A Devilish Divorce

Krampus Valentine Card
Not exactly the same, but I thought it was a
 fun visual for this post!

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share a story of love gone wrong...with an occult twist! The following story out of Illinois was found in the September 14, 1909 edition of the Bluefield Evening Reader. 

MAN MAKES WIFE WORSHIP HIM

Chicago, Sept. 14---Dressing in a robe of flaming red, with black trimmings, to represent himself as the Prince of the Region of Brimstone and Sulfur, burning incense and making weird noises to frighten his wife, were acts ascribed to Andrew Blaes in a bill for divorce filed by Mrs. Blaes. The husband owns $150,000 worth of property and lives at the Glenview Golf Club.

While Mrs. Blaes and her husband have lived in the same house nine years, it is asserted that they have occupied separate apartments.

"About eight or nine years ago," says Mrs. Blaes in her bill, "my husband took up the study of hypntism [sic] and occultism, and has conducted many experiments in our home. Frequently he has burned incense, and the odor has permeated my room and has sickened me. The more I complained the more was burned.

"On one occasion recently he dressed up in flaming red with some black trimmings to represent the devil. This was done late at night after we had all gone to bed.

"Then he made weird and uncanny noises in the kitchen. I was ill in bed, but got up to investigate. The sight of my husband dressed in this queer garb frightened me and I ran out of the house clad only in my night robe. He followed me making unearthly noises."

Bluefield (West Virginia) Evening Reader
14 September 1909