The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-02-04 00:00:00

BRIDPORT.
C kVTAIN EDWARDS'S DIVORCE.

evo Friday sod Saturday Fiat via heard Use petition
of Captain Henry Ssonders Edwards, of BrWport, for •
diroree from his wife (whom he married but lived
.41), oo the oand of her adultery with Mr. Theribeld,
• farnuir, formerly of Norfolk, but who is now living in
Surrey with her.. his wife, and by whom she Ina bad
several children.

The Q teen's advneste and Mr. Clarkson sppsared for
'he potittocer ; Dr. Spinks, Q C.. sad Dr. Trtstrsin for
the respondeot. Tbe co-resoondent Theobald did not
%mew. The insporolent plesdsd &denial of the °herrn,
and °barged the p-titioner with desertion and wilful
separation sn4 adults ry
. . .

The Queen's Advoette said the petitioner, Henry
Aaender. Eiwards, is the son of a soil and canvas maker
at Bridport. When he was about 19 or 20 years of age
he came to London on a visit to bie uncle, the father of
the rennin, lent. The petitioner and the respondent be.
came intimate, and is is alleged that she educed hint.
Her father then instated that the petitioner should marry
ber, although he did not sanest him to keep her. The
petitioner objected to the proposal, and said that if he
we compelled to marry her he would not live with her.
At length, however. the importunities of the uncle pee.
coiled, and the m.rriage ttek place in Loadon, but there
was no sahsegneet eohabitation between the lima:end
and wife, and he Immediately enlisted in • eavalry
mammas. in white he served for about 18 month., whim
his father purchased his diadems.. He has since need
with his father at Brie'port, meeting him in his business.
The respondent was delivered of a child •bout • month
after the marriage. It appeared that she aftere•rds
g.ined her livelthood by teaching, and in 1819 and 1850
ire had. situ ition a. • (ovens sin Norfolk. She there
made the acquaintance of a farmer in the neighb
hood, named Theobeld. Her mistress discovered that
she was earning on an improper intercourse with Tn.°.
held, and dismissed ber. she after...rdn obtained a
situation ati governess at Bridp-rt, bet her husband did
not visit her or hold any communication with her, and
she lost her intuition and became chargeable to the
pariah. Her husband's father then made her an allow-
ance of Bs. a week. In 1853 she dimppeered from
Flridport, end her hatband and his family sear no more
of her, and were unable to discover what had become of
her, es her family refused to give any information &bout
her, until a short time before this suit wan institutel.
She was then traced to bodatming, where she was found
to be living with Theobeld as his wife. The inquiries
appeared td have been ret on foot in con.equence of the
petitioner having become engaged to be married to a lady
of some property at Bridport.
The mama". having been formally proved.
The petitioner's father ••• called, and he stated the
cinutustantes under which his son went to L +ado°, and
the negoeiations which had taken place between him
and his brother on the subject. as detailed in the opening
statement He proceeded: The respondent came to
Bridport in the early part of 1851. I heel met my
brother in London shortly before she came down to
Bridport. All the ooneenatitio that pawed between no
we, that I told him th•und.ratanding was, that be was
to keep his daughter, but be did not say whether he
would or no. When respondent came down to Bridport,
my @Go was unite age, siviut 19 or 20, and she was
probably about 28. She then obtained • situation as
'oversee. with Mrs. Samson, after living in lodgings for
shout three months. My son at that time had no menu,
of his own. I was then in poor ciroatestanees. Ti,.
respondent Wt the aituation in two or three months.
For some months she was in Bndport without any
tecupetion. After she Wt Find port I could not ascertain
her whereabouts, till jest before commencing that pro-
ceedings. I allowed Mmes. a wolic daring tin time she
wAs out of a situation., .

