The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-05-02 00:00:00

REMARKABLE DIVORCE SUIT.

In the Divorce Division of the High Court of Justice,
Friday afternoon, Sir James Hannan sad • speetal jury
had before them the extraordinary cause of Wiltshire e.
Wilshire, which was the petition of the wife for •
dissolution of her =Mae on the ground of her husband's
adultery and cruelty. The respondent Sled an answer
denying the charges, and alleging that his wife had con-
duce:l to the adultery (if any) by wilfully absenting
herself from his society, and that the had provoked him
to the cruelty, if any.—Mr. F. A. Inderwick, Q.C., and
Dr. Tristram were the counsel for the petitioner, and
there was no appearance on the part of the respondent.
Mr. Indarwick, Q.C., in opening the can to the jury, said
that it was about the worst that had ever been before this
Court The petitioner, Mrs. Rmma Sophia Wilshire, was
the daughter of a Mr. and Mrs. Marshall, both of whom
were persons of high connutiona. The petitioner had some
little money, and in certain contingencies would be
entitled to more. The respondent is the son of a well-to-
do forme residing at Uxbridge, and was)) years of age.
and far his time of life he had probably gone through as
much as moat men. In August, 1873, Mrs. M the
mother of the petitioner, was visiting at Boulogne Lb •
=liter who was going to be married to Captain Dash-
They there became acquainted with the respondent
who was a man of gentlemanly appearance and good
manners, and represented himself to be well connected,
and stated that his father had been a colonel in the 18th
Humus. A lady who represented herself as a sister of the
respondent, and stated that she was a wife of • Captain
Rom was also at Boulogne, and got acquainted with
Mrs. Wiltshire stated that he was going with
some aristocratic friends up the Rhine, and as the pet.
timer was then a school-girl at Coblents, Mrs. Marshall
entrusted him with some little presents and gloves for her.
Hs wont to the school, and from that circumstance an
intimacy sprung up. When the petitioner returned to
London the respondent visited at the house, and they
after • Urn. (with the sanction of Mrs. Marshall) becalm
engagaid. That, lady, however, made inquiries as
to the respondent, which did not turn out satisfactory
sad e,..• forbade the e•Pdement tobeCZed any
further. The potitiottar, however, • that
bar lover had been traduced, and being very fond of him
she consented to • clandestine marriage, which was
mforewed at Bt. Karylebons Church on the fah of July,
Wt. Afterwards they resided at Ford's Hotel and on
the OmUnent, It afterwards turned out that in 1861
the respondent had married • young lady of some Id or
17 years of age, and, after living with her for two or three
he deserted her. Afterwards he went to the Isle
of and went swaggering about stating that he was
a relation of the Duke of Grantley's. He persuaded a
young lady of position to marry him, and was tried for
biganiy at the Old Bailey, and, in awarding him •
*entices of fin years penal servitude, the learned
Recorder stated that it was one of the worst cases of
bigamy he ever heard. Notwithstanding that the pets-
timer became acquainted with thole facts, bung very
fond of her husband and he saying that be had been
divorced,
bred with him. He, however, soon got tired of
her, having hoard that ths money she would
have was • reversionary description. Ift used the
moat opprobloos ephithets to her, and had friends who
used to smoke sad ilrink and spit about the place. He
was also In the habit of bringing indecent photographs
home, and Waited on her seeing them, much to her
diarist On • cold February night he locked her out of
4••••• said • "lethal? was compelled to lend her clothing.
That sight she WM conipelled to sleep in a little box-room
that we. lathe house. In addition to this he told her
she did net like to stay with him she could go home,
or if nce go ea the streets. In addition to this he took a
public-home with anciMar man, and mom after turned her
rut, and installed two girls as the manarerme and the
barmaid. Whilst they were ia the bonae e respondent
was a frequent visitor, and was with one of them under
drcummtancos gudgastive Of WIS/091411/y. He ems down
to the mew with her, and was observed to kiss her.
Ers. igioshisa, ths petitioner, • person of very lady-like
corrotatod the maga( of the loaned conned WC_ of tassuaintancaship with hair husband.
d e
ZIA
s. t He tojtteler
pradlie, aid lad
'=leset per annai
he was a
. —The crillthe sister,ityta:eras earredweams
petitioner.
and
hirysrage found for the petitioner, and
thJames liiinere mentsd • decree MA for • divorce with
IsArrwlek. U.. said that it was satisfactory
reart!caithse cortisatais tweV by order of
. not be We Wendt W any of his
WWI IR WV*

iftuivAT's °amain sa• ?aut.—Dhows' et Wa,
scorrotersolato, esreiela er Wats evil. or
ea e me
tbe lowlensMoshirarg Masson So stWst"
trans le rob** mow* he trested with i
=ratand ortelittbarshassessiloriewsr" otat.at
which sat so as She twohtuts. ma
"se ify the blood. thaw see M ewe grow.
"OW beg tbh Velem. 'ad • liatias me abbot Thor
gm paw efficiacisaa in the oars
itiads.teaseses. bank
ill&gralibrana lialiZte."Tas
ar
d _asdkdaas oposis
sa wirdi. mei ida' by at...., sot
imuspersa ear. bat anapime aid pereassat.

