The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-25 00:00:00

THAMES.

Yesterday a very respectable man, who has been in the
Royal Navy, came before Mr. Yardley to complain of a
dissipated and troublesome wife, who was the bane of his
existence, and had nearly ruined him.
The applicant, whose anxiety and troubles were depicted
ou his countenance, said that his wife was repeatedly drunk,
that Abe had made away with a good deal of property to in-
dulge in her propensity fur strong drinks, and that when
he expostulated with her she abused him, and used the
most foul epithets towards him. She had broken up his
home several times, and he really did not know what to do
with her.
Mr. Yardley—Has she used personal violence ? If she
has I can interfere.
The applicant could not say that his wife bad done so,
but she neglected her home ant family. She had sold off
his property, had disgraced him in every possible manner,
and was noisy and riotous in her home, which, instead of
being a comfort, was a hell to him, where he could have no
peace, no enjoyment.
Mr. Yardley was sorry to say he could not interfere. If
the wife Wii• as bad as was represented, the husband would
be quite justified in keeping her without money, and sup
plying her only with what was sufficient for her sustenance.
Tile applicant said he had done so, and his wife bad sold
his furniture and run him in debt in all directions. Ile
seldom came home without finding her intoxicated and
wallowing on the H ear. He had endeavoured, in every
possible way, short of cruelty, which he had no right to
use, to retrain her, but in vain.
Mr. Yardley said he was very sorry indeed that he could
render the applicant no assistance whatever. If the wife
was ,trunk and disorderly in the streets he could punish
her, but the law did not give magistrates any power to in-
terfere with domestic relations. The applicant had token
his wife for better and for worse, and he must manage her
in the hest way he could.
Tne applicant—la she to ruin me quite ? I have a pension
of Gut a year from the government (he put forward some
papers in proof of his &Assertion), and I am willing to allow
nor half of it, or do anything else in reason, but she won't
accept it, and is determiutil to be a torment and a nuisance
to me.
Mr. Yardley—lt is a 5.,(1 case. Similar applications
have hero repeatedly made to me, and I have been obliged
to tell others, as I do you, that 1 cannot interfere with the
domestic attars of a man and his wife, unless blows are
struck or a breach of the pe .ce committed.
The applicant—What am Itodo ? I quite despair. • I
left her drunk end breaking up my things just now. If I
strike her I shall render tura liable to six months' im•
prisonment and hard lahour under the new act.
Mr. Yardley said that was so, indeed. There was no
good effected without an atteadant evil. One of the effects
of the new act enabling magistrates to punish men for ag-
gravated es-sults on women to the extent mentioned was to
mike the women a god deal worse, and he had made up
his mind to punish drunken aid disorderly women brought
before him as severely us fie could. The inevitable effect of
the new act must lw, that women who committed assaults
in men or were guilty of violent and disorderly conduct
must be punished with nice severity than before.
Ile had put the new act in force in several
instances' but he was sorry to say that one
of the rife cts of it was to make the women in the district of
that court much worse, and they were had enough before.
Perhaps when they knew what his determination was they
would behave better. He did not expect any amendment
among the women until they were made fully acquainted
with his intentions.

The applicant (imploringly)—Can't you compel my wife
to accent of a separate maintenance ?
Mr. Yardley—No. 1 c.inn.,t give you the least assistance.
The applicant lingered about the witness boa aome time,
apparently at a loss to know what to do, and then packed
up his pension paper and other documents and retired.