The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-02-08 00:00:00

AN APPLICATION TO DISSOLVE A
MARRIAGE.

At the Divorce Court, in London. the cause of "Edwards
r. Edwards and Theobald," has been heard, and Was a
husband's petition for illasolution of marriage on the ground
of adultery. The respondent pleaded a denial of the charge,
and charged the petitioner with degertimi anal wilful separa-
tion and adultery. The petitioner. Henry Saunders Edwards,
la the son of a sail and canvas maker at Bridport. When he
was about nineteen or twenty years of age he came to London
on a visit to his uncle, the father of the respondent. The
petitioner and the respondent became intimate, and the re-
sult was that her father discovered that she was with child,
and Insisted that the petitioner should marry her, although
he did not expect him to keep her. The marriage took place
In London, but there was no subsequent cohabitation between
the husband and wife, and he immediately enlisted in •
cavalry regiment, in which he served for about eighteen
months, when his father purchased his discharge. lie has since
lived with his father at Bridport, enlisting him in his busi-
ness, and receiving a small salary. For the last seven or
eight years his salary has been £141) a year. The respondent
was delivered of a child about a month after the marriage.
It appeared that she afterwards gained her livelihood by
teaching, and in 1,0 and in IS.-,0 she hail a situation as
governess in Norfolk. She there made the acquaintance of
a farmer in the neighbourhood, named Theobald. Her
mistree discovered that she was carrying on an improper
intercourse with Theobalit, and dismiseed her. She after
wards obtained a situation as governess at, Eridport, Cut
ter husband mliii not visit her or hold any eimMainication
with her, and she lost her situation and became chargeable
to the parish. Her hesitant, father Met -made ter an allow-
ance of. se -a week, tin lust site di.appe,..4a-ornm Bridport,
and her lauaband and his family liaw no mote of her, end
were unable tp. discover what, had become, of her, as her
family refused to give any information shout her nutil ai
short time before this suit was instituted She was then
traced to Gotialming, where she was found to lie living with
Theobaki as his wife. The inquiries appeared to have been I
set on foot in consequence of the petitioner having become
engaged to be married to a lady of soma property at Brid-
port.
Some witnesses were called on behalf of the respondent :
for the purpose of proving that the petitioner had corn-
mittad several acts of adultery during his residence at
port. One of them gave evidence of the fact which she was
called to prove, hut was unable to state any circumstances
tending to corroborate her evidence. The others positively
denied that they were aware of any impropriety in the
cesiduat of the petitioner. They were severely crow-examined
with regard to statements which it was suggeated they had
made to the clerk of the petitioner's solicitor, inconsistent
with their present evidence, but they distinctly denied ever
leaving made web statements, and on the clerk being
called to contradict them. he was nnable to say that they had
made the statements summated. The witnesses also sant they
hart not been examined at Bridport before they were brought
to London, and that they had never made the statements
which they were called to prove, and some of them com-
plained that they had not been paid their expenses.
His Lordship said he thought these witnesses had
been shamefully treated, and he ordered their expenses
to be paid.
The respondent's father was also examined, and stated
that there was never ally understanding that there should
be a permanent separation between his daughter and the
petitioner lie denied that he had insisted on the marriage
and agreed that the petitioner should not be required to
maintain hie wife, alit) said that the petitioner hail con-
sented voluntary to the marriage without any pressure on
his part.
At the conclusion if the evidence the Court ad-
journed.