The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-30 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE-April 29.

COURT OF DIVORCE.
HARE V. HARE.
Dr. Spi aka and Mr. Searle appeared for the peti-
oaer ; Mr. T. Atkinson for the respondent.
The respondent, Mr. John William Hare, the
clerk to Mr. Vice-Chancellor Kindersley, married
the petitioner, then Lydia Tester, a widow, on the
14th of October, 1852. They cohabited at 10, Liver-
pool.terrace, at 489, Oxford-street, and in Maid en-
road, till August, 1861 ; and they had issue three
children. The petitioner sued for a judicial separa-
tion on the ground of cruelty. The respondent's
plea was simply ono of denial,
Mrs. Hare said—l had a child named Alice, by
my first husband. She is now 13. My children
by the respondent are Herbert, aged 10; Selina,
aged 7 ; and Percy, aged 5. My husband has treated
me with great contempt and unkindness ever since
1854. His temper had been bad from the first. In
1855 we had some friends staying with us, and he
was angry about their being at our house although
he had asked them himself. He told me he was
tired of me. The next thing I remember was find-
ing myself lying on the drawing-room floor at about
four the next morning. I had evidently fainted, and
k e had gone up stairs to bed, leaving me in that
state. I had a business in Oxford .street. We had
s..t up in opposition to Mr. Charles Burton, the
dealer in perambulators. Barton's men often in-
sulted me, but when I asked my husband for pro- I
tee ion be would run eat of the shop. At Christmas,
1859, my little girl had accidentally hurt her
brother's eye while a' play. Mr. Hare's mother
insulted me in my husband's presence. She told me
that I was a " nasty long legged hussy ;" that I had
no business to " seulk" on her son, and that I ought
to get my own living. My husband patted her on
the check, and said that that was the way to talk
to me. She left two or three days after. My hus-
band constantly called me" beast" and "serpent." At
that time we had a servant named Ellen Muchmore.
The respondent frequently told her not to mind me,
and said that my friends were not half so respectable
as hers. He has asked her in my bearing if the sav-
age," meaning me, was at home. He has told her that
I was nothing but a poor needlewoman when he
married me, and that he had made me a lady. He
has told me to go on the stage, and said that they
would engage such as me at the Britannia. He
would have his dinner removed to the Kitchen that
he might have it with the servant. I was only
allowed 255. a week to keep house for the whole
family—four children and a servant. He said that
if I wanted more money I might go and earn it.
His income was £250 a year. He has several times
caught me round the throat and has frequently put
his fist in my face. Ooe day he brought an Italian
home with him, anclasaid There's the beast ; you
sep
not would think she Was so bad to look at her."
In the spring of 1861 some negotiations took place
for aon
they
.to nothing. In
May. 1861, thesrespondent burst into my room with
aman, namedseparation, cn,am but they came
pneys, while I was in bed, and took my boy Percy from me.
I resisted, and
my mgrit dress was torn. Aly wrists were dread-
fullymy room. I was giving
braised. The next morning two brickmakers
with immense sticks in their hands were brought
into
my youngest child
his bath. My husband insulted me before these
men. They took my children from me. The next
day they attempted to come
in again, but I had
bolts put on the door. Mr. Hare sent, however, for
a man with a crowbar. Champnoyo remained in

