The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-12 00:00:00

• SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 12, 1862.

only a centre. The victory therefore remained with
Captain Williams. _ .

This exciting matcl:, with the exception of strag-
gling shots at pool and sighting targets, which con-
tinued till gun-fire, closed the Wimbledon Prize
Meeting of 1862.

LATV INTELLIGENCE.--July 11.

COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE.
(Before the Judge Ordinary.)
TURNER V. TURNER—SPECIAL JURY.
This strange case was resumed this morning,
when Mr. Sergeant Shee addressed the jury on be-
half of the respondent, contending that the charges
against Mr. Turner were wholly without founda-
tion. He called
Mr. Henry Haines Walton, of Brook-street, sur-
geon, who said he had been in the habit of visiting
the parties. He thought Mr. Turner's conduct was
very kind and forbearing.
Mr. Macaulay, Q.C., for the petitioner—Did you
never try to kiss „qrs. Turner? (Laughter.)
Witness (very earnestly)—Never.
Mrs. Turner (with a satirical laugh)—Oh, didn't
you!
Mr. Wm. Towers Smith, partner to the respon-
dent, had known Mr, Turner for several years, but
had never seen him otherwise than kind to the peti-
tioner. Mrs. Turner used to speak disrespectfully
of him. Once she offered to part witness's back
hair for him, remarking," I always do Mr. Wedge-
wood's." She then took a comb, and parted Mr.
Wedgewood's hair before witness. (Laughter.)
The day before Ascot races she brought him some
scarves, and asked him to select one for himself.
Cross-examined—She used to complain that Mr_
Turner neglected her. Had attended the petitioner
professionally. She said she did not put any trust
in her husband.
Re-examined—She told witness that her husband
had trodden on her finger and broken it ; but,
having seen the finger, witness did not believe that
the injury was the result of a fracture.
The Judge here interfered and suggested that
there was no necessity to carry the case further.
There was evidence that whatever had been done
had been condoned, and there was thus no object in
inquiring what had taken place 10 years ago.
Mr. Sergeant Shee said his client was most
anxious to have an opportunity of vindicating him-
self from the charge of cruelty.
Sir C. Cresswell—Very well ; if I don't hear this
case I must some other, and this is no doubt as in
teresting as any likely to come before the court.
Mr. James William Turner—When I married the
petitioner she was heavily in debt. She owed
£l,OOO. We jointly borrowed the sum of £2,500
from her trustee, which I devoted in the first place
to paying her liabilities. That was before I made
her my wife. In 1851 and 1852 I had frequent
altercations with her. She would burst into the
room while I was seeing patients and ask, " What
is that person doing here ?" I made the best ex-
cuse I could; and my patients would sometimes
say, " We were not aware you kept insane
people in the house." She would accuse me of
intimacy with my patients, and would question
my coachman how long I had been at eaoh
place. She would prevent my going out on my
professional business. She would put her back to the
door, and would not allow me to pass, even when I
had received four or five urgent messages. She
would pull off my spectacles, break my hat, tear
my coat, or damage me in any way she could, so
that I should not be able to go out. She has broken
my spectacles twice; she has thrown a poker
at me, and attempted to stab me. In 1851
I accidentally stepped on her finger. I had
gone up into her bedroom to wish her goodbye
before I went out in the morning. Some altercation
ensued, and she struck me with her hair brush. I
struck at her again with my hand. She drew back
and fell down. I fell forward, and she said I had
trodden on her finger. I heard no more about that
finger. Two years afterwards she consulted me
about a swelling on her finger, but I believe it was
on the other hand. The swelling seemed to me to
be a gouty inflammation of the joint. I could show
50 such cases and worse amongst my own patients.
I have punished lon twice in my life, but not with
any indiscretion. Once was when I was teaching
him to read words of one syllable. For an hour he
would not say what "r a t" spelt; so I gave him
two or three taps with a cane, and then he said
" rat" fast enough. (Laughter.) The other occasion
was for destroying a toy goat which I had given
him. His mother did not object to his being punished,
nor had I ever any quarrel with her on the subject.
I paid for his education. His commission and out-
fit cost me £7OO. I never knocked Mrs. Turner
down in her life. Owing to her infirmity, the least
