The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON! SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 17, 859.

THIRD EDITION.

COURT OF CHANCE fi
(Before the Lord Chancella .r.)
JUDGMENT.-APEEIL.--COOPER V. JOEL.

SUN OFFICE, Six o' Clock.

THE HON. HUGH ROWLE Y AND lIIS
LATE WIFE.

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF PERJURY.
At the Westminster Police Court, this morning,
the late wife of the Hon. Hugh Rowley appeared in
compliance with a summons granted on the application of
Mr. Rowley, calling upon her to answer to a charge of per-
jury alleged to have been committed by her in the recent
case in the Divorce Court, in which she sought and ob-
tained a decree granting a dissolution of marriage on the

ground of cruelty
Mr. Metcalfe appeared on behalf of the lady, and Ms.
Sleigh and Mr. Orridge for the lion. Hugh Rowley.
Mr. Sleigh having stated the case for the Hon. Mr.
Rowley, which was to the effect that his client denied the
whole statements of his late wife with respect to the acts of
cruelty, said the first of these was, that the lady had sworn
that the hon. gentleman had never gfven her a farthing
since she was married to him ; the second was, that the
Hon. Hugh Rowley had cut his wife's hair off in the same
manner as he would shear a sheep ; and the third assign-
ment of perjury was, that the hon, gentleman had knocked
her down in a most brutal manner. The hon. gentleman

then called witnesses to prove his statement.
Mr. G. T. Billing, principal clerk to Sir C. Cresswell,
and crier of the Court of Probate, who said—l was present
at the court on the 24th of Nov. I was present at the trial
of Rowley v. Rowley. I remember its being heard. The
petitioner was Theresa Caroline Rowley, and the respon-
dent the Hon. Hugh Rowley. The petitioner, Theresa
Caroline Rowley, at present in court, was sworn by me,

and gave evidence in the suit.
The Hon. Hugh Rowley said—l reside at Leominster
Lodge, Fulham. lam the complainant In this matter.
Lady Langford is my mother. I was married at Padding-
ton Church to Theresa Bishop in the month of November.
That marriage was dissolved by the Court of Divorce.
About ten days afterwards I wont abroad. I was 18 when I
was married ; Mrs. Rowley was 25 years of age. We went
to Boulogne, and front thence to Paris. We stayed at the
Hotel Maurice. I think we stopped there about a week or
ton days. I treated my wife during that time as I thought
with kindness. I meant it to be so. I did treat
her with kindness, most distinctly . This was in February,
She has sworn that I locked her up without fire or light
in a room for some time. I did do so, but it was at her
own request. It was in the sitting-room at the Hotel
Maurice, but as at all ether places on the continent the do-
mestics held the keys, if Mrs. Rowley had wished to go
out she could have rung the bell and done so. When I
returned that evening I found a gentleman sitting with
Mrs. Rowley to whom I had a groat objection. She said
she was annoyed that he came, but, as she very justly said,
how was she to prevent it ? if a man came into her room she
could not turn him out, and the opportunity of saying
she was not at home was taken away. I said then, to save
you the trouble of saying you are not at home, I will lock
the door. I did do so, and left the key in the hall. As re-
gards firing, I have no doubt if she asked for firing it would
have been given if required. She never made any com-
plaint to me about my treatment. On the contrary, she
appeared thankful for what I had done.
By the Magistrate—The person I objected to was an ac-
quaintance of my own.
Examination continued—From Paris we went to Calais.,
I treated her with kindness there, although she swore I
struck her, and knocked her head against a shutter. Such
a statement is utterly untrue. I never prevented her writ-
ing to her friends. She never expressed any wish to do so

I never did so. From Calais we went to Brussels. We re-
mained there about 10 days. We visited the field of
'Waterloo. I recollect something occurring with respect to
her bonnet. I was wearing a soft wide-a-wake. We were
in an open carriage. I cannot say we were quarrelling that
I remember. There was, however, some argument,
I believe, going on. As well as I recollect
two riders rode past, wearing hats similar to
that I had on, minute the feathers. I asked my wife to
let me see hoNi she would look in a hat like the one
I bad on. I asked her to be kind enough to put my hat
on, which she point blank refused. I intended it more as
a joke than anything else, and put on her head a soft wide-
a. wake. There is no truth in the statement that I tore

her bonnet from off her head, and put my hat on her's ,
cerering her eyes. It was not done with violence or any
cruelty on my part. From Brussels we went to Mayence,
up the Rhine, from thence to Frankfort by the rail. I
never struck her during the journey. I swear I did not
most decidedly. _ _ _

By tho Magistrate—The journey occupied about half-an-
hour.