Crn',d:lkeow nothing Mont my son being
enraged to • luiy ii Brhiport.
By his Lordship : I saprose I may say that there is
something on the Capis—(laughts-r).
By Dr. Smoke: Was not &won that hisses was going
to he owned to • lady, though he knew he had been
soassointei with oos for 18 month, past. Did not know
that this lady hai • fortune. Pinhole she might be •
widow, and might have • very nice fortune—(longhter).
The very risy Ms son was din-barged from the 14th Light
Dragoons, he returned to Rsidport with him. He never
had any enoverntion with his son oftersends shout his
wife, Was never told by him ha hod any desire to live
with his wife. Witness never held any ennvercation
with his son .but either bie wife or ehild aftsr she
came to live at Brirlport. He knew his brother come
down to Bridport with his son's wife and child, but be
was so disgusted with his conduct that he refused to 41141
him or his daughter. Resnondeat lived for three
months, whilst she was at Bridport, with winters'
brother-in•law ; be would not swear that Isis son never
vi-ited her during the when of her residence them. his
impreesion was that he did not. He did not believe his
son ever kieked her ohil 1 out of his way on the pavement
when she had it down before him. He believed that as
the child oriel so terribly whenever the money wassailed
for on Saturday, she did all she could to prejudice the
child &anon them. He remonstrated shout the child
enseming so mach, sad said he would rather take chores
of the ehild himself. The Board of Gnordiens ordered
on
&Boston.c to be made of 6s. • week, which he (wit-
ness.) thought they had co right to do. He had daughters
and he was proud of them--(lenghter). [Dr. !Minks
produced some letters, which witness said were in his
son'• hand wrtinf.
Re-egiunined: Our impression was that the respondent
hol died, for nothing had been heard of her for 15
years, though attempt. hod been made to di.cover her
whermbouts. bier father declined to give as soy in.
forrostiro. His son told him, when she cum to Brid.
port, that she wts running shout with young men in
the town, and he never would live with her.
The Qman's Advocate pat in some kits m He said,
one in 1848 Mean, "My ever dearest Lucinda,—You
use time Aies very swiftly ; we are already in August,
and I hope before that time we shall be together. Time
soma slips away, dearest, ke." He found another letter,
dated LA September, 1848, in which the petitioner
referred to a disappointment respecting • treasury
appointment. This was to show that alter MI the
husband had an 'amnion for his wife.
Wiiool4 than said be was at Mai tins trying to get
his sou an appointment, but failed.
Ann. Maria Edwards, stoker to petitioner, said she
went to her uncle's house at Hockney, at the end of
August, 180. aw her brother's wife there, and hail
some conversation with her. Heard no complaint made
about the conluot of her brother.
Cron-examined : Visited an aunt in Portmanenttare,
and saw her brother's wife there in April. 11148. Did
not see her when she same to Bridport Knew ins was
at her aunt's, but did not see ber while there. The
future wife of her brother had been visiting her, and
she knew her very well.
Louisa Warned, said elle lived at North Wolohan,
near Norwich. Rath Belleards some to bar • little
before 1849, and left the and of 1850. Dismissed her ;
her general siondact was not good. Knew of no Nem—
cialy saspielocis.
J odith Gillans, servant to last wliums, in 1849 or
lab% said she knew Theoloald by eight. Saw Yes.
Edwards dress in the eemant's clothes and yo out alter
10 at night to meat Mir. Theobald. She nowt to enter the
house bivtin window on her gatoro. Did so severalV enn Anna es. Th. 0614 visit her dor* Mr..
Wormer' obsenoe. fitood outside the window on the
lawn and saw them 171af down On the Iceorlisrrns in the
dialike-reoca. Il4v niteM44 eons 0M Olt
*Now who Igo. Womis powesd.

Crom-egamined : Thu window was about the height
of her waist Irons the ground. Was Mime moilentally.
Witness never followed or wheat she went out at
eight. Mrs. Edwards habitually went out at tea
nereery window. She went out semral times et eight,
sod let Weigel le at the windcw.
Susannah Dart mid she lived at Norwich with kr.
and Mrs. 801111.1,1, in 1852 or 1863, ealhl about 1861.
Mrs. Beeward was moan, d of Eire, while rho
WU
there. et hlelli-li, in Norfolk. Mr. and Un.
er.ward timed under the name of llisobald, at Yale-
boom. . . .

Miry Ann Adcock said she entered lin. Seawarrl's
Novo» in 1852, they weed as man eud wife while it.
was there.
Sandi &widen, of Bridport, deposed thrt Ruth
Edwards lodged in her hoses eight months, in 1861, na4
Mier three months eh. discovered that she er.4 in the
family way. The respondent correepooded with
George Theobald whilst in her house, and he had Matted
her more than awe.
This closed the ems for the petit Miser.
Dr. Spinhs then milled the following witnesses osi
behalf of the respondent.
Emma Newbery said she knew Capt. Henry Sounder.
Edwards when she worked at the warehoane Figur eight
or nine years ego. She sever spoke to hies aft.r she
gave birth to twins by hinr(lauentei). They wine
mill.born. He never.i•ve her any annoy. Ilats Wadi
conened at • house called the Grove, kept by •
lirrangeoe. She was tit ad, as was am Mrs. Hind, the
midwife, who attended her.
In oross.ezamin.tion she stated thLt she did not
recollect where the intimacy took plasm between hap
and Mr. Edgar's.
On being premed by the learned jades, she mil it
warn in a geld. The laid wee called Ilary•hridge. 8.
did not recollect it at the moment.. She had had other
children since.
itey Wheatley said she was engaged in the twin.
work at Bridport. She mu acquainted with the
petitioner, as she lived opposite to him. She hed
110.4.11 to him in the street. 811 e lived with ber
mother. Si. had not seen the petitioner for twelve
months. She denied having Mated to • Mrs. Jones and
the respondent's father that she had visited plaises of
.4,•••Dielm with the petitioner, and that he had been
intimate with her. She never woe anywhere with the
piiitioner in her life.
Elisabeth Battlett said she lived at Brilport, and
knew the petitioner. iihe had known him by seeing
his at the warehowe for about two years. Ho never
bad any impcoper intiatcy with her. She nester told
anyone that be had. She nee. r knew anything of
MY until eh* was mibpmemd • few days sew
Sir J. P. Nrilde : That is sonnet extraordiaary way ell
condactine • on.. The ether witness said the mtge.
and yet the regrow:lent has this charge of winituy
with them in her same..

