from The Republican (Danville, Indiana)—issue of Thursday, May 2, 1918—page 1, column 5:
HUSBAND AND WIFE FAIL TO HARMONIZE
Both File Suits That Do Not Agree At All
Ernest Burris and his wife, Myrtle, are far from agreeing over their relations as shown by complaints filed by each in court. He asks to have a guardian appointed for his wife alleging that she is improvident and a spendthrift. She asks for a divorce, alleging that he has squandered her inheritance, has been guilty of cruelty and has failed to provide.
His suit that a guardian be appointed for her was filed April 25. He alleges that they are living together in North Salem, that she is about to receive an inheritance of $4,000 and that she is incapable of managing her estate and has already wasted about $4,000 and that a guardian be appointed for her.
Her suit was filed April 27. She alleges they were married in 1913 and separated April 23. She alleges cruel and inhuman treatment, that he called her vile names, that he kicked her, that once he threw an iron at her, that he compelled her to do what he wanted with her property, that she owned 50acres of land worth $4,500, that he abused her until she sold the property, that he signed checks without authority, that she paid his debts until her means were gone, that she has paid a large part of their living expenses, that to humiliate her, he asked that a guardian be appointed for her and that the money instead of being spent by her was paid for him, that she has been compelled to work for a living, that she will soon receive some money from her mother's estate, that he has harassed her about it and abused her and that on April 23, he threatened to take her by the hair and drag her to her home. She asks for a divorce and that her name be changed to Myrtle Blaydes. In a second paragraph, she asks for a divorce, alleging failure to provide.