The New York herald., 1879-09-27
WIDELY SEPARATED

DIVORCE CASE IL WHICH o,'E PARTY RESIDES
IN CHINA AND THE OTHER IN co>NEcrlcur.
BRrpGEpoHr. Conn, Sept. 90. 1879
Aftor numerous postponements mainly due 60 the
absence OF the respondent the other side OF the
globe the famous Vim divorce was reopened to-
day before Judge Hall. sitting committee of the
Superior Court of Fairfield county. The petitioner
is Mrs. Elizabeth Adams nul ead her husband is
Charles L. HILL native of Maine. but who has spent
quarter of century in China. and there
won wealth and distinction. lie was one
Of tho builders of TIE Shanghai Railroad.
was engaged extensively in commercial pursuits,
and was tho manager of the recent "trip OF General
Grant and party to the Chinese capital. Mn. Hill is
gentleman OF substantial build. has the appearance
Of an Engshman rather than an Amcrcan. and on
tho witness stand to-day proved himself cool.
careful Witness He first mot his wife mt ST. An
thony Falls. Mimi, 1857. whore she visiting
with her father. After some months an engagement
contracted, but Hill. going to San Francisco
and there contracting to 80 to China at $4,000
per annum salary. in the service of wealthy
American firm. wrote her explaining the crcuni-
stances and Offering to release her from her engage
inent If she did not wish to 10 to China. The
result that in 1862 she joined him there lHill be-
ing unable to come to Amerca). and married. at
Shanghai. Remaining less than three years, she re-
turned to America, but went back ih 1o6S. However,
she made but short stay, and second time re-
turned to America. Since then she has refused to
join her husband in China. and for several years past
the relations OF husband and wife have been practi
caly abandoned. Divorce proceedings were begun
in the early part OF 1873. hr Hill was on Il visit to
his wife. who was then donciied at the Stirling
House. in this city, her father having been III busi-
ness here. Mr.. Hill had been held in Washington
for some time witness in the Seward Consul
Generals nip case and on coming to New York in
response to letter from his wife, had divorce
papers served upon him. He was ordered to appear
in court March. 1873. but was compelled by his
fntr
age his interests. The petition or Mrs. Hill alleges
intolerable cruelty and unfaithfuness on his part
with Mrs. Loring and Miss Salle E. Wynan. Of
San Francisco. She states that he has $4,000
worth of property and asks that one-third be set
u cross-bi. in which accusations against the charac
ter of Mrs. Hill are made He alleges unwifey con-
duct by her i'll Nagasakl, Japan, Shanghai and New
Chwang China with subordinate officers Of the ship
Resolute, on which she made her first voyage home
from China; with various persons, halt dozen
more at various times. in Maine. Boston. Bridge
port Syracuse New York, Philadelphia, Old Orchard
Beach, and during extended European tour in
company with baptist clergyman whom she had
The opening day of the hearing was in August last.
and during that and several days following much
testimony was offered in the shape of dispositions.
Only three presented in behalf OF Mrs Hill aud
were al taken in San Francisco, where the parties
steamer city of Toxic in 1877 deposed that Mr. Hill
friendly terms with Miss Loring. but
observed nothing of a criminal character.
Captain Warsaw, . mining operator in San Fran
CISCO deposed to statements made by Hill regard
ing troubles with his wife and that he had threat
ened to divorce her il she did not her wfely
relations. Miss Wyman deposed that she had been
passenger Oh board the steamer Oceanic, from San
Francisco to China with Mr.. Hill, but positively
denied any intimacy.
On the other side, numerous dispositions were
presented supporting Hills reputation for NOR
ality.
Mrs. Hill when called to the witness stand, de-
voted her testimony solely descriptions of alleged
instances Of i'll treatment from her husband. and
then was kept for hours under examination to
instances of misconduct on her part alleged in her
husbands answer.
Mr.. Hill examined to-day. having just arrived
from China. He related the circumstances OF their
courtship. marriage and subsequent life at great
length, charging Mrs. Hill with leaving him in
China without further reason than that she wished
greater range Of acquaintance and amusements
than possible there stated that they arranged
that she should visit Europe with female relative,
but that she determined to alone, and that once.
at the Parker House in Boston, entering room,
| he found her seated on the lap of a man whom she
introduced AZ "Mr. Ladd, Of Portsmouth, N H., her
adopted father and denied all and severally the
cusaons Of the petitioner charging him with marital
! inhdelity. The testimony will be resumed to-mor-
4 row.