The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-04-09
THE YELvERToN MARRIAGE SUIT.

This case has created an excitement, both in
London and Dublin, to which there is 10 parallel
we believe, in the history of civil suits, either in
Great Britain or this country 1t throws the
Sickles case completely in the shade, and the For
rest divorce suit is scarcely worthy of being named
on the same day. 1t reveals an amount of base
the part of an officer high in rank in the
British army. and son of Earl, which seems
almost Incredible and would be entirely SO did we
not know that vilainy is peculiar to no class in
society and that depraved heart is as frequently
covered by the laced suit of the nobleman as by
the tattered garments Of the begears .s<
The facts Of the case are briefly these: Teresa
Longworth, of an ancient and honorable family in
England, having lost her mother in early child
hood, was taken to France to be educated. and was
reared in the Roman Catholic faith, although her
parents had been Protestants. She had, living in
France, a sister who was the wife of the Chief
Justice of the French Empire, and she was con-
ing over from visit to her in 1852, when, for the
first time, she met the Hon. Charles Yelverton, son
and heir apparent of Lord Avonmore. and Major
of Artillery in the British army, at Boulogne.
When she arrived in London her sister, Mrs.
Beamy, not having sent for her as she expected,
(she lived in Waes.) Major Yelverton called IA cab
for her. In few days, Major Yelvcrton called on
her at her sisters, and the usual interchange Of
civilities passed between them. In 1858, she went
to Naples, to complete her studies, and while there
having occasion to send letter to relation in
Albania she applied to her banker to know how
she was to contrive it. He volunteered to send it
through an officer in Malta, who, he said, was
friend of his, and who turned out to be Major
Yeverton. This circumstance led to a cor
respondence, spread over several years, which has
been published and which is calculated to impress
the reader with high opinion of the lady's
talents. At the time of the Crimean war, Miss
Longworth went to the scene of action with the
French Sisters~of Mercy. Major Yelverton had
been serving in the Crimea and had been ordered
to England. whence he did not return until Sep
tcmber 1855. In the meantime Miss Longworih h
had been serving in the hospital of Galata with the
Sisters Of Mercy, and there Major Yelverton found
her when he returned He had never seen Eer
since he visited her at her sisters house in 1852
He Immediately began to pay her the greatest
attention. protesting the most un5ounded attach
ment, and expressing an earnest desire to marry
her. She asseuted. and agreed to leave the
patton in which she was engaged, in order to be-
come his wife. But she would by no means con-
sent to his proposition of u secret marriage by
Greek priest, and declared that she would be mar
ried by nobody but Roman Catholic priest
About this time, an armistice having taken
place in the Crimea, Miss Longworth was invited
by the wife of Gen Won Straubcnsee Major
invitation was of it's Ii proof that the character
of Miss L. was untanted for Mrs Won Straubensee
held the highest social position. In this family
she lived five or six weeks, during which time,
with the sanction Of the General and his wife, who
supposed that his attentions to their ward were
honorable Major Yelverton constantly visited her.
constantly proposed marriage, and was as con-
stantly repelled by the lady, because she objected
to secresy, and insisted on Catholic priest In
1856, Miss Longworth returned to england,
mained in Wales with her sister until February,
1857, and went from there to Edinburgh, where
she moved in the first society. There Major Ye-
verton, who was stationed at Leith again met her,
and again proposed a secret marriage. The
reasons he gave for not making the marriage pub
lie. were the same he had given in the Crimea,
and amounted to nothing more than that he was
poor and in debt, and that uncle on whom he
depended would cut him off if he knew 1t. On
one occasion, in Edinburgh, he took praycr-book
and read over the service with her before two wit
ncsses, after which be declared that by the Scot
tiSh law they and wife, She rejected
the idea with horror, and repused him in every
advance he made. She then eft Edinburgh for
Wales, and took refuge in her sisters house, much
alarmed at his declaration that the ceremony of
reading the prayer-book before witnesses had made
her his wife. There she received letter from
him, entreating her to come back-saying that the
marriage should be performed by Catholic priest.
in Ireland. provided it should be kept secret She
yielded so far, left her sisters house, net him in
Belfast, and was married to him in the parish
church of Kilowcn. by the Rev Nj Mooney The
priest at first objected, because of the old lava
disgrace 10 the statute book obsolete long ago, and
so often violated thai nobody ever thought it worth
while to get it rerealed 1t made it penal for any
persoH in orders to marry Catholic to Protes-
tsrt, and declared such marriage void. On this
however, .Yelyerton declared himself a
Bishop of Dromore gave his con-
priest, in his sacred robes, and before
the altar, went through tie ceremony according to
the Roman Catholic ritual, pronounced the bene-
diction, rut on the ring, and declared the couple
man and wife In a word married them, if it is
possible for man and woman to be married The
marriage was soemnized 18th August, 1857.
The parties afterwards went first to Scotia nd
and then to France, he always registering their
names, and procuring their passports. Mr and
Mrs Y Yeverton In France she was delivered of a
still-born child, he having, according to his own
administered drugs, of which she knew
not the deleterous properties, to procure an abor
ticn In France he left her to return to lis rcgi-
nent. She followed him as soon as her health
would permit, and when she arrived in Scotland,
went to him at once in Leith. He told her that
be was ruined man, and that she alone could
save him. She professed readiness TO make any
sacrifice for that purpose, and asked him what she
vas to do He said she must go TO New Zealand,
and he would join her there. She asked how that
could benefit him, but he gave her no answer, and
few days after she learned that he had married a
widow with ESQ 900.