Augusta A. Jeter seeks alimony from her violent and estranged husband, Richard Jeter. Her petition catalogues the "enormity, wantonness & brutality of his conduct" towards her, particularly his tactics of humiliation by which he "gratified his unreasonable love of domination." Richard forced her to go with him "to taverns & other places of public resort, wholly unsuited to the delicacy of female habits & female character." He made her "at his command rise up and sit down and perform other degrading and unnecessary acts of obedience." He has also beaten his wife, sometimes tying her up "like a slave," beating her with whips, clubs and other weapons. At times Richard "compelled his slaves to bind her, and inflict lashes upon her, like one of themselves." He has forced her to drink "nauseous and unhealthful potations," tied her up in the woods and left her there, and put her in "iron clogs and fetters, and kept her for days." At the time of their marriage, Richard received "a very handsome property," which he is now threatening to sell in order to leave the state. Augusta also asks that she be granted custody of her children and that guardians may be appointed to oversee their support and education.
Result: Partially granted; granted pro confesso.
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