The new Judicature Act was supposed to have
furnished litigants with a solution to the riddle
how to go to law, but to judge from a case
heard before the Queen's Bench the other day,
"the glorious uncertainty" as thoroughly per-
meates all legal proceedings as ever it did. One
firm sold another several -hundred tons of rice.
The agreement was it was to be shipped in
March. It was, however, really got on board
'by the end of February. When it arrived at its
destination the price of rice had fallen, and the
consignees seized upon the fact that it had been
shipped a couple of weeks prior to the specified
date to repudiate the bargain. An action was
accordingly brought against them for the amount,
and Mr. Justice Brett almost directed the jury
to find for the plaintiff, which they did. Then
the defendants, the buyers, appealed to the
Queen's Bench that judgment might be entered
for themselves, on the ground that the plaintiffs
could not recover in law. This was refused.
Than the defendants went to the Court of
Appeal, and that Court sent the case back to
the Queen's Bench to be re-considered ; and now
the Queen's Bench, ravening their former judg-
ment, in which they upheld 'kir. Justice Brett's
ruling for the plaintiffs, have decided the de-
fendants are entitled to the verdict. Thus we
have four hearings of one action, and almost the
highest Division of the Court of Justice upon
being told to re-consider a decision totally
reversing that which they first arrived at.

There are always to be found plenty of fuasey
individuals who, just for the sake of a little
self-glorification, will endeavour to present them-
selves to the world in the character of cham-
pions of the oppressed. They pursue this course
quite as Quixotically as the Hero of Cervantes,
but without that honest integrity of purpose
which distinguished the eccentric knight. No-
thing hardly gives them greater pleasure than
to present a purse of sovereigns to some notorious
old thief who has been reaping the just reward
of perverted ideas concerning melon and turn,
and in doing so to have their fling at better men
than themselves. While if they can only
cajole a tender-hearted Home Secretary into
remitting a sentence, and obtain the associa-
tion of their names with it in the Press,
the height of their ambition is reached.
John Cross, the Dorset labourer, was taken
from prison and placed by a gullible public in a
c:
e:lciLhouae. It was the old story of the
on horseback repeated. John soon
drank himself into the Union, and probably in-
wardly anathematises the fools who interfered
with him. A mischevious little wretch of a girl
was sent to a reformatory for stealing flowers.
Up jumps an army of sympathisers, and amid
vollies of abuse levelled at clerical magistrates,
the little martyr was released. Within a fort-
night she stole a neighbour's frock, and was again
sent to prison. A man had three months for
vagrancy. Forthwith a terrific howl this time
against stipendiaries. Man released, and it is
discovered there were 10 previous convictions
against him. Yet once again. A precocious
imp of eight was sent to a reformatory for five
years for putting stones on the Midland Rail-
way. Home Secretary Cross seta the captive
free. Result: Same little innocent amuses
himself by knocking down a bridge belonging
to the Highway Board at Alcester. Mother
unable to pay the damage ; consequently, the
child, instead of being sent to a good school,
has a fortnight's experience of the elevating
influences of gaol life.

If the Press of a country constitutes a fair
reflex of popular opinion—and this few we fancy
will dispute, Mr. Diaraeli's positive assertion
that his proposal to lacquer the English Crown
with German metal is desired by the Indian
Grandees seems somewhat astounding, when we
take the tone of the Indian Press upon the
matter.

The Tinges 0/ /wits designates the whole affair as
" • serious blunder." The /rimed of Adis says that
Mr. Disraeli" .lays into the heads of the alarmists
increases the .1 culty of a friendly understanding
with Russia in AS* end encourages all the enemies
of our rubs in India by seeming to reveal • conscious-
ness in the English Government that our hold of India
is feeble, and our position here one of great danger."
Native ossioss reminds the English Ministry that the
British Empire in India doer not rest en titles, nor
upon the strength of the rulers, "but upon the &Hee.
tion of the people, and the truatthre hive ia the good
intentions of their rulers." The India Pressiask
expresses its regret that the good impression made by
the recent royal visit should have been marred by a
step which is certain to produce dissatisfaction in the
minds of the native Princes. The Bombay Gazette
avows its belief that the injudicious conduct of the
Ministry will do a great deal of mischief in unsettling
men's minds and exciting vague hopes and fears.
Returning to the subject again and again, the last-
named journal is unable to conceal its scorn and indig-
nation at the action of the Cabinet, styling the bill
" a clumsy expedient," and asserting that it has had
the effect of summarily degrading the Queen's sub-
ject* in India to a position below the level of thaw in
England. The Genetic also remarks that "one great
evil of the introduction of Imperialism into India will
be the increase of the arrogant pretensions of Indian
officials, and the widening of the gulf that even now
separates them from all classes of the poople,
European and native. There is no estimating the
extent of mischief to which Mr. Disraeli's folly may

