Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-07-23
THE CRAWFORD DIVORCE CASE.

Captain Forster being sworn rs witness
in the Crawford divorce case yesterday adj
mitted that he had been guilty of adultery
with Mrs. Crawford. He said Mrs. Roger.
son encouraged his relationship with Mrs.
Crawford. Once he took Mrs. Crawford to
brothel. He once quarreed with Sir
Charles Dixie called him liar, scoun-
drel and coward, because he had secretly
attempted to sever the relationship between
Mrs Crawford and witness. He also at
tempted to thrash Sir Charles, but desisted
at Mrs. Rogsrson's entreaty.
Mrs. Rogerson was here recalled She
denied the statement just make by Captain
Forster.
Mr.. Matthews then addressed tho jury on
behalf of the petitioner, Mr.. Crawford whom
the lawyer described as "the only one who
emerged clean from amidst this plentiful
throwing of the foulest mud" The lawyer
rdiculed Sir Charles Dilke's reasons for re.
naming silent during the previous trial,
"when there was produced against him
strong, damning evidence of brutal adultery
more beftting the treatment OF q prostitute
in French brothel than refined English
lady" Mr.. Matthews did not mince mat
ters He described things in the vernacular
with such power as to intensely excite Sir
Charles Dixie, who became livid with rage,
and twice jumped TO his feet and essayed to
speak, which the judge sterniy prevented
him from doing.
Mr.. Matthews, continuing, referred with
intense scorn to 1.-The Frenchifed Sloane
street orgies" and said that no man who
was not 40 hrutaliZed as to be lost to all
- Id
in them "Where," asked the lawyer, "is
gies, while this young married woman, who
was betrayed and degraded into them, is
being held up to iufamy before the whole
the horrible lust of Dixie? Fanny has van
ished. She dared not appear before this
jury"
Commenting on the apparent present lack
of sensbility manifested by Mrs Crawford,
Mr.. Matthews said: Doubtless the last
spark of shame and self-respect in Mrs.
Crawford's heart expired after the three
visits she made to Dlke's house. If she fell
again who is answerable but the man who
destroyed in her every vestige of Womanly
feeling. Sensation. The allegation of con-
spiracy has completely failed. I ask the
jury to indorse the Judges decree nisi
made in the former trial. | ask the jury
to release Mr.. Donald Crawford from
the tie which yet binds him to
life of shame and misery" Applause
Sir Walter Phillimore, on behalf of the
Queens proctor, followed Mr.. Matthews.
Sir Walter contended that unless Mr.. Don
aid Crawford proved that his wife commit
ted adultery with Sir Charles Dixie he was
not entitled to a decree of divorce from her
in the present case, because the commission
of adultery with the correspondent was the
particular and sole ground on which the d-
vorce was asked. Mr. Crawford might OBJ
tain divorce on the ground Of his wife's
adultery with Captain Forster, as shown in
this trial, but he would have to obtain it by
bringing another action in which Captain
Forster was correspondent. Not single
witness had sworn to seeing Mrs. Crawford
either go in or leave Sir Charles Dilke's
house, although it was always crowded with
friends and officials. Every gentlemanly
feeling had restrained Sir Charles Dixie
from going upon the stand and testifying
during the previous trial. There was q
dark stain upon his life, and he was unwill-
ing to submit himself to process of exam
ination which would be directed towards
making an exposure concerning Mrs. Eus.
tace Smith, Mrs. Crawford's mother. The
absence of Fanny" Sir Walter argued,
could be similarly accounted for She
doubtless had dark stain upon her life,
and it was enough to keep her out of the
witness box
Concerning Mrs. Crawford, Sir Walter
Pbillimore said the evidence showed that
she had been badly reared, and that she
was most bold and abandoned woman