iowa 828 | Iowa | 1922
I. "Plaintiff and defendant were married October 12, 1904, and Rave one son, George, who, at the time of the trial, was 11 years of age. The ground alleged for a divorce is cruel and inhuman treatment, such as to endanger the life of plaintiff. According' to the testimony of plaintiff, the trouble began on the night of their marriage, when she claims that the defendant brutally caused her to suffer an extensive vaginal laceration, which has since troubled her. She admitted that this act, which is denied by appellant, destroyed her love for him, and testified that, during the entire period of their married life, he has been abusive, calling her vile names and epithets; that he has been neglectful, and, for the last 6 or 8 years, has contributed nothing of a substantial nature to her support; that, upon one occasion, he struck and beat her over the head with his fist, inflicting very painful and serious injuries. Appellant admits that he slapped her a couple of times upon this occasion,
II. The court below awarded the custody of the minor- child to plaintiff, gave her their homestead, worth about $5,000, and judgment for $10,000 alimony. No particular complaint is made by appellant of the award of the homestead to appellee, but it is vigorously asserted in argument by counsel for him that the sum allowed as alimony is exorbitant and unreasonable.
Appellant is possessed of equities in considerable property of more or less doubtful value. He is indebted to many banks and individuals, which debt, in the aggregate, amounts to approximately $100,000. Appellee signed notes with him for a few thousand dollars, which, at the time of the trial, were unpaid. About 8 years before the.trial below, appellee inherited from her father’s estate a farm of 160 acres, incumbered by a mortgage of $6,500. One 80 of the farm was sold, and the proceeds applied to the payment of appellant’s indebtedness. She also loaned him various sums on different occasions, amounting, with the above, to $18,000 or $19,000. This, appellant subsequently paid, by the transfer of 190 shares of the capital stock of a Canadian corporation. The stock was fairly worth, at the time,- $19,000. Appellant retained a large number of shares of stock in the Canada corporation, all of which, at the time of the trial, was held by his creditors as collateral; but the value of the stock considerably exceeded the amount of indebtedness secured there
His financial embarrassment is probably temporary, and we are in no better position to fix the value of his various holdings than was the court below. He was himself unwilling to hazard an estimate as to the value of the Lehigh plant. Upon a careful consideration of all of the testimony, we reach the conclusion that the decree and judgment of the court below should be affirmed. It is, therefore, so ordered. — Affirmed.