the house, and had some of his meals with Mr.
Aare. Once the respondent got my hand in the
door. I told him he was hurting me, but I think
he pushed the harder. My hand was very much
swollen. He has told me I was no more in the
house than a dead dog. In August, 1861, we were
in apartments at Anerley ; and he told me that my
mother, who bad been staying with us, should not
remain in the house any longer. I tried to go to
her, but he seized me round the throat. I have not
lived with my husband since then.
Cross-examined—I was a widow between three
and four years before I was married to the respon
dent. I do not remember calling Mr. Hare "
crawling reptile." I never used abusive language
to him for taking his sister to a lecture, or at any
time. I never abused his mother. In January,
1860, my father wrote a letter to my husband. I
requested him to interfere, and it is very likely that
I requested him to write that letter. I very pos
sibiy saw it before it was sent. (The letter was put
in. It was a notice to the effect that the writer in-
tended on the following Monday to lay a statement
of the respondent's " cruel. unmanly, and cowardly
conduct before Sir R. Kinthrsley unless a satisfac-
tory arrangement was previously made.)
Sir C. Cresswell thought it was rather a pity that
Sir R. Kindersley had not been invited to interfere.
Mr. Atkinson said that Sir R. Kindersley had
been applied to by the petitioner.
Witne-is—Did not hear my father call my hus-
band a sneak. My friends did not on one
occasion hunt him from room to room ; but ho did
leave the room in which my friends were. My
mother and I went to him and asked him to see her.
I cut the leaves out of my husband's account-book
containing► the items of my housekeeping expendi-
ture. They are safe in the possession of my solicitor,
I can write, but did not think fit to take a copy.
Ho did not allow me two guineas a week. I did
tell him that I would not have any more children
by him. I never threatened to get him dismissed
from his situation. Once he gave the servant a
shilling for what he had eaten at home. I said I
would not have it, and told him to take it back. As
he would not do so I threw it into the fire. I took
lessons in singing and on the piano, but my father
paid for them. My father is clerk to Mr. Plowman
the 3 attorney. In August, 1860, I broke open a
drawer and two boxes. I did that to try and find
my account books, which were always taken away
from me. I took away letters of my own which I
found in the boxes, and a bundle of other papers. I
took a chopper and destroyed my husband's portrait
which was hanging on the wall.
The Judge—That was cutting him up in effigy.
(Laughter.)
Witness—l also chopped up some chairs, but not
seven—not more than five. (Laughter.)
Mr. Atkinson (producing the debris of a music
stool)—Did you chop up this ?
Witness—l did not leave it in that state. I hope
you will spare me as much as you can on that sub-
ject, for I was so irritated that 1 was worked up to
a state of madness.

The Judge—But you cannot be spared ; for the
jury want to know what was the amount of irrita-
tionon both sides.

Witness—l took away some plated forks and
other articles, but I did it after my husband had
removed some things of mine.
The Judge—lt is a pity they did not settle the
whole matter in the same way—namely, by set-off.
(A laugh.)
Mr. Atkinson—Where are the things now ?
Witness—l don't know that lam obliged to say ;
but I can tell you, if I must.
Mr. Atkinson—l won't press you, but a learned
friend suggests that you perhaps took them to your
uncle's.

Witness—Oh dear, no. My uncle would not re-
ceive them. (Laughter.) I burnt the fragments
of the portrait, but I did not say "many a better
man has been served so." I left his bed in October,
1860; but do you know why I did it ? He had
told me that I might lie there all day if I would go
out all night. After that I had a separate room ;
but Mr. Hare made no objection to it, Once I did
box Mr. Hare's ears; I just tapped him, but he had
been daring me to strike him. I never sent my girl
to buy a cane to beat him with. (Laught, r.) No,
sir, certainly not. It is dreadful to have such ques-
tions put to me. I was summoned before the ma-
gistrates for assaulting him, and fined. He had
told my Herbert not to mind such a worthless fag-
got as me, and that my father was an imbecile old
tool. I told him if he used such language to my
chid 1 would pit him out, and I tried to do so, but
I failed. I was fined 6d. (Laug •ter.) After this
I withdrew from his table. During one of the al-
tercations that occurred I asked a person named
Hopkins to protect me, but I did not say to him,
" That's right, hit him again." (Laughter.) I
never addressed the mob, and the crowd did not pelt
the house with mud and stones—at least I was in
such a state of mind that I cannot say what took
place out of doors. I summoned my husband for
neglecting to maintain me, but the charge was dis-
missed.

Re-examined—I did not summon him myself—
was the parish that did so.
A servant was called to corroborate the peti,
loner's evidence, and the case was then adjourned