The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-09-09
4 CONTESTED MARRIAGE
mEu ARCHBISHOP HUGHES PEWFORM
TME WRONG CEREMONY.
Am EaclesIastseaF Court Organized by the
Cardinal Wrs. James Hsick Eslaa's suit
for Divorce and her Enlargement tO "a
Count.

Am EECles1agC5GAf G0MFs Organized ~ FhG
Cardinal BIrs. James Bick Bla1's suit
for Divorce ana ner Engagement to "a
Count.
New York Sun. bth.l
An ecc.esiastical court, appointed by Car-
dinal MCClOskey, has recently tried, In this
city, u singular case of contested marriage
ceremony performed by the late Archbishop
Hughes. The Roman Catholic Church for
bids its communicates, even II divorced by
the civil law, to remarry and the wife who
seeks separation in the present case takes
the novel ground that her husband being q
Protestant the ceremony under which they
were joined was not binding.
Tie husband is James Dick Hifl, only son
of Henry Hill, of the old firm of Htll, Mclean
IL Co., cotton factors of New Orleans. The
elder Hill before the rebellion was one Of the
largest cotton planters in the sserfh osyiEsg
five plantations In Mississippi and Louisiana
On q single one of these plantations he had
800 slaves and raised annually 1900 bales OF
cotton. When he died the entire estate,
valued ct $3,000,000, went to his son. James
Dick Hill was educated in Paris, and he en-
ioyed every advantage that q lavish expendl-
ture OF money could obtain When be became
of age he gave dinner In Paris which, 1t Is
cence, and was the subject of gossip In the
American colony for years. 1t is said
to have cost him 100000 francs. With an
income q $hhsoo year cdnseyed Tng wedathy
great prize In the matrimonial market. On
his return from Europe he visited Newport
The reigning belle there that season was Miss
Louisa Du Saulle. She was seventeen years
OF age, and had bewitching beauty and charm
ing manner. Miss Du Saulle was the daugh--
ter of Louis Du Saulle, q French merchant Of
New Orleans, and @ man OF great wealth.
Before the season was ended the engagement
announced. In 1859 they were married In this
city by Archbishop Hughes. The bridal gifts
In diamonds and lewelry wore Of almost fab
ulous cost. On the evening OF the wedding
Mr.. Du SaulIe handed his ,son--in- law o check
for $4,000. Mr.. Hill tore the check into frag-
mcnts and flung the pieces ut Mr.. Du Saulle,
saying, 81 did not buy your daughter, sir"
The young couple went to New Orleans
after an extended European tour, and lived in
grand style. Mr.. Hill had q taste for the fine
arts, and he gratltied 1t. His gallery OF paint
ingS and statuary WAS considered one Of the
finest In the South. He was fond OF fine
horses, and he prided himself on having a
pair OF horses and carriage for eaeh Day i, ~
came North with q, retinue of servants. and
divided their time between this city and New
port Their bill for one seasons entertain
ment at hotel In this city was $4,000. Three
children were born to MI. and Mrs. Hlll, ana
their domestic life was one Of great happl-
ness The war broke out, and with 1t came
sudden ruin to MI. Hill. His slaves were
freed, his plantations Overrun by the contend
ing armies, his New Orleans factories We're
stopped, and the family home was one OF the
first houses occupied by Gen. Butler when he
entered New Orleans. Mrs. Hills father, Mr..
Du Saulle, was one Of those who foresaw the
coming disaster in time to sell his property.
He returned to France and settled in Pau,
,,tf up1n the close of the
war Mr.. Hill was utterly impoverished and
unable to provide for his family. Mrs. Hill
and her children accepted Mr.. Du Saulles
offer Of o home in France, and separation
between husband and wife, which WaS then
begun, has proved final.
In 1874, Mrs. Hill began proceedings for
divorce from her husband In the courts OF
this city, but the case was dismissed by
She then went to live in New Jersey, where
she instituted another suit, in which she was
successful. She then returned to France to
live with her parents She still had traces Of
her beauty, and she soon had q train OF ad-
mirers. A wealthy French nobleman sought
her hand in marriage. and they became en-
gagged. Mrs. Hill was q devoted CATHOLIC,
and found her faith an insuperable obstacle
to her remarriage. She consulted eminent
lawyers, who thought that they had found q
the first marriage ceremony, which nullifed
the bond that, under the church rules, still
made her the wife OF Mr.. Hill. The lawyers
ascertained that Mr.. Hill was O. Protestant,
and that Archbishop Hughes In marrying
them had performed the ceremony that Is re-
quired when both bride and groom are OF the
Catholic faith. The case was laid before Pope
Plus TX, and he was asked to annul the mar,
riage. The Pope sent the case to Cardinal
McCloskey with instructions to order an &C.
clesiastical court.
The court, which was composed Of Vicar
General Quinn, the Rev. DR.. McGlynn, and
Father Farrell, the Cardinals secretary, met
| In the ecclesiastical residence in Mulberry
street in July. The greatest formality was
observed. The members OF the court wore
| their full vestments. VicarGeneral Quinn
was president Judge. The Rev. DR.. McGlynn
was designated as vindicator, or counsel for
| the church, and the Rev. Father Farrell was
secretary. Mr.. Hill was present as witness,
but had no lawyers. He only opposed the
annulling Of the marriage because 1t would
make the children iilegitimate. Mrs; Hill
was not present, but was represented by the
Count Filibetti, q Roman lawyer, who bears
resemblance to Shakespeare's picture, and
| is, It is said, an orator In his own language,
but he cannot speak English. The form OF
proceeding In the court was totally IN
like that in courts OF law. When wit,
cluded from the room until the direct ex'
animation was concluded. Questions were
put to the witness in Latin and translated
into Italian, thence into English. The secre
On cross-examination the Roman lawyer sent
in his questions in writing, and they were put
to the witness and his answer was recorded
The testimony was signed by the witness il
the presence Of the lawyers. Mrs. Hill pro
duced as witnesses the Lulings, OF State1
Island, who are her relatives, and then few
others, besides numerous dispositions from
persons in New Orleans and France. An ef
fort was made to show that MI. Hill was nc no
q Catholic; that Mrs. Hill had married MI
Hill by coercion, and that no binding, g, cere ere
mony was ever performed. Mr.. Hlll wa
brought on from Nashville at the expense o
the Church, being to poor to pay his way, t.
testify in relation to the marriage. Two othe
witnesses, friends of the Hills, were sum
moned in behalf OF the church to prove tina
the Hills had always considered themselve
husband and wife, and had lived together a
SUCH
The court was occupied nearly three week
: in taking the testimony, and when the cas-
, was closed the testimony, in Latin manu-
? script, was duly certified by each member Q
the court and delivered to the CARDINAL: A,te II
the proceedings are reviewed by Cardinal NC
C]oEEpv which will NOT he done for ESeVPra