The Bath justices have suggested to the pro-
fessional gentlemen who practise in their court,
that they should pay them a similar mark of
respect to that which they offer County Court
judges, and appear before them in their robes.
The learned gentlemen have consented to this.
Morever the Magistrates' Clerk has offered,
further to add to the dignity of the Court by
appearing in a wig, subject only to the condi-
tion that the cost of the horse hair should not
come out of his pocket.

Sir Henry James onoe ungallantly alluded to
a few ladies who were opposing him in his
canvass of the Borough of Taunton as "persons
who having proved themselves social failures
wished to become political successes." The
realisation of this desire if it exists in the
feminine mind seems to be more distant than
ever.

_
The supporters of the Women's Disabilities Removal
Bill this year numbered exactly the sense as last year,
via. ~ 152 while the strength of the opposition to it
increased from 187 to 239 votes. It was known that •
strong effort was to be made to swell last year's small
makwity, and the endeavour has been successfuL
This hostile vote is the largest yet recorded against
the measure. In 1870 the Bill was carried on the
second res.:hug by 124 to 91, but rejected on the
motion for going into Committee by $ majority of 220
to 94; in 1.871 it was thrown out on the second reeding
by 220 to 151; in 1872 it was negatived on the second
reading by a majority of 232 to 143; and in 1873, the
last se wion of the Parlistrent summoned in 1868, it
was defeated on the second reading by 222 to 155.
Last year the supporters of the measure numbered
152, and its opponents 187; and on Wednesday 152
voted for awl 239 against it. Mr. John Bright this
year threw his broad-brim into the scale against the
women, thoush, on a previous occasion, when Mr.
John Stuart Mill introduced the measure, he voted in
Its favour. This year he made • powerful speech,
which is said to have carried • large number of
waverers with him. The result of a year's agitation
on the subject has therefore been, not to increaas the
number of supporters, but to considerably increase the
number of opponents of Mr. Forsyth 's

Members of the R.S.P.C.A. will be delightad to
learn the Prince of Wales has declined to witness a
ball-fight at Madrid. Does the Prince intend to with-
draw his patronage from Hurlingluun, or is it that in
comparison with the elephant fights and rhinocercas
ascounters in India a Spanish bull-fight would be
too tame an affair for Imperial Albert?

The old maids living in the suburbs of the
Metropolis are in a state of hysterical excitement,
consequent upon the poisoning of a large number of
pet dogs. One of those creatures—men—has written
to the Stastdard confessing himself the inhuman
murderer, but pleading as an excuse that he did it
with a view to benefit mankind, as the poor animals
consumed much good air that was intended for human
bangs. This is an original the scarcely appreciated
by the bereaved, )sena would not, however, object to
see it worked out to the bitter end, illenteted by the
peimoner being thrown into the Thames on the
that there would then be liglee MS for peue with
beans.

30nrott Conniti Express ' os. j eph Arch has been talking at Birmingham, and
giving his hearers a bit of his mind anent the Royal
• Titles Bill. Joseph is apt to get a little oft his head
TUZSDAY, MAT a. 1876. when he addresses a large audience. He told them
that if the Government could make an Empress, the
agricultural labourers could make the l'resident of a
NOTES OF THE WEEK. Republic. Of course there isn't much in this, but it
The Mayor of Birmingham is certainly a very goes to show what an idiotic blunder Benjamin's
sensible and fearless speaking man. His mess has proved to be. The title is not to be used in
England, but doubtlessly at our public dinners we
colleagues recently fined the proprietor of the
i shall find plenty of chairmen who will only be too
Miclland Hotel and endorsed his license for delighted
the
ed ty h
o have some little
with
nth theointrod.,
"first
allowing a number of commercials to platu in
game of chance for pennies. It was shown t toast in all assemblagestwaddle h
of Englishmen," &c. is
the proprietor was about to sell the hotel, and drunk. While on the other hand the Brumagem 'title
the endorsement would probably make a differ- invented for the express edification of Indian Princes,
ence of over£s,ooo in the purchase money to him, is regarded by them with disgust and contempt.
The Quarter Sessions were appealed to, and it Altogether, looking at the Slave Circulars, the
was arranged between counsel that the endorse- Vanguard business, the Mistletoe hnsh-np, and this
meat of the license should be cancelled. The last precious bit of legislation, we rather &ncy Con.
Mayor expressed the opinion that the sentence servative M.P.'s won't be in too great a hurry to meet
by the magistrates was not justified. then' constituents at the end of the Session.
ceased by charged was gambling in • licensed
house but the facts showed that the gambling
consisted in a few commercial travellers having
a game for penny stakes and he confessed it
appeared to him no more than when magistrates
played in their clubs a game of whist with
threepenny points. The endorsement was
wholly unnecessary.

