, 1886-02-13
SENSATIONAL STORIES.
The Celebrated Crawford Di-
vOrce Case Ended,
And the Perkins Breach Of
Promise Suit Begun.
The Socialists Attempt to In
terview Gladstone.
A Trying Position.

LONDON, Feb. 1.-THE trial of the d.
vorce case of Donald Crawford against
his wife, in which Sir Charles Dixie is
correspondent, begun to-day. Great IN
terest is felt in the case and the court
room was crowded when order was called.
Dixie arrived early and took his seat in
the court room without being recognized
by most of the people in attendance.
Chamberlain, president of the govern
ment board, and many gentlemen promi-
nent in official and social life were
present The case being announced,
the petitioner counsel stated that the
first intimation his client had of his wife's
unfaithfulness was the receipt of several
anonymous letters, the writer of which
warned Crawford to beware of the mem
Der from Chelsea Dixie. Crawford
t%hereupon made investigation into his
wife's habits and found that she had been
corresponding with one Capt. Forster.
This offense he had condoned. Receiving
further anonymous letters, Crawford
taxed his wife with infdelity. She ad-
mitted her guilt and made a full confess
sion. She said she had slept two nights
in the same bed with Sir Charles Dixie.
His attention to her, she said, had com
menced directly after her marriage. He
professed to admire her because of her
resemblance to her mother. The wife of
the petitioner had attributed the anony-
nous letters to the v~indictiveness Of her
mother. The petitioners case rested
solely on the wife's confession. The ser
wants of Crawford's household, the coun-
sci said, would give evidence showing hat
their mistress had been absent from home
on the nights she said she had slept with
Dixie.
The petitioner, Crawford, was called to
the witness stand and gave testimony sup
porting the statements of his counsel.
Crawford said he had been startled by his
wife asking him whether he would forgive
her if she had been unfaithful to him.
His wife's sisters had been shown the
anonymous letters and had agreed that
they were in the handwriting of their
mother. In her confession, the witness
said, Mrs. Crawford had declared that
Dixie had compelled her to enter the bed
with Fanny" his mistress, Sir Charles
himself lying beside them. He then told
her again how much she was like her
mother.
Counsel for petitioner submitted evi-
dence against Mrs. Crawford, but none
against Dixie. The court granted Craw-
ford divorce from his wife and dismissed
the charges against Sir Charles Dixie.
Although Sir Charles Dixie escaped
under the technical plea that Mrs. Craw-
ford's unsworn confession was insufficient
evidence, the whole tenor of the trial has
produced a profound and universal conyic-
ton of bikes guilt. Justice Butts in
summing up, described the respondents
statement as clear and distinct, and said
they compelled him to conclude that the
adultery charged was actually committed.
If the woman had been put on the wit
ness box and had given the same testi-
mony, there would have been evidence
against Dixie. bikes position was
further damaged by his retaining from
giving testimony.
The attorney generals defence-'Were
we to put Dixie on the witness box, his
cross-examination would be on the indis-
c%retions in life from which no man is
free'-was taken as a frank admission
that Dixie was unable to give an explana-
ton. That part of Mrs. Crawford's CON
%fession, describing the depth of the de-
bauchery between Dixie and her, is unfit
for publication. The trial caused pain
full impression throughout the country in
regard to the state of society morals.
The consensus Of opinion is that the
filthy revelations made in the trial, and
the failure to attempt either to deny or
disprove the charge against him, has prae-
tically ruined Sir Charles Dixie.