The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-07-10
Mrs. Massey in England Sues the
Captain for a Divorce.
COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE, LONDON,
JUNE 49,

Before the Judge Ordinary.
Massey as. Massey-The petitioner,
who was Miss Caroline Sarah Turner, was
married to the respondent, Nathaniel Will
lam Massey, on the 21st of June, 1860.
He was Captain in the Thirtieth Foot.
There had been one child of the marriage,
and the cohabitation lasted till July, 1862
Inc petitioner sought dissolution on the
ground OF her husbands cruelty and adul-
terry.
Inc principal evidence in support of the
former charge was that of Mrs. Massey
herse1. She said Our marriage was a
private one, and was kept secret from our
respective families. lived with Captain
Massey at various places in England till
the 10Th July, 1861, when he went with
his regiment to Canada At the time of
my marriage, | had el.10O in money
FL ZOO in Canada bonds and nnvardS of
"a, 900 in India bonds, all of which oave
up to him at various times Captain Mas
sey returned from Canada in June last.
| lived with him till July, 1862, when we
left London. On our way from London to
Newhaven, | saw Captain Massey put
something into the guards hand, that we
might have the carriage alone | said
thought 1t was pleasantec to have some
one with US; and he replied, u dare say
you do" and used most abusive language
to NE. He also struck me with the back
OF his land in the face. From Newha
ven We crossed over to Dieppe: and
on the morning OF the 18th, he beat
ne with strap, be struck me with q pill
low and used abusive language. Icalled
out for mercy, and he then stopped. He
then Went down to breakfast. After a
time ne came back and asked Inc why
did not get up. | told him that could
not move, ana ! asked him to let me rest;
ne took up the strap again. but seeing that
l was already marked with it he did not
strike me. On the 18th lie went to Paris.
and stayed at the hotel de Ia Prix.
went into Mysteries Oh account of his treat
ment OF me; he took NE up and threw
NE from one end of the room to the other;
he put me on the sofa ana tried to stiffe
my screams by putting his hand on my
mouth. lie then opened one Of my eyes
and put some an de Cologne IN it. On
the 2Ist we went to IIavre There he
threw water into my face. He abused
every member Of my family. and said
that his mother despi>ed lac. ! said she did
not more than des pissed her. Capt Massey
left me at Havre. | showed the servant st
the hotel the marks which ne had given me
by blows and pinching On h;sr return the ser
want told hiln had been dull When She left
tne room ne complained o. my speaking TO
her lie struck me sewers. times at
ilaVre, ana spat Ii my face lie toll me
ti.a- : was mad. and that ! was {. Iunatic.
Ga one occasion when he cane in lie
found Inc with Mrs. Atkins, anu he said
thar he woC.d not have me spe; king 20
anybody. He then ro.d me to ring the
Del. l SAID that ~ ne was 50 near it he
could do it himself He then strobe across
the room, dragged ne Off the seat, put the
bell POPE into my hand and made me ring
ii ile finished By pulling ny nose and
ears. The same night he called he By his
bedside, and told me to i, down. He
SAID, Now, Caroline, ! think vou vii
own that nave succeeded IN treating you
very cruelty since have been with you
on The Con,!nent.' said. Yes. you
have slcce eded." He ,ileL sad. Now
listen q NE. / Is no, in M lower to
treac you l-ure cruelty than / have
done; but j. you don't sign paper
Thar / Wart "0u % sign. you shall
&c with Ue y IrUes.lla Oh Friday.
ana GI:e..-. terror, mat YOU have
no7 Jet ~.!lv."l. You shall be treated as
Il lu"a5.e, i,aVe nurse, and doctor shall
come 10 see you twice q weeE / shall
give You q month Of that treatment, and if
Yen don't sign tie paper &. the end Of that
time I Will put YOU in the !uuatic asylum,
and give the physician one Thousand po'in,'s
when he tells me Of your death will
give you till nine o'clock to morrow morL-
ing to say whether you will sign or net -
| laid my hand Oh lis shoulder ana said,
"Surely you cannot be 81 Wicked - He
clenched his fist and said, ''By all tie
powers of heaven and hell, | will |
have never yet been banked" The neAt
morning the paper was prepared He made
ne write part Of it and sign it. / after
wards destroyed it. He left Inc again
alone, and | quilted Havre without seeing
him
Mrs. Massey's evidence was corroborated
by the servant to whom she had shown her
bruises
Hugh Sherry, bootmaker at Honfeur.
knew Mr.. Massey very well, the Hen Mr..
Massey having done him great service
in a pecuniary matter In July, 1862,
Capt. Massey came to him, told him that
he was married, and asked him to engage
apartments for him, as we'll as a nurse for
Lis little boy, whom he called Nat. Capt.
Massey could speak very little French.
Saw Nine. Massey, and treated her with
all the respect due to a legitimate lady.
He called her Nelly. She was not the pc
titioner.
This part of the case was supported by
a diary which had been kept by the re-
spondent, and OF which the petitioner had
obtained possession. There were entries
in it showing that the writer was at Hon
feur with Nelly at the time deposed to.
Sir G. Cresswell said the learned doctor
had abundantly proved his case, Some
times it WAS fortunate, as exposing the
true character of such a man as this, that
he should go through the extraordinary
operation OF recording his own inQuities to
the extent be had done in the diary
There must be decree nisi with costs,
and this respondent must secure to the
petitioner the sum of Sc, 200 represented
by Canadian bonds at present in the Gus