Wife Biffed by Husband Wins Decree for Divorce

Camden Courier-Post – June 21, 1933

A husband who celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, 1932, by singing I’ll Give You Something to Remember Me By and handing his wife a swift left to the chin, lost a divorce action yesterday.

Charging extreme cruelty was Mrs. Minnie Alfred, of 444 Atlantic Avenue, Camden. Advisory Master in Chancery William J. Kraft recommended an absolute decree and the custody of her two children, Willard, 5, and Elwood, 2.

Alexander Alfred, the husband, lives at 244 Cedar Avenue. The couple were married June 30, 1923, by the Rev. E. A. Miller, in Camden. Mrs. Alfred said that the time of extreme cruelty began in October, 1930, and continued until March 18, 1932 when she was compelled to leave.

Mrs. Alfred said her husband often choked her, telling her over and over that he was going “to choke her to death.” In speaking of the St. Patrick’s Day altercation, she charged her husband “knocked her cold.”

Willard Appleton, the woman’s step-father, declared that a fight always followed any suggestion by Mrs. Alfred that her husband get up out of bed. Appleton also said that Alfred disliked any suggestion that he should go out and look for work.

Appleton told Kraft that the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred were “one fight after another” with the woman coming out the loser, black and blue marks all over her head, face and shoulders. The decision quickly followed.

Alfred did not contest.

Editor’s Note: The original article identified the last name as “Alford” which is incorrect. “Alfred” is the correct spelling.