The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-01-22
Supreme Judicial Court.

JANUARY TERM, WALTON, j., PRESIDING.
SATURDAY.-Frank w. Weston Emily Ann
Weston. Libel for divorce. The hearing occupied
most Of the forenoon. The evidence disclosed scenes
of domestic infelicty and strife of ordinary char
acter The parties were married in England in 1855
and still subjects of Queen Victoria, neither OF
them having been naturalized. The wife is 27 years
of age, and the husband, from his appearance, not
much older. They came to this country soon after
their marriage, object being, the husband tes-
titled, to see if the air would not improve his
wifes disposition 1t had the opposite effect. At the
Slightest provocation, and often without any provoca
ton ALL she would fly into passion and strike him,
and bite him. and tear his Clothes and scratch his face
that the blood would down and stain his shirt
that she would scream as to be heard by passers
by; and that she would sometimes work herself into
such passion as to 60 into hysterics that they had
frequently parted with the determination his part
live with her again. That after while she
would become humble, ask his forgiveness, and as
she was in his eyes very handsome and had very
fascinating ways with her when she was in good hu-
NOR, amp he sincerely loved her. he would take her
back. That in a few days the ungovernable
temper would manifest itself again. and after bearing
it as long he could he would leave her again. That
once he went back to England; that he was SO worn
down and I'm such poor health that he went in a sail
ing vessel thinking that the voyage would be long
er and more quiet 1t might give him more time and
better opportunities to regain his health and spirits
that after he left his wife took steamer and reached
England three days before he did that he expostuat
ed and told her that it impossible for him to live
with her; but, as on many previous occasions, she
prevailed on him to take her back. They lived to-
gether a short time and then she bad as ever
He finally got her house and furnished 1t comforta-
bly, and told her she live by herself that they
che
sueS in the estimation of the neghbors and he would
come back to America. That she agreed to this but
he had been in this country only short time when
she sold the furniture and followed him That they
tried again to live together, and were again compelled
to separate, they had done many times before
That at the time Of their final separation she had in
fit Of passion, not only threatened to prostitute her
SELF but in substance had confessed that she had al
ready done SOL and that she had the night before
been to the theatre alone and had not come home till
long time after the theatre out, and refused to
give any account of her whereabouts, he had strong
suspicion that her confession true That he then
left her for good and applied for divorce; that i'm
mediaely after the libel served her she left for
her friends in England, who her husband says, are
in comfortable circumstances and able to take of
her.
The plaintiff is an architect and not unknown to
many of our citizens If the plaintiffs story is true
(and think is for is supported by several dis
interested and apparently very candid witnesses his
case is certainly very trying one.
The presiding Judge, at the close of the evidence,
remarked that he strongly impressed with the ap
parent candor and truthfuness Of the plaintiffs tes-
tmony and that of his witnesses, that he would
slider the case and if nothing to his knowledge
during the term to show that the divorce ought
be granted, he would before the term closed pass a
decree to that effect. The Judge, however, expressed
a doubt whether, inasmuch both parties still
subjects of Great Britain and the respondent had
turned there reside divorce by the courts of this
country, would be held valid in England; that upon
this point the laws of England peculiar and diff
feren from those of almost every other civilized coun-
try Merrill for plaintiff