disturbance of her balance would cause her to fall,
and she would scream—she was very clever at that.
As she felt herself falling she gave a piercing shriek
which would bring all the household up, and then
she would say I had knocked her down_ I never
beat her with a riding whip or stick. Ido not re-
collect her ever leaving my house till she left it
altogether in Oct. 1861. Never heard of a police-
man being brought to the garden gate. When we
were at the Priory Farm, Earl's-court, Kensington,
we had frequent altercations. She would allow her
son to go to Cremorne, which I did not like. We
quarrelled about her extravagant dress, and about
her taking a dislike to the people I employed. On
those occasions I never struck her. I remember the
quarrel in the hay field. She had sent my assistant
to tell a patient that I had stated she was insane. I
told her that it was an abominable thing to send
such a message when I had only said at the break-
fast table that the lady's messages were remark-
able. I may have raised my stick, because I was
excited, and I may have gesticulated, but I never
had an intention to strike her. I never struck
her at our house 31, Phillimore-place, Kensington.
I can conscientiously say that except on the occa-
sion when I stepped on her finger I never laid a
hand upon her. In 1859 I found it necessary to
reduce my expenditure, having become surety for a
defaulting tax collector. Up to that time Mrs.
Turner had used every night to clear my pockets of
my fees, leaving me a pound for myself. I had
allowed it willingly, but having at length taken a
partner, and being responsible for all the moneys
received—finding that I had less money to put in
the bank than formerly, and being met on asking
for an account with a furious outburst of abuse, I
determined on keeping my money myself, and giv-
ing her cheques for the household expenses. I
always gave her what she wanted except on two
occasions when she wanted more than usual and
refused to tell me what it was for. Since the sepa-
ration I have paid hundreds of pounds to settle
balances of accounts which she had had outstanding
unknown to me. These accounts were for dresses,
jewellery, charms, lace, pug dogs, and the like.
have defended one or two actions, and my attorney
will be able to tell you better the amount. On the
3d of October last I wanted some silver saltcellars ,
part of a set which had been presented to me, to give
to a patient of mine to engrave. She said she did not
want to be bothered, and that it was time for me to
be off. I said I did not wish to trouble her, and
began to look for them. She said they were in the
plate chest. At first the key was missing ; but it
was ultimately found, and I went up with the
housemaid. Just as we were opening the chest my
wife came up stairs and said, " There! thank God,
you've found it out !" I asked her what had be •
come of my plate, and she said " Pawned, to be
sure." A good deal of it had belonged to her be-
fore she was married, but I had bought a good deal.
I desired the housemaid to fetch me every particle
of plate for which she was responsible, and to tell
her husband (the coachman) to get a cab. I then.
ransacked the drawers, and put everything of
value into the plate chest. I told the cabo_a_
and coachman to take it down stairs. mho
rootnrae
meantime I went down into the d ihni I be-
desk, in wo'.7..uiy kept.
to get my wife's writing
thought me the pawn tickets were pr n'6"
She rushed into the room before
rer:ite
desk, clung spasmodically to it, and
from her, but
it into a corner. I tried to t
ardesisted. Having
ine;eddwtihthe
not wishing to have a scener,ned
taken the plate away, I retu
gone three-quarters of aienfthour,
and on Imhy d been
return
the house. I did not
I found that she
had left
or threaten her on that
thrust my fist in her face
alone with her during the
occasion. virasftn.r
wards went with a constable
whole titne. I
eerssifernauodf de
I merely saiddesk. d me to make that visit ; other-
duplicity had joke
to Little Ryder-astreet,
laondbetrootkhaptoshs
thew a etter into
wise • resEnce and I rescued it. It was
'so I never sp to her. She th 1 '
the fire in
only slightly injured I found the scrap of paper
in a drawer after Mrs. Turner had left. I did not
examine the papers in the desk during the alterca-
tion one e3d of October. I never hid her cork
leg. [itness, who had not been present during
his wile's evidence, seemed very much astonished
at the question.] I was very much struck at the
Exhibition of 1851 by a beautiful mechanical leg
shown by en American named Palmer. I invited
Mr. Palmer's agent to my house and ordered three
legs of him, (A laugh.) I detaiued his agent in