The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-19 00:00:00

first she believed about five years ago, and he asked
for Miss Turner, who occupied the first floor. For
the last three years Mr. and Mrs. Compton occupied
different bed-rooms, and he used for days to remain
without speaking to her. She had heard Mrs.
Compton say, within the last three or four years,
that she did not like Mr. Compton. She used to take
notes from her to Mr. Baring. She 'first gave in-
formation of what she knew to Mr. Compton after
his wife left home. Mrs. Compton had some hand-
some jewellery, but she generally used her sister's.
She had known Mr. Compton to bo very sulky, and
on these occasions Mrs. Compton used to say, Do
you think he has found anything out 9" (Laughter.)
Mary Kirby stated that she was in care of a
house, No. 1, St. George's-terrace, Herne Bay, and
she remembered in March, 1858, a gentleman
taking some apartments in the house, and she
found oat that it was Captain Baring. Two ladies
and a servant occupied the apartments, and there
was a room for Captain Baring to sleep in, but the
bed was not used, and was tumbled merely to give
it the appearance of having been slept in. The bed
in the room which vas occupied by one of the ladies
(Mrs. Compton) appeared as if two persons had
been sleeping in it. The parties came to the same
house again in the following September.
This evidence closed the petitioner's case.
Mr. Hawkins then addressed the jury, and said
that, though he could not deny the adultery, he
would be able to show such misconduct on the part
of the petitioner to his wife as would disentitle
him to any excessive damages. He called attention
to the extraordinary circumstances under which a
marriage had been solemnised between a young
girl and a man much older than herself, without
the knowledge or consent of her family, he having
at the time no occupation, and having just been
insolvent. When they afterwards got into diffi-
culties she went upon the stage, with her husband's
entire approval, and, instead of making her appear-
ance under her real name, assumed, by his desire,
the name of Miss Wyndham, so that no one knew
she had a husband whose duty it was to protect her.
After she was upon the stage what was his con-
duct ? tle allowed her to go to and from the theatre
alone, and for weeks together she was absent from
his house. When they were together he did nothing
whatever to make her home happy. He threw her
into the greatest peril into which a beautiful young
woman could be thrown in London. He saw her
wear expensive dresses and jewellery which could
never have been bought by a ballet-girl out of
her salary, and he never made the slightest
inquiry into her conduct, or took any step
whatever for her protection. The jury would
hear from her sister, Miss Turner, the whole his-
tory of their married life, and it woi:rid be proved.
that he had slighted her, and treated her with so
mach neglect and unkindness that it was not sur-
prising that she had sought elsewhere the affection
which he denied her. Before 1854 she was living
very much under the protection of an officer in the
army, whose name it was needless to mention. That
gentleman made her frequent presents, and she was
in the constant habit of accompanying him to boat-
ing parties, to dinners at Richmond, and to other
amusements of a similar character. Mr. Compton.
appeared. to be utterly regardless of her character,
or of the manner in which she spent time. Captain
Baring first made her acquaintance at a dinner
party at the Piazza Coffee-house Covent-garden, in
company with the officer he had mentioned. 'He
had no idea that she was a married woman, having
met her in such an equivocal position. and after
the officer had gone to the Crimea, and the connec-
tion with him had been broken off he made the
lady's acquaintance; they became attached to one
another, and it could not be denied that they were
now living together. But he contended that the
conduct of the petitioner himself had been the chief
cause of this result, and that under the circum-
stances he was only entitled to nominal damages.
The trial was then adjourned till Thursday
morning.