The Osceola times., 1882-02-04
MARRYING A MADWOMAN.
A Curious Case that was Recently Brought
up In tine London Divorce Court.
London Times.

III iilc ulNOfCc COurJ ltsltfud( tdult
up the case of Hunter VS. Edney, other
wise Hunter, suit instituted by the
petitioner for declaration of the nullity
Of his marriage with the respondent on
the ground OF her insanity at the time
when the marriage was supposed to be
contracted. When the proceeding were
instituted defence was entered by
direction Of the respondents relatives.
1t appeared, however, that the respon-
dent now declared for herself that she
did not oppose the petition. Robert
Hunter, the petitioner, stated that he
made the acquaintance of Miss Emma Il.
Edney 1T Horndeaa, where her mother
kept the Red Lion inn, in June, 1850.
He wrote TO her on his return to Lon
don, making proposal of marriage,
which she accepted by letter of the 10Th
of June, 1880. In tliat letter she adj
dressed him as Dear Robert" and said,
Il was never so much surprised as when
you proposed to me. | had not the
sill htest idea you had any regard for me
in that respect. Mother has not any
objection whatever TO my being your
wife, and hope. please God, that shall
prove to you a good, industrious wife,
and that we shall live happy and com
Portable together all our life. hope
your parents wont have any objection to
your selecting me for your WIFE" She
came soon after and emained on visit
with his family for some days. She paid
a second visit 10 them in 1850, md went
about with his mother making arrange
ments for his future household. From
the time of their engagement CORE.
spondence of an affection ate character
had gone on between them. On one
occasion he found her in tears, and on
others noticed something in her manner
which he put down to excitement oc-
casoned by the coming marriage On
the 10th of March she wrote the letter
in which she said: 81 anu very sorry to
inform you that am very i'll and the
marriage must be postponed. | cannot
be married on Thursday week. / am
very sorry. but what arrangements you
have made you must oisarrange. | am
so worried and aggravated that | don't
get any rest at all" In this letter she
addressed him as "My Dearest Bob"
and signed herself, Yours, most affec-
tionately, f. T.. Edney." He went down
on the 18th and found her i'll in bed, but
she subsequently got up and said she
was worried, but that she would be all
right when the excitement of the mar
riage was over. Next day, Sunday, they
were taking walk to a place where the
carriaRes for the wedding were TO be
ordered, and her manner was so quiet
and she was so silent that he said if she
was not prepared to carry out her prom
ises he would return to London. She
then said she was quite prepared TO
carry them out, and she conveTsed with
him and went with him to order the
carriages. Her mother told him she had
not been sleeping we'll She wrote
afiectionately on the 18th of March
about the preparations for the marriage,
and on the 18th he went down for the
marriage ceremony When he and his
friends arrived she was standing at the
inn door. Her manner was stranger she
rubbed her hands occasionally until
they were red. At at early breakfast,
which occupied only few minutes s.e
poured out the tea, and at the church
she behave1 in p;oper manner lie
observed nothing peculiar about her in
the church, but her finger was so swollen
that the ring would not pass beyond the
knuckle ioi1t. She was silent on the
way from church and at the wedding
breakfast. After the break fast she acted
in a very strange manner, sitting up
stairs and remaining silent, even when
asked by him what was the matter with
her She did not join in conversation,
and b. intervals she rubbed her hands
RAPIDLY. Ultimately she drove with him
to the railway station, and they came by
train to London, she maintaining an
almost complete silence. On the way to
his fathers house in London they passed
the one prepared for him, which was
pointed out TO her, but she took no no.
tice of it, After about ten minutes athis
fathers house they drove to his apart
ments. Spe told him that she had never
wanted to be married and that she had
been forced to it. He asked her in what
way and she did not reply. She was
tearing the fringe from her cuffs when
he cut them of for her. She threw
them on the fender. She lay on a bed
in her clothes; subsequently she un-
dressed and slept at intervals, The
marriage was not Consummated. lie
made breakfast for her in the morning
and she asked him 20 cut her taroat
She was occupied about an hour and a
half in dressing herself, and during
nearly the whole Of that time was look
ing at herself in the glass. His sister,
father and aunt came that day. DIR.
Miskin was called in; her mother was
communicated with, and came up the
same day and took his wife home on the
next day. She went down to Horndean
on the Monday following. She was in
the same depressed co2dition. He sub
sequently received n letter from her, in
which she wrote:
my DEAR HusBAND-It gives me
pleasure to write to tell you that ! am
getting better Harry told me you are
coming to Portsmouth before long. |
hone Won will call and see me, so that
we may come to some arrangement. ]
beg forgiveness for all have said and
done, as it was all my Imagination.
hope You are getting better, for am
sure you must have been very much
worried, and hope all your friends are
well. From your most aifcctiOnate Wife
To that letter his solicitor replied by
letter to Mrs Hunters mother, in which
she was informed that proceedings would
be instituted t) have the marriage de
clared null,
Alfred Hunter, father Of the petitioner
stated that on the occasion of the re-
spondent's visits to his house, before her
marriage, she appeared TO be very fond
of his son. When he arrived at the Red
Lion with his son on the day OF the
marriage he observed her at the door
wringing her hands She gave the an
swers quite correctly, but appeared TO
take no interest in the ceremony. On
the way back from church she was pull
inc the rings off her finger The only
words he heard her speak that day We're