Bowditch v. Bowditch

This is a petition for guardianship of the estate in this Commonwealth of the respondent as a spendthrift. The petitioner alleges that she is the wife of the respondent; and that by excessive drinking, gaming, and idleness he so spends, wastes and lessens his estate as to expose his family to want and suffering, and also thereby exposes the “town of Newton” to expense for her and their support. See G. L. (Ter. Ed.) c. 201, § 8; Dexter v. Dexter, 283 Mass. 327. The respondent filed a plea in abatement as follows: “Now comes William I. Bowditch and says that on the eighth day of November, 1940,…