| Abstrakt: |
In October 1881, the Dane County Court dissolved the marriage of Anna and George Ott based on the diagnosis of Anna's insanity, determining that George had neither caused nor contributed to her insanity. Late one cold and windy December night in 1858, Madison physician Dr. Anna B. Ott sought refuge at the home of a neighbor. Once again, Anna alleged that George beat her and George alleged that it was all in self-defense against Anna's "unreasonable" behaviors. Circuit court officials likely gave some credence to Anna's claims, for the judge ordered George to pay Anna's legal costs so that she could "carry on this action."10 For reasons unstated, in February Anna dropped the divorce case and moved back into the home on East Wilson Street with George. [Extracted from the article] |