Bozeman Poucz, Nonday.—Bef ore Mr. J. F. Hodges
(chairman) and Dr. Aldridge.

NICE LADS.
Three boys, Ewan Evans, Walter Honeybee, and Walter
Roberts, were charged with an offence too common to
young Dorchester—making use of profane language.
On 'Wednesday, the 19th ult., P.C. Gould was on duty
at Fordington Cross, about • quarter to nine in the even-
ing, and heard them cursing and swearing in a horrible
manner. The subject of their conversation was work,
and they expressed their opinion that any one who did
any work was a fool for his pains—they didn't put it
quite so politely—for what, they argued, would the world
be to them when they were dead.
Neither of them could say anything in their defence.
Mr. Symonds informed them the Bench if they chose
could send them for II days to prison.
The magistrates took a lenient view of the case, and
after a stutable admonition let them off on Paring the
expenses.
[lt's quite time a stop was put to this. The
made use of by the young blackguards of Dorchester er
would put to blush the fishermen of Meetings, who are
popularly supposed to be as addicted to the use of vulgar
expletives as most classes.]
Mr. T. P. Loa, of Corton, for leaving a horse and trap
with no one in charge for hall-an-hour in the High-street,
was fined Z 1 to include costa. He was told that had the
horse ran away and anyone been killed, he would have
had to take his trial for manslaughter.

SEICVANTOALIIIX.
Mary Biericha Murray, 20, of Cluirmouth, was charged
with steeling a Japanese silk dress, a blue striped skirt, •
braided petticoat, two chemises, two bodies, two pairs of
drawers, a red feather, and divers other articles not yet
recovered, the property of Dr. Robinson.
It would seem that the girl, who appeared younger than
her stated age, and cried a great dthl during the examina-
tion, had been in Dr. Robinson's service as nurse, having
entered it about the middle of last year. She left in
February, and after she was gone a large number of
articles were missed. She had always borne so good •
character when in Dorchester, that suspicion was not for
some time directed to her. Subsequently, however, as
nothing could be found of the articles in the quarters
suspected, hlm. Robinson wrote to the lady with whom
she bad gone to London to live giving a description of
the articles The result wee that • communiastio• was
received stating the girl had been wearing • Japanese
silk dress. _

iiptowaxd went to London on Friday with • search
warrant, and found the priioner at 101, Hount-stroet,
Grosvenor Square. He told her be had oome about some
missing from Dr. Robinson's, of Dorchester, and
stiiinten aced from her bedroom a quantity/ of the
append which had been missed. She said she was sorry
she had taken them, and she had written three letters to
Mrs. Robinson telling her of it, but she had not sent
them.

The Town Clerk remarked that the value of the goods
being over 55. teurisoner must plead guilty, or she would
have to go for '
Prisoner said the would plead guilty—she was very
sorry for having done it. She had no friends but a
stepmother, who resided at Charmouth.
Dr. Robinson said he should not have brought the case
forward, but as warning to others. During the time
prisoner was in his service she was well-conducted, and
performed all her duties satisfactorily. He asked the
bench to deal with the case as leniently as possible, as he
had no desire to prom for a heavy punishment.
The Town Clerk said she would by this offence have
lost her good character, which she would have to work
hard to regain.
The Chairman said it wee very painful to see a young
person who had had • good character, and who had been
well-conducted whilst in Dr. Robinson's service, in her
present position. It was • case of wholesale plundering;
It was not • small offence. He hoped that the punish-
ment she would receive would be a warning to her, and
that she would listen to the good advice which would be
given her there, and that when she came out of prison
she would and some kind friend who would take her by
the hand and enable her to lead • better course of life.
She was young yet, and would have plenty of time to
amend her cource of life Dr. Robinson was anxious
they should deal leniently with her, and she would be
sent to hard labour for one calendar month. She was
told she had rendered herself liable to six months' hard
labour, and that this conviction would be recorded against
her, and if she came up again on any similar charge she
would be liable to penal servitude.