The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-11-13
DIDN'T WANT TO WED.
But She Claims to Have Been
Forced To.
VERY PECULIAR CHARGES
4 scheme without a Parallel, IL the
Lady In the Case Tells
the Truth
An Interesting Romance

LovDoE, November u. - a divorce
ssss was brought up for q preliminary
hearing to-day. The action is brought
BY Mrs. Arthur sebright, who asked to
bsve her marriage declared void on the
grounds that she was induced to con-
sent 10 have the ceremony performed
by fear, and that the marriage has
never been consummated. The plaintiff
the daughter of Lady Scott, OF South
snpton, and is noted for her beauty.
Defendant is well-known London
cub man. Plaintiffs friends assert
tbs; the defendant, coTeting her private
/. i5rtune of 500, 900, managed 70 inveigle
her II financial transactions, which
finally fell upon her for settlement at a
tine when she had 10 choose between IT,
lrsing 20 pay and be compromised or
escaping by marrying the defendant
sld permitting him 10 liquidaJe. At
TIE bearing to-day, Mrs. Sebright's
counsel admitted the marriage, which
be sad vas performed at the registrars
last January. He contsnded, however,
that no marital relation had ever taken
place: that the parties had never
lived together, and that there
had been no improperly in the
financial transaction which caused
their marriage. Mrs. Sebright had
induced the petitioner to accept
certain bills, and she had been led TO
believe that the marriage ceremony
bstFeen her and the respondent would
relieve her Of the financial liability in
cured. The Judge said he thought
that under these circumstances IL
would be impossible TO nullify the mar
rage. and announced that he would
hear the testimony, with a view 10 de.
c.ding whether there was sufficient
rsssOu TO grant a divorce.
Mrs Sebright was called 10 the wit
rsss stand. and sworn. She testified
that through her father she had in
hsrited in her own name $4,000, in
sddit.On u & reTersio1 of $50 coo on
the death of her mother. She had met
" Sebright when she was but 10 years
Ol6, ard the acquaintance had been coz
u2u0Ls. he proposed marriage 70 her
after they had been acquainted short
tine only, but her mother declined TO
signt continued his visits to
&c house however, and was
sceivcd on terms of friendship
Finally. Mr.. Sebright induced the wit
1sss 10 engage herself 70 him IN mar
rage unknown TO her mother. After
tais ne Per suaded her from time 10 tine
% sign bits OF paper, which he sup
llsd Eventually the witness ascer-
ninei that she had appended her name /
70 notes and bills and made herself
liable for sums amounting 10 SIC 90,
When they were served upon her. she
appealed 10 Sebright. He said the
o1!y way in which she could !
save herself from ruin was by marrying
him. The witness said she refused 4.
50 10 10. Mr.. Sebright next requested /
the witness 10 meet him alone. She did /
50. He took her to a place unknown /
20 her but which she learned was the
registrars office. She wished tOi,eave the /
ro0m the moment she found where she |
vas Count Balharney, 8 friend OF Sc |
bright. who was present. blocked the |
door and Sebright said 10 her that he
Eo-li shoot her if she dared /
70 show that she was acting /
Without free VIII in the marriage
which he was about 70 have performed /
between them. De then forced a ring |
On her finger, and the witness threw II
OF, and again tried 10 leave the room. |
se0-.znt seized her by the arm and /
register. The witness said that she |
did lot hear the registrar read the form |
Q. marriage nor hear him say any
ting. i was too upset and too dread /
i1ly frightened. "she declared, Ito hear /
anything at the time"
The reglstrs-. being sworn, deposed |
Tat when Mrs. Sebright was before |
I'm she was agitsted, but that she re
psztel the marriage declar atoms with /
o.. any hesitation aud also the mar
rsss form when Sebright took her |
hand. The witness added that subse-
s1s1tly the lady threw the marriage |
--g VI the floor, but signed the reg ster 1
without hesitation or demurTlng.
lsdy Scott. Mrs. Sebright's mother
and two doctors testified that the peu-
eo1er was completely broken down,
Isn;shy and physically, after the cere-
Io1y and was always tremulous
g-1 .---=r,. y .-,1 -, rnnSfaur terror