, 1875-04-03
kilograms YORK,
THE MORDAUNT DIVORCE CASE.
LONDON, March II.

AUNDUNt N1dTCu IL
The jury in the Mordaunt divorce case have
found Lady Mordaunt guilty of adultery.
The Judge pronounced the decree aisj, with
costs.
This celebrated case-the action of Sir
Charles Mordaunt, Bart, against bis wife
Harriet Sarah Moncrieffe, for divorce, On the
ground of adultery committed by the wife with
different persons was placed on trial in Lon
don during the month Of February, in the
year 1870, before Lord Penzance and a special
jury.
In 1866 Sir Charles Sfordaunt married Sarah
Moncrieffe, the fourth daughter of Sir Thomas
Moncrieffe, Bart, who bore him one child,
a daughter, on the 28th of January. 1869.
Sir Charles proved to be a domestic discipli-
narian-auStere in manner, peremptory,
sorupulous and severe. Lady Nordaunt was.
on the contrary, Of a cheerful disposition,
lively, fond of company and slightly gay in
manner. She was much admired in society.
in Court circles, by Queen Victoria, her
children, and especially by His Royal High.
ness the Prince of Wales.
Sir Charles Mordaunt began to complain.
Lady Mordaunt went on as usual.
In February, 1870, he commenced a suit
for divorce on the ground of adultery
committed by Lady Mordaunt. The outline
of this case was that soon after Lady Nor.
daunt was confined of her first child, she
confessed to a lady visitor (the wife of an
English clergyman that she had broken the
seventh commandment, not only with one
person, but with six different individuals.
Her friends said she was insane when she
made the confession her enemies asserted that
she was merely telling the truth as an act of
penitence for her sins. Lady Mordaunt was
then an inmate of a private lunatio ASYLUM.
She had been sent there, it was said, in the
hope of curing her Of mental hallucinations,
amounting to positive disease, which she
labOured under and aggravated by her mode
of living and every day habits since accouche-
ment. Sir Charles Mordaunt wished to have
an absolute divorce from her.
Queen Victoria sent for Sir Charles and
begged of him "nOt to open a great scandal"
but the Baronet denied the request, and alleged
that he would carry the matter to a legal
termination if it cost him his whole fortune.
Sergeant Ballantine was retained as his coun-
sci. He moved the case before Lord P9nzance
in The late day of January, 1870 asking that
a day be named for the trial of Mordaunt vs..
Mordaunt. ViscOunt Cole, Sir Frederick
tombstone, Bart, and others, we're named as
correspondents in the suit, they, as alleged,
having participated in the adulterous acts.
The jIial came on after th4 usual formalities.
1t attracted Immense interest.
The Prince Of Wales had maintained a
correspondence, by letter, with Lady Mordaunt ;
he danced with her at a ball, and had protested
to his friends his admiration of her appearance.
During the course of the suit for divorce, on
the 23rd of February, 1870, His Royal High
ness was called to the stand as a witness.
He was sworn in due form by bis Christian
names as Prince of Wales. Before his exami-
nation commenced the presiding Judge. Lord
Penzance, pointed out to the Bar, as a new
rule of Court, that "no witness was bound to
make to any question an answer that would
admit that he was guilty of adultery"
The Prince testified that he was acquainted
with Lady Mordaunt previous to her marriage /;
that he had made her a wedding present /;
before her marriage she visited the Princess of
Wales at Marlborough House ; she had visited
the theatre in company with himself and the
Princess OF Wales; he saw her after in the
years 1866 and 1867; be met Sir Charles
Mordaunt at a pigeon shooting. match; Lady
Mordaunt on that occasion scored for both of
them; he spoke to her during the course of
the match. The Prince admitted that he
occasionally used Hanson Cabs.
His Royal Highness then swore solemnly
and asseverated that there "neyer had been