The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-23 00:00:00

AN EXTRAORDINARY DIVORCE SUIT,

The Judge Ordinary of the Divorce Court has been
engaged in inquiring into the merits of the case of "Kelly
v. Kelly." The respondent is a clergyman, and incumbent
of St. George's Church, Liverpool, and his wife seeks to be
judicially separated from him because of his cruelty.
The cruelty alleged is not that which the
habitues of the court are in the habit of hearing ; but
moral cruelty, such as telling the servants not to obey her,
refusing her money, locking her up, opening her
letters, refusing her proper medical advice, and a
vast number of other acts of domestic tyranny
of a like nature. The petitioner stated that she was
married in 1841, and had then £6,800. When her sister
died she appointed the respondent sole executor of some
£5,500. On one occasion Mr. Kelly told his wife that
the sum was no longer comeatable, and on the
petitioner asking how it had been invested he
refused to tell her. She then wrote to Colonel
Thornbury, a relative, and this seems to have much
annoyed the rev. respondent, who refused to take his
meals or sleep with his wife. Soon after this their son,
who is about 24 years of age, had a misunderstanding with
his father, and was ordered out of the house, and
Mr. Kelly forbade his wife ever to hear from her
offspring. Because she received a letter at the
post-office he opened all letters that were received or
transmitted. His wife was taken ill, and the doctor
ordered change of air. The respondent at first said he
would allow her to go; but then refused the permission.
She, however, went, and on her return the respondent told
the servants not to obey her, and appointed persons to
take care of the house and follow her about, and on one
occasion when sho went into a shop one of those persons
went and inquired what she had purchased. The respon-
dent often called her a "vile wanton; a woman with
whom modest women would no more associate than
with a prostitute." He also said that in writing
to Colonel Thornbury she had violated her marriage vow,
by giving her confidence to another man than her husband.
He forbad her to visit the poor in his district, and would
not allow her to receive the Communion. On one occa-
sion when she was outside the respondent's church Mr.
Kelly came out and seized hold of her violently. Some
persons assembled, and he told them that the petitioner
had a fit. He then called a cab, and told the driver to
take her home, and see that she did not get into mischief or
go into any low place. Tho petitioner subsequently returned
to church, and the respondent in his sermon pointed her out
as a person possessing an unclean spirit. Much evidence
of this kind was given, the respondent's examination in
chief occupying nearly four hours. Tho rev. respondent,
who was his own counsel, cross-examined his wife,
and elicited from her that he had given up his
living in Ireland. partly on account of her ill-health. She
also said that some years ago she was jealous of a female
member of the family, and had said she could cast such a
slur on her husband's character that he would have no
congregation. She had made retractions in writing, but
now alleged that this was done in some instances under
" moral coercion." This is about as far as the case has
gone, and it will bo resumed on Wednesday; but if it is
tried out, four or five days will at least be consumed.

The Vicar of Ide, near Exeter, rev. J. Walters,
advertises for a curate, '• ono who is an earnest Churchmen,
Evangelical, and of to cad and Liberal victrs, and Who will
be dutiful Aha lon to the bishop of the diocese."

Two a-el:lents, both occurring about the same
time, and utdcr dretnnstancai, are reported from the
North. A travelling crane employed in a woodytt:d at
Dundee gave way, and a largo log it was lifting full upon
and killed ono man an 1 injured another. At Aberdeen,
whilst being tested with seventeen tons of iron, another
crane gave way. Five men were injured, one of thorn hav-
ing his skull fractured and another being dangerously hurt.
THE SEASON IN CORNWALL.—III the immecliato
neighbourhood of Penzance may be seen wo or three
apple trees in full bloom, while not only is the same
evidence of the mildness of the season presented at
Gerrans, but in the garden of Mr. Johns is a long row
f peas, about four feet high, in full flower. Ripe straw-
berries have been gathered in several gardens; and at
Pentewan, near St. Austell, many fine ripe raspberries,
a few measuring from 2 inches to 2i inches in circum-
ferences