Examination continued—l never struck, kicked, or of-
fered her any indignity in the carriage. We went to the
Hotel Russe there. I recollect Mrs. Rowley was taken
unwell after we arrived. I don't recollect her asking for
water. I never, as she states, forced a spoonful of salts
down her throat on that occasion. I attended kindly to her
during her illness, and procured medical aid. He was a
foreigner. They sent for him from the hotel, so tI feel
convinced he must have been a foreigner. From Strasbourg
we went to Paris. I never threw a light or heavy dressing
case at her while we were on our journey. I never pre-
vented her leaving the railway carriage, ble, I asked her
not to do so. She had a means of communicating with her
maid. I had provided every convenience for her at her
own request. From Paris we went to Boulogne. We

lodged at a hotel there. This was in March, 1852, but I
am not quite sure about that date. I recollect the occasion
when some of Mrs. Rowley's hair was cut off. Miss Bishop
was present when that circumstance occurred. Miss
Bishop is Mrs. Rowley's sister.
By the Magistrate—We arrived at Frankfort about 4
o'clock in the afternoon. I can't be sure about the time.
There was a substantial tea served on the occasion, and
there might have been salt on the table.
Examination continued—When Mrs. Rowley came down
to breakfast on this occasion she said she had been a long
time dressing her hair. I remonstrated with her, when she
said, "If I did not like it I had better cut it off." I can-
_

not say whether there was one or two curls. I cannot say •
whether I cut the whole of the back hair off. When I went
to fetch the scissors she was sitting in a chair. When I re-
turned she was in the same chair and in the same position. I
cannot say whether I cut the whole off or not, but I cut it
off by her wish. I did not hold her hands. She never
held up her hands to prevent me cutting it off. She did
not resist in the slightest. I did no more than cut the side
curls off. There were servants about, and I believe the
door of the apartment was open. Miss Bishop was present
during the whole of the proceeding. I never tried to pull
her out of bed. She got out with her own accord. She had
nothing on but her night-gown. She ran down stairs and
implored the protection of my valet. The other servants
came up and asked what was the matter. I had not used or
threatened her with personal violence. The slightest con-
tradiction would cause hysterics It is most decidedly un-
true to say I took up a meat chopper, and threatened to
strike her if she did not retire up stairs, but I daresay they
(Mrs. Rowley and her maidservant) will say I did so.
While living at Boulogne I paid her debts. It is false to
say I never gave her a single sixpence.
By the Magistrate—Mrs. Rowley had no separate settle-
ment. She never had any occasion for any pocket money
from me. She always wore a green leather bag round her
waist, which contained £1,500. I never controlled her. If
she wished to spend any of this £1,500 she did so. It was
her own money.
Examination oontinued—l had brain fever while I was
at Boulogne, and Mrs. Rowley said she would send
for a medical man, as I had said I would out my throat.
I never prevented my wife writing to her friends. I never
dictated the terms of the letters no more than saying "give
my love, (ttc." From Boulogne we returned to Englapd,
I During the time I was at Ryde I acted towards Mrs. Row-
ley with kindness. I never illtreated her. I went to Bag-
shot to study, in order to pass my examination for the 16th
Lancers. The letters put into my hands are in Mrs. Row-
ley's handwriting. [Many of these letters were rea -1 by
Mr. Sleigh in his opening statement.]
• Mr. Metcalfe asked for copies, but it was arranged that
any person on the part of Mrs. Rowley might inspect
them.
It being now past four o'clock, the further hearing of the
summons was adjourned until Tuesday next.
Mr. Metcalfe, on behalf of the late Mrs. Rowley, said
although he had been precluded on the present occasion
from making any observations on the part of the lady, he
should be fully prepared on Tuesday next to substantiate
all she had stated in the proceedings at Westminster.

TELEGRAPH FROM LONDON TO CALCUTTA.--it
is now possible to send a telegraphic message from any
Indian station to any station of the United Kingdom at
the rate of £2 175., or 28 Brs., for not more than twenty
words, including the address. Until the cable is laid be-
tween Bombay and Aden the message for that distance
will be sent by post. Three months hence this break will
be removed, when we presume the charge will be slightly
higher. Still, even 2rs. a word for a message from Calcutta
to London is singularly cheap. The lino of the Red Sea
and India Telegraph Company runs
at present only from
Alexandria to Aden, for which the charge is 26rs. fora
message of twenty words. Meanwhile the messages to
and from Alexandria are transmitted by the Electric and.
International Telegraph Company via Trieste or Mar-
seilles. For repeating the message half the usual price is
charged in addition. For messages of more than twenty
words half the price is charged in addition for every ten
words or fraction of twenty words in excess. 31r. Ritchie,
the Peninsular and Oriental Company's agent, at Bombay,
receives messages for transmission by post to Aden and
thence by telegram up to one p.m. on the day of the depar-
ture of the mail steamer,—Friend of India.

A RELIC OF TIIE ROYAL CHARTER.—Yesterday
a curious relic of this ship was exhibited in the Under-
writers' Rooms, Liverpool. It consisted of a piece of i-inch
plate iron, into the centre of which had been forced, by
what means it is impossible to say, a bar of gold, with a
piece of shattered wreck. The sheet iron was completely
pierced through, the end of the bar of gold being visible at
the back, as was also a
.piece of wood, into which a sove-
reign was pressed, the coin apparently having suffered but
little injury, the "milling" being only slightly bruised.
This singular curiosity was picked up, we believe, by the
divers at Moel Ira on Tuesday last, and the interest
attached to it collected numerous spectators, to whom that
piece of cold metal told a sad and fearful tale.

1•A TV INTELLIGENCE.-( THIS DAY.)

This was an appeal from a clocree of t he Master of the
Rolls ordering a guarantee to be delivered 1 up and cancelled
in respect that the guarantee was granted l on condition that
the sale did not take place, and the pale s fterwards did take
place.
The Lord Chancellor affirmed the dec •ree of the Master
of the Rolls and dismissed the appeal \wit h costs.