O-Hair, Bascom - Blanche
Source: Brazil Daily Times Thu 11 Jan 1912 p 1
In the Circuit Court at Greencastle this morning, ex-Governor Frank Hanly, acting as attorney for the defendant, filed petition for a change of venue from Putnam County in the divorce case of Bascom O’Hair vs. his wife. The petition of Mr. Hanly recited that because of undue influence present in Putnam County a change of venue would be only fair to his fair client. Judge Hughes granted the case and sent it to Clay County for trial. O’Hair is a wealthy capitalist and retired farmer, being also a director in one of the big banks of Greencastle of which is brother is president. The O’Hair family is one of the most prominent and wealthy in Putnam County. It is known that as soon as the case is filed here that Mrs. O’Hair will file a cross bill first asking an allowance, alleging that she has a son by a former marriage who is at the point of death and that she is without means of support and second, a divorce for herself together with heavy alimony. Mr. O’Hair filed his suit for divorce last Saturday at Greencastle, alleging that his wife was very extravagant; made continual demands for money which drained his resources; that when he remonstrated with her for her extravagance that she grew furiously angry. He charges that recently when he made a big real estate deal Mrs. O’Hair refused to sign the deed until her husband paid her $1,000. He further charged that she would rifle his pockets while he was asleep and would take therefrom money and checks of considerable amounts; that recently she took from his pocket one check from a railroad company at Indianapolis, which check she brought to Brazil and had cashed at one of the Brazil banks. Mrs. O’Hair alleges that her husband is worth $125,000 and that she wants some of it.
Source: Brail Daily Times Wed 17 April 1912 p 1
Attorney J. Frank Hanly for Mrs. Blanche O’Hair this morning put Bascom O’Hair through a rigid cross examination in an effort to prove to the court that much of the money which O’Hair claims to have place on deposit for her at the bank for “pin money” was her own. Considerable questioning was done concerning the sale of a business block at Greencastle known as the McClean building. This was owned jointly by Mrs. O’Hair and Bascom each having about $6,000 in the building. When the building was sold, Mrs. O’Hair charges that Bascom kept her share of the money. Donald McClean was also on the stand in regard to this transaction. Bascom O’Hair on the stand yesterday testified that on one occasion Mrs. O’Hair struck him over the head so that he felt the effects of it for four days. He also said that she called him an old fool and a damn lair in the numerous controversies over Mrs. O’Hair’s children. Judge Rawley adjourned court at noon today until 8:30 o’clock tomorrow morning. Quite a number of Greencastle people were in the city this morning, called here by the trial.
Source: Brazil Times Mon 15 April 1912 p 1
After numerous cross complaints, motions and other legal steps, the sensational divorce suit of Bascom O’Hair, a wealthy land owner and bank director of Greencastle vs. Blanche O’Hair, finally came to trial this morning in the Clay Circuit court, the case attracting several witnesses from Greencastle. On account of the prominence of the people concerned the case is of great interest to the people of Putnam County and the newspapers of Greencastle have staff correspondents in the court room. Hon. J. Frank Hanly, former governor of Indiana is attorney for the defense, assisted by William Evans, his younger partner in an Indianapolis law firm. Bascom O’Hair is represented by BF Corwin and Silas Hays of Greencastle. O’Hair’s counsel sprang a surprise this morning by putting the defendant on the stand as the plaintiff’s witness. Several checks were introduced as evidence, which Mrs. O’Hair is alleged to have forged. Two of these were for $350.00 each, made payable to O’Hair through an Indianapolis bank by the Indianapolis Terminal Traction Co. Mrs. O’Hair admitted taking these out of her husband’s pocket and cashing one in the First National Bank at Greencastle. The other was brought to Brazil and cashed, but the check was stopped by O’Hair before it reached payment at Greencastle and Mrs. O’Hair paid the money back to the local bank. When asked what she did after she cashed the second check, Mrs. O’Hair replied that she went to her room where she knelt down and thanked God for sending her money with which to help her sick son. Dr. Dwight Goodwin. It is said of this son that he went through with a fortune of $350,000 and ruined his own health by fast living. She admitted forging her husband’s name to a ten dollar check which she sent to her grandson in Rockford Ill but entered a general denial to forging the other checks aggregating about $600.00 O’Hair was an old bachelor before marrying Mrs. O’Hair and is now about 70 years of age and is a fine looking old man. Mrs. O’Hair is a well dressed and nice appearing lady. It is said that Goodwin, one of Mrs. O’Hair’s former husbands left his wife and three sons each about $40,000 at his death and all, except one son, have just about gone thru with their fortunes.
Source: Brazil Times Tues 23 April 1912 p 4
After a week of strenuous legal battling in the courts, the attorneys for Bascom O’Hair the wealthy old banker of Greencastle in the divorce suit against his wife, Blanche, got together this morning with Judge Rawley and agreed on terms of a compromise, which appears fair to both sides. Bascom O’Hair was granted a divorce and paid the costs of the case, which run heavy. He agreed to give Mrs. O’Hair $5,000 in cash and alimony of $50 a month life time, secured by the Central Trust Company of Greencastle of which O’Hair is a heavy stock holder. O’Hair also pays her attorneys, J. Frank Hanly and Evans $1500 attorney fees, while Mrs. O’Hair agrees to turn over to Bascom, all his papers, books and personal belongings which are in her home at Greencastle. The beginning of the end came yesterday when J. Frank Hanly, counsel for the defendant, after the plaintiff had submitted the evidence, withdrew Mrs. O’Hair’s cross complaint asking for divorce and alimony for $30,000. It was supposed that the attorneys had agreed to a compromise at this time. While by the terms of the compromise may seem that O’Hair is paying out a great deal of money he is without direct heirs and has a fixed income of more than $5,000 a year and stock in the Central Trust Co that pays 18% a year. It was also shown in the evidence that O’Hair made considerable money in transacting deals with the property which he acquired from Mrs. O’Hair. Mrs. O’Hair had a building in Greencastle worth about $11,000 but mortgaged to McKeen of Terre Haute for about $6,000. While O’Hair was courting her, he bought this mortgage and after marriage she deeded him the property and he released the mortgage. Later he sold property to Mrs. O’Hair’s son for $11,000. He also took in some of her Indianapolis property on a similar deal, traded it for an orange grove in Florida then sold the orange grove at a big profit. O’Hair seems to have the faculty of making money on about everything he lays his hands on and is now past 70 years of age, so that the alimony will be little burden to him. The case attracted no little among of interest among the attorneys here on account of the legal battle. Hanly is a quiet, but shrewd lawyer and kept the opponent’s counsel on the alert at all times. A point of law would have arisen had not the case been settled that would have been interesting. According to old common law, when a woman marries the man who had a mortgage on her property the marriage pays the mortgage. This point would have attracted legal interest. The principals are well known in Putnam County and stand high socially.