The Sunday globe., 1901-05-19
OF an EngliShwOman as Read in the
Divorce Courts.
HIGH AND Low SOCIETY.
An EarI's Daughter and the Wife Of a Fish
Dealer Proven AduItresSss-Thsir AmorOus
Letters In REYNOLDS Newspaper to Hand.
This Story Shows Inc Means ResOrsd 10 by
the.Dffsrsnt Classes.

band, SIR reginald Proctor Beauchamp
of Langley Park, Norwich, praying fo
the dissolution of his marriage with hi
wife, Lady Violet Beauchamp on the
ground Of misconduct with the co .respon
dent, Mr.. Hugh Watt.
Mr.. Lawson Walton, in opening the
case, said the parties were married ia
June, 1880, the wife being the daughter
of the Earl of Roden, the mother of the
respondent, the Countess of Roden, be
ing still alive. The correspondent was a
gentleman well known in the financial
world and had for a time sat in Parlia
ment from one of the divisions of Glas.
gov. After the marriage the parties
lived at Langley Park and other places,
also in London. There were two
daughters the issue of the marriage.
Alter time they travelled together and
on occasions Sir Reginald himself went
abroad. Lady Violet resided with her
father and mother and after his decease
she lived at times with her mother alone.
From 1880 until last year they lived
together without any rupture between
them. Unfortunately in last year re-
spondent had fallen under the influence
| ofthe correspondent. In the early part of
/ the summer Of 1890 Sir Reginald returned
! from South Africa and found his wife,
who was then staying with her mother
| He visited with her in the ordinary way
of society during the London season until
| Sir Reginald received letter
PETITIONER AND HIS WIFE.
In consequence Of the letter the peti.
toner wrote to Lady Violet as follows:
"My Dear Wife: l have had no letter
| from you this morning. | hope to hear
your version Of Mrs, Watts story I'm
less she is lying, your conduct is most
reprehcnsible for woman Of your age,
who ought to know better. No wonder
that your conduct is such that nice people
give you the cold shoulder"
In consequence of that letter Sir Regi-
nald was surprised to receive communi-
cation IRON Lady Violet's solicitors, dated
June 20, 1900, which referred to several
letters which Sir Reginald had written
to his wife, making accusations against
her of groundless character. 1t stated
that Lady Violet's health had suffered
very much, and that she thought she
could not continue tu live with him, and
that she was anxious for a separation.
If that was not done Lady Violet would
seek judicial separation. This, said the
learned counsel was suggestion that the
lady should have a separate establish
ment. AT that date it never occurred TO
Sir Reginald that the suggestion was die
tated by the wish on the part Of that lady
to carry on an intrigue with another man.
Sir Reginald eventually obtained re-
traction of the charges against him,
which he accepted as satisfactory In
the course Of the autumn Lady Violet
visited Langley Park and during the time
she was there wrote three letters to Sir
Reginald couched in most atectionate
terms. On December g. however, with
out any inumation whatever, she left
home. She gave no explanation to Sir
Reginald of her conduct, and the motives
which led her to leave might have been
matter Of speculation if she had not
given the reason in letter which got
into the hands of Mrs. Watt.
AN INTERCEPTED LETTER
1t was addressed to the correspondent
and was as follows:
81 have been thinking of you all this
evening. / love you intensely and do
feel it 80, having tonight parted with you
for little time, and not to be with you
is unbearable hope the time will not
be long before we are always together
l will do all | can TO make everything
happy for you and easy for you.
/ thank you a thousand times for your
generosity. Remember, am ready any
time you want me. The times | have
spent with you have been the happiest
l have ever spent in my life. 1t is
privilege existing with you, as all you
say is so interesting. Do, darling, take
care of yourself, as | shall never be quite
happy till you are quite away from that
creature. / look upon her as the real
devil and criminal in human form. We
must make the most of the future and to
be with you is happiness. will do all
you wish, even to being your slave"
That letter, said counsel, was the letter
of an infatuated woman. After leaving
Langley Park the lady's movements
were a mystery for some time. 1t was
then found that she had been living with
the correspondent, first ia London, and
! then at Brighton and other places. 1t
could also beseen that the motive for re-
! spondent leaving her husband was to
unite her life with that OF the correspond
ent, aud live with him. There was a
suggestion that the petitioner had been a
cruel and inconsidemte husband, but, as
matter of fact, he had acted in a way
that completely ialsiied that accusation.
He wrote letter giving her the Oppor-
tunity to return to her home, TO resume
her position in his household, and TO once
more take charge of her two daughters.
The defense set up by Lady Violet Beau
champ was not in her own interest, but
with a view to shelter the correspondent
This lady had covered herself with shame
less admissions in order that when they
came to deal with the question of dam
ages against the correspondent counsel
might be able to say that she was a worth.
less wife, that her loss was of no import.
ance, and that Sir Reginald was entitled
to no compensation because the depriva-
ton of her society could be no disadvan.
tage to him.