The Contra Costa Gazette Martinez, Contra Costa County, California Saturday, 30 October 1875 ************************************ MARRIED - NEEDLES-REYNOLDS - In San Francisco, October 23, by the Rev. Dr. Scott; A.P. NEEDLES, Esq., Attorney at Law, and Mrs. Mary REYNOLDS, both of San Francisco. MARRIED - KINCAID-WARE - In Pacheco, Sunday evening, Oct. 24th, by Rev. E.B. Tuthill; H.B.M. KINCAID and Miss Mollie WARE. FRIENDLY SERVICE REWARDED - John FITZMORE, finding himself with some leisure time on his hands last Saturday, thought he would expend it in calling on his friends, among the best of whom he reckons District Attorney MILLS, and upon whom he never neglects calling in like moments of leisure. To his great disappointment, as he says, he did not find Mr. MILLS at home, but finding a ham, that he feared might be lost if not taken care of, he placed it in a sack and took it with him to one of the saloons in town, where he proposed to leave it in care of the barkeeper on receipt of a bottle of whisky. On removal from the sack, the unopened ham was found conspicuously marked H. MILLS, and the circumstance led to a little inquiry conducted before Justice Ford, that resulted in a sentence of 10 days for Mr. FITZMORE in the county jail. A HELPING HAND - Peter G. LOUCKS, whose house near Pacheco was destroyed by fire, together with all the family apparel and household effects, a few weeks since, is preparing to rebuild, and we are glad to hear that a movement is on foot to aid his effort by a social donation party to be held on Friday evening next at the Odd Fellows Hall, Pacheco, and we trust it will be attended with substantial results. Many friends at a distance who will not be able to attend the party will be glad to signify their approbation of the movement and contribute their mite to the rebuilding of a family shelter and home, by the purchase of a ticket for the social, if the opportunity is given them. THE SHIMMINS CASE - The difficulties of the SHIMMINS family, that is, of Mr.&Mrs. Charles SHIMMINS, who constitute the family, have occupied the attention of the Court in San Francisco, to some extent during the past year and furnished a good deal of food for lovers of scandal. The parties, Charles and Maria L. SHIMMINS were counted, for 15 years or more, among the most substantial and prosperous of the residents of San Pablo. Some 5 or 6 years ago they felt themselves able to indulge in the recreation of a European visit, and up to that time we think they must have lived harmoniously together, though it now appears that the bonds of legal marriage had not until subsequently united them. After their return from the European visit, and after they had entered into legal marriage relations, he, as has appeared in evidence, became jealous of her intimacy with the parish priest at San Pablo, and under the influence of such feelings treated her so badly that she resorted to a suit for divorce for crue l tre atment, and he filed a cross bill for divorce, on charge of her adultery. The case was tried some time since and the jury found him guilty on her charges of extreme cruelty and acquitted her of the alleged adultery, the finding entitling her, of course, to the divorce. The question of the division of property being still undetermined, Judge Morrison of the 4th District Court, where it is pending, intimated the other day that, in equity, it should all be awarded to Mrs. SHIMMINS, as the original investment was chiefly from her earnings, but as it had been acquired when no legal bond of marriage existed between the parties he doubted his right to so award it; at the same time he expressed his belief that the law would authorize his making an equal division of property to them, consisting of a portion of the San Pablo Rancho, in this county. From the remarks of Judge Morrison upon the case, we quote the following concerning the domestic relations of the parties: This is a very extraordinary case in many ways, but I have long since determined what I would do with it, provided I had the power to follow the bent of my inclination. These parties went through the ceremony of marriage in 1852. At that time plaintiff had a husband living, and Mr. SHIMMINS knew it, and at the same time, Mr. SHIMMINS had a wife living, but Mrs. SHIMMINS didnt know it. They lived together as husband and wife, accumulating by means of their joint industry and labor, a considerable amount of property, worth over $30,000, and which may be worth, as some of the witnesses testified, upon a settlement of some conflicting title, $60,000 or more. They lived together in this manner until 1870, both knowing that they were not lawfully married, but holding themselves up to the public as husband and wife. Mrs. SHIMMINS, early after their marriage, commenced keeping a boarding house here, doing all the work herself; was the mainstay of their prosperity; furnished the mon ey wi th which Mr. SHIMMINIS succeeded in accumulating property. They lived in this way until 1870, when the disabilities previously existing to a lawful marriage having been removed, they were lawfully married. Nearly all of their property was acquired anterior to their lawful marriage, during the existence of their meretricious union. *************************************** GRAND JURY - The following are the Grand Jury, for the Nov. Term of the County Court, to appear Monday, Nov. 1st, 1875: Augustus DERISIA Warren BROWN Leonard EDDY John FITZGERALD Patrick CLASBY Wm. BUCHANAN M. GREGORY Thomas STURGIS D.W. McPHERSON H. KNIGHT J. BLAMIRE Wm. HAMMOND B. FRANCWAY W.M. THOMAS John SAMUELS Jacob RHINE Oscar SMITH John NICHOL W.L. HUSTON B.R. HOLLIDAY D. GINNAN TRIAL JURORS - The following are the Trial Jurors for the November Term of the County Court, summoned to appear on Thursday, Nov. 4th, 1875, at 10 oclock a.m.: Evan THOMAS Lancelot EVANS J. McCABE Peter HANSON R.S. STRANAHAN Henry BLUME Geo. H. BARRETT John KAVANAUGH Wm. RICE Henry BROWN Wm. SHUEY S.J. HALL T.J. CRANDAL A.J. BOLINGER Wm. BAUMAN D.O. BROWN Wm. SHAFER Wm. R. JONES T. DOWNING John CHRISMAN Erustus FORD T.Z. WITTEN Transcribed by Dee Sardoch To see more old newspapers, visit www.newspaperabstracts.com/