The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-24
VERDICT IN FAVOR OF THE WIFE.

Il
large portion of their space, for the ten or twelve
days prior to the sailing of the last European
steamer to full reports of most interesting case,
known as the Yelverton marriage suit. 1t was
ried in the Court of Common Pleas, Dublin, be-
fore Chief Justice Monahan and special jury.
The most eminent counsel at the Irish bar, in
cluding Whiteside and Brewster, were arrayed
against each other; and it would appear that no
case SURPRISING this in romantic incidents has
come up for judicial hearing in the British courts
for many long year. Neither the Forrest divorce
case, nor the Sickes case, nor the Madeleine
Smith case, attracted larger share of public at.
tention, or developed more remarkable circum
stances.
THE PARTIES.
The parties to the suit were in reality, though
not in legal fiction, Mrs. Teresa Yelverton, nee
Longworth and her alleged husband, the Ion.
Major William Charles Yelverton, of the British
Artillery. A Mr.. Thelwall is the nominal plain
tiff. He sues Major Yelverton for the maintenance
of his wife, the object being to establish the
validity of q secret marriage celebrated between
Yelverton and Miss Longworth on the 18th o
August, 1867, in the little Catholic church of
Warrenport, near Rostrevor, in the county
of Down, by one Father Mooney. There is
q very unjust and oppressive law on the
British statute books, which makes it penal
offence for Catholic priest to celebrate
marriage between a Protestant and Catholic,
unless the ceremony shall have been first performed
by o Protestant minister, and nullifes such mar
riage. Yelverton therefore, appears to have treat
ed il as o sham ceremony; and as he was an avowed
fortune hunter, he basely deserted the heroine of
the romance and on the 26th June l85S-within
less than year Of the ceremony at Rostrevor-he
formed another alliance with the widow of the
late eminent Professor Forbes, Of the University
of Ednburg, who was said to be worth quarter
million of dollars. The deserted wife was at first
advised to have him prosecuted for bigamy; but as
it appeared there were difficulties in the way of
conviction owing to the law referred to, that idea
the validity OF the first marriage resorted to.
The lady is described as being still an exceed
ingly agreeable person. Without being positively
handsome, she is said to be most prepossess-
ing and ladylike. Apparently she is not
more than twenty eight but her thoughtful, re-
signed and almost melancholy features would in
duce belief that she had lived a much longer lfe
She is of medium height, slight in figure, with a
strikingly intelligent countenance, bright and vi
vacious when animated, but almost sad in repose.
Major Yeverton is in his thirty-seventh year
having been born in September, 1924. He Is the
eldest surviving son. being of the second mar
Miss Cecilia U'keefe, daughter of the late
Charles OKeefe, one of the Registrars of
the Irish Court Of Chancery. Major Yelver-
ton Ia, therefore, the great grandson Of Barry
Yelverton-the first Viscount Avonmore. Barry
Yelverton was an able lawyer brilliant orator,
and not without pretensions to craftsmanship. In
the year 1850 he occupied most conspicuous po-
sition in the then exciting politics of the country.
In l7s2-the year Of the Volunteers was ap-
pointed TO the office of Attorney General for Ire
land, and in two years subsequently he was eleva-
ted to the bench as Lord Chief Baron Of the Ex-
chequer, and In the year 1876 he was created Lord
Yelverton Baron Avonmore.
throughout the proceedings, which occupied ten
DAYS, the court was daily thronged with most fash
ionabe and distinguished people, whose sympa-
thy with the deserted wife, struggling TO guard the
honor of her name from reproach, could not be re-
strained, but found EXPIRE sion from time to time
as the incidents of the trial excited 1t.
NARRATIVE OF FACTS.
The facts in the case, az detailed by Sergeant
Sullivan, who opened for the plaintiff, are these:-
The defendant the apparent to the peerage Of
Avonmore. Teresa lelverton, his wife, whose maiden
name was Longworh belonged 70 an ancient and honor
able family In England, and having lost her mother In
carly life she taken to France 10 be educated, aud
though her family all protestants, She from
early age reared in the doctrines Of the Catholic
church. and had continued since OF that faith She had
married In France TO the OF the Chief Justice
o. that empire ana weS coming oxer we IN, ~ 100. r rom ,
met the Hon. Charles Yelverton. When she reached
London, her sister, Mrs Belamy, OF Abergaveuny
her on the arrival of the steamer, and the
Hon Mr.. Yeverton, seeing her alone, called a
cab for her, In which she went nome. IN day
afterwards Major Yeverton called at her sisters
house paid respects and nothing followed except
the Interchange OF cvliies In 1883 MISS Teresa Long
worth 10 complete her studies in the south OF
Italy and being Naples and being desrous OF sending
. letter to a cousin, who was royal commssioner m
Montenegro she was told by banker at Naples that u
would be necessary have her letters sent 70 Malta TO
be and he volunteered TO send her letters bis
cousin through friend OF hs cicer n Malta. The
onicer was Captain, now Major Yelveron THIS small
led 70 correspondence spread over many
years, between the Hon. Major and Miss longworth,
without either laying eyes the other during the time
the continued yet letter after letter pass
between hem displaying on the face OF them great
affection couched In terms OF the patonic eudear
mcnt. Mrs Longworth subsequently proceeded to the
Crimea, with the French Sisters OF Mercy. Al
the time che left France to go to the Crimea
Major Yelverton was hs way from the Cri-
msa, where he had been serving az an officer OF ar
tery 70 England, and did not return 10 Crmea until
September 1866. Miss Lorgworth remained for five or
sn months at the hospital at Galata and when Major
y-veron eturned he found her aud visited her. and
that te FIRST time he hal her since he her
in her sstos house In 1851 lie then profcsse an ar
cent attachment for her. and asked her 10 marry him