Witness went on to 'tote thal she wet taloa to ttme
Aloe of the reivondeoVe wolioitor the previous' day, tab
wee &eked whotiser phs hed elated that the psh.tioser
h•d rained her • when she noised that he hod riot.

_
shod• Hockey. a milliner, had Insure Captain
Edward. (the Petitioner was filler of volunteers)•
from a child. He had net witswes last year, and wired.
her to execute some work which he wished alum done.
Wine., sent that work boom by one of her ever...time
Did not take it herself, for she bad heard seandol, and
the wished to walk so that the wicked people who
lived in dr. town might not be *els to prove •nything
argainat her. Ihe scandal was not that C•ptein ler wards
hod kept her—it was merely that he had been wen
talking to her in the stied., in 1 she was anxious to
give no further omission for pulp. The witness, who
pee her selleme with ansesing volebilily, &ppm:ad to
be excessively indignant as having been brought to
town and plated in the box.
Mr. Bereeford Jones sided that be was alert ta the
rewpondent's solaitors, ml outdoor' the wits., Mary
Wheatley the previous day. but ooul4 not recollect what
she said, as he had examined several witness', that
day. H.ci prepared the "proof." for counsel, bat bad
done it partly from the iraswers of the Idioms... and
• partly from inetrootions from Bridport.—(4 loath).
I Dr. Spirits: Then what I stated in crow-examining
the witoes.—that she had told you she had been to
places of autamment with the peatioaer—wee not the
; eau.
Mr. Jones ; It we" got.
The Judge Ordinary thought it a pity Mr. Jou.—
who, to his honour heft said. had confessed the truth in
the bar —.herald not have interfered sootier and pre-
vented the learned coattail from croa-ezmainiog the,
girls ae ii they had been perjoriag themselves.
Mr. name+ Edwards, the father of the regraded,
was then called, and denied that he bad ever +weed to
maintain him daughter after her rowriage. Whew the
petitioner come to town devious to ri• menage be
ii d not reside in witneee's bogie. He left the home
'be day or the marriage, and witness lost eight of hire
for a fortnight. On finding him he upbraided him for
not itoming to stay with his wife, when he slowed
himself from doing so from the state of his health. The
next het heard of bin' was that be had enlisted in the
14th Light Drauous. After the child wall born withers
took his daughter to Maidstone, where they saw the
petitioner. After the petitioner left the army there wos •
an arronsainent mad that for a time the respondent
should lire with witness and the petitioner with his
father. In 1850 he took the respondent and her child
to lkidpurt, bat the petitioner's father would not
receive them. They did not tree the pertiogier. He
then planed his daughter with an uncle of the pwitioner
at Bridport Toe respondent was in Bridged over two
years. When she left witness did not know for • con.
aiderstile time where she was.
In cross-examination the witness stated that he did
not Uwee ill• pet !loner to merry hi. daughter. Did
not threaten to .hoot the petitioner if he did not rgerry •
her. The inarri.g, was quit. 11010131117 OO bin hart
The earths did OM 'operate as lb. *hares door. They
"awe home to hi. hues and diced there. The petitioner
left in the evening. The petitioner rid that if
tionspellei to marry the respondent he would enlist in the
• rug. He had certificates of Imptc 11, to p-ore that at the
time of their marriage the petitioner wan only fur
months under 21, and his daughter three moths over, me
there was only • differ/owe of seven month. in their
.g.s. At the time he found her living at Norwich he
did not ne a man named Theobeid there, bot she was
li.int theie under the name of Seaman of Thenbald, he
did know which. Some time nom he met his brother
sad one of his daughters in King Willians-street,
Loudon, when he 'eked where du was. and
wherher she was alive or deed. He said dm was living;
but he would not tell hist where she woo.
Re-examined : That was the only time since his
daughter left Seaport that he had been asked where
his daughter had gone.
Mary Hall said she remembered going to liaid.tone
with the respondent, her father and her elite!, sad hoeing
an interview with the petitioner end the Coloul, ho asked
him if the respondent woe his wife and the child his,
and he replied in the aMinativo. Through the isdoesios
of the Colonel he was discharged. When be was
married, he did not go away at the church doors, ben
returned and dined with his father-in-law, and remained
1.. the evening.
There was no other evidence, and the saes was ed-
jonrned till next day.
On Saturday morning the cam was resumed.
Dr. Spinke QC., addremed the court on behalf of
