Just curious, but what was so horrible about his wife?
Just curious, but what was so horrible about his wife?"
She was addicted to paregoric (a mixture of opium and alcohol) that turned her into a whining, complaining, B/witch, that had screaming, and fist flying fits at a drop of a hat at any time any place.
She would spend money as if it grew on trees, and if hubby had to talk to her she would make him pay for it in a number of ways. One example being that she would belittle him, and embarrass him in front of others for payback.
Mary Todd was definitely unstable, but 3 of her four sons died (at ages 3, 11 and 17 if I recall correctly) and her husband was assassinated while she was sitting next to him. Top that off with her only remaining son's attempt to have her declared insane, and you've got plenty of reasons for her to "have issues."