The New York herald., 1863-12-05
An American Lady fn Court.
HISTORY OF A VIRGINIA MARRIAGE AND RFFKCT ol

croe Vi nuilNy Win costs
An American Lady I'm Court.
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA MARRIAGE AND EFFEcT OF
CFrom the London Times. Nv To-
ooUsr FOR DvoRcx AND MArRlmoSnL oAusEs LONDON,
Is.
Before Sir j. P Wilde
Roorer Rocker and Nete.on The Rev. William Yates
Rocker prayed for dissolution OF his marriage with Sa
ran Massng berd Rocker the ground II her adultery
with Henry SkidmOre Newton 1he respondent did not
appear The correspondent pleaded denial Of the
DR.. Deane, G. and Mr. Thrupp appeared for the reti
TONER and Mr.. A. saveley l for the co respondent.
Winchester, in Virginia. married the respondent whose
maiden name was Walker, and who was an Amer
lied in Virginia. and MIR. aud Mrs Rocker lived in
America for several years afterwards, occasionally
paying visits to ansAd They had four o children
Rocker with of the children short time
America. She returned in 1851 and lived for few
months with her husband. who was then minister ofa
church the neghborhood OF Hackney She had uniOr
tunately become addicted drinking, and her husband
obliged to separate her account OF this pro-
pensty. months after her return from America,
In 1851 he accordingly sent her 70 live ut Lower Gorna
brother tho Rev James Rocker was the incumbsns Of
Lower Gornsl. and thc allowance paid through him
the respondent and that when first went TO Lower
Gorna two ladies had lived In the same house with ber,
but they had been obliged TO leave her in consequence
I"wor liz was the leader Of sne choir
y.
teudent OF the Sunday school. and married man. 1t
was proved by Mary Bates Mrs Rockers washerwoman.
that on tho evening Of the slst Of pecembr Newton
singing In preparation for tea party which was to take
place the next day. called at Mrs. Rockers house. and
that when the others going away Mrs. Rocker had
taken OF Newtons hat aud insisted upon his
naming saying that she wanted to have word or two
as and Mary Bates @ said shall not go unit, Newton
goes, for Newton has got WIFE," Mrs. Hooker ordered
her Of the house, and Mary Bates seeing, as she sa
that her
60. Mary Bates went home to fetch a shawl and then
returned to Mrs. Rockers house, and listened at the win
dow and heard them "talkng and kissing very comfort
ably together" Another witne Retsy Walker. proved
that they had been together in room OF which the
door was locked. The Rev. J. Rocker, having heard
rumors of the respondents misconduct, went TO her
Ia use betwee1 niue and ten O'Clock one night, and
saw Newton in the same room with her. He thereupon
dismissed Newton from the choir and from the Sunday
school. letter read which Newton had written 10
tue Rocker upon his dismissal In which he used
great many religious expressions and sub scribed hm
self Yours in broken cdness OF soul" but did
give distinct denial to the charse made against him.
Mrs Rocker had written TO her husband entreatng him
to have mercy lis miserable and errng wife, and TO
stay his hand and not apply Tor divorce. She had also
signed formal confession that she lad committed adul
terry with the 3st OF December when she had
unfortunately had too much to drink
The evidence Of the validity Of the marriage was an ar
Gdav, by the Hon James Murray Mason as to the mar
rage OF Virginia. but there was some doubt whether
il sufficiently proved that the person referred to in
Mr. Mason affidavit were the petitioner and the respond
Mr. Stavely Hill said he could resist the evidence
which had been given in support of the petition.
Dr. said there peculiar ci cunstances in the
case which induced the petitioner not TO press for costs
against the respondent. If the Court was not satisfied
with the evidence o the marriage there toould be some dT
fcupy odig further erdJ,ce, IN consequence OF the
state OF affairs Aner,cd
His Lordship said he satisfied with the evidence o.
adultery and would consider whether the evidence OF
the marriage wes sufficient He observed thot the House
OF oras this Court seemed to him TO have boen some
what unnecessarily strict In requiring proof OF marriage
because hardly credible that persons should appy
to have riagc dissolved had never taken place.