the respondent. He contended Bid the evader''s din.
elmed an intention on the part of the petitioner to
deport his wife from tbe very oomenenoement of him
married life. When he enlisted into the Dragoons la
mut bane taken an oath that be was noti. married man
•nd he wee nploraided for having done no by the endue(
of the regiment. From the comnaneement he had
shown a total disregard for bis wife which was quite
unjustifiable, while on the pert of the wife there was
every possible kindness shown, and every effort mode by
letters aid otherwise to induce him to emu and live
with her. When the rap nrisot went to Bridport in
1850, to inane, her heel:rend to live with her, there was
no
socjicsion epos her character, but 401 he ooeld not
seen groused to see her. No doubt, finding kende
deserted by her husband and his family, she may have
walked out with a gentleman, but who was to blame
for that? Certainly the bookend who persisted in re-
maining apart front his wife whom he had Bworn to
protest. But all this took dam in 1850 or 1851, and
when this court we. established, in 18.58, the petitioner
bad his remedy. but he never sought for it. Tim
reowndeot hod then left Bridport for some fin years,
but the Petitioner never erased to have inquired after
her, nor did bed. so until some 18 months ego, whoa,
• beim about to be married to • nob lade, he thought
;it worth his while to make inq•iries about her. Under
these circumstancee be hoped the court would pot eon.
eider tie petitioner entitled to the remedy be sought.
• In regard to the charge of adoliery against the yeti-
taller, he admitted that it bad in some respects failed,.
• and he agreed with the observations the mart had wade
in regard to the manner the evidence in reaped of that
chute had been got up. Still there was the pontive
, evidence of one female that she had had twins by tho
petitioner, end if the court believed the evidence, there
I was no doubter to the petitioner's adultery.
Tbe Queen's daemon, followed on the the part of the
petitiome He onoteroded that the letters the petitiocier
had written to his wife after their monies. elearly
showed that there was no intention whatever ea hie
part of deserting her. All these let en di.played the
greatod possible good feeling and love towards the
respondent, and they all erprewed the deepest
that their pecuniary eireematartees were such a=
they meld not live together.
The Judge Ordinary said there mold be no doltbll is
to the guilt of the respondent. As retarded the allega-
tion that the petitimer had wilfully separated himself
from his wife without reaeonable excuse, his lordship.
said it wu quite dear 'hat no one It'd ever expected or
dmired that the young couple—whole manage bed
been brought about by the seduction of the respondent,
mid who had no means whatever to live upon—
should in the first instance cohabit. It was
also plain that a similar at.te of thinp existed
&Per tne young tnon (who had enlisted) had ob-
t.ined his dtselmrge from the army. Judging, theater*
as well am mold be dons from the 'video*. (sad the
state of the law, which forbade the parties from them.
selves giving evidence, was much to be regretted), the
court Gould not ay that the charge of dewertioe wee
made out. As to the rionotercharge of adultery, the smut
amid not but express in the strongest terms its seam of
Use seandalons manner in which that portion of the
defence had been got irp. To bring op • number of
young women from a town in Dor...Whirs who foe all
• that appeared were leading decent and virtuous lime
and then to ask them, in UAW at lbOkr Pr"ri." "Bid
• and protest, • number of question. involvieg en
imputation upon their cbmtity, was a most sowaalona
I abuse of the proems of the ceurt. It was the fiat time
rah • thing had been done sine' he (Sir J. Wilde)
occupied his present posit en.; sod he hoped it would
• be the last. Certain it was that if it was repeated he
I .b,.uld visit all the perties mooerned in it with
ry penalty that the law gave him power to Indict.
As to the cam in which one woman had Meted
I that the petitioner had committed adultery with her,
; he
ulimrp...cogduld:amoords.lyasaloy that
erarte • more scandalous
ho
had
tneverh e
smnalleet taint
; span ci, shore/ter, so far as the eviliteee want; and
- then must be • decree snef, with the farther prodigies
that no portion of the meta incurred by bringing the
r young women from hkidport should he thrown upon
. the petitioner.

PUNT= sad Pahbehed for the Proprietors, ci ty.ic
city.h..tme, Dorchester. by Putnam Our.
POO% al the Perish of lerdiagtoc, a lb, oissty
pow..
Tool* Yoksory 4, us,

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