New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03
ntly at the fuundas

In domestic life was apparently at the founda.
ton of this marriage. for Caroline had no par.
ticuIar attachment to George Chapple Norton, q
man of good family. but Of no particular ability
What he seemed to be seeking was advance
ment. through the efforts of the popular and de-
UghtfuI Sheridans; and with the boundless con-
ceit of the small Drained man he felt himself
to be capable of holding any post under gov
eminent His wife at his command besought
office for him from those who had known and
admired her grandfather. One of these was
Lord Melbourne. who bore with Nortons trou-
blesome incompetence in the places bestowed
upon him until forbearance became impossible
An unsuccessful attempt to borrow a large
from Melbourne followed by a determined
effort to get hold of the principal of Mrs Nor
tons trust fund. This. too. failed and the wife
bore the brunt of his disappointment: "Flinging
an ink bottle at her head. setting fire to her
! manuscripts placing a hot kettle on her hand.
were brutalitfes she had borne from her huS-
band for the sake OF the children who were
dear to her; and it was only when. in an after
dinner mood. he broke open the door Of the
room into which she had locked herself for pro-
lection and flung her downstairs that she ap-
pealed TO her eldest brother. BrinsIey. TO inter
fere on her behalf The latter Immediately sent
word to Norton that if he had not written
he would expose him In reply the offender
excused himself by saying he had broken open
the door ON principle. thinking it necessary
a husband TO resist such extravaganza and dis
respectful proceedings locking him out OF
any room in the house At the same time he
wrote the required apologies and asked his wife
to forgive him"
This was the first of many scenes as dis
graceful to the they were agonizing
to his wife He was malignant fool. and
! at the root OF his outrageous behavior was
| jealousy OF Mrs. NortOn's superior brains He
ended his abuse by taking the children away
from her and By entering suit for divorce and
making Melbourne a party to it-varying his
performances by now and then offering plans
for reconciliation. The inclusion of the premier
in the wretched affair brought in political
element. stirring his party opponents to reit-
Grated attacks Mr. MOlloy has given many
pages TO elaborate details OF the drama. and
those who have felt the charm OF Diana War
wick will read with interest the story CT her
prototype. Norton's accusations were SO absurd
that at the trial the jury could hardly wait for
the judges charge TO end to bring In a verdict
for the unhappy wife Norton's counsel, Sir
John BayIey. said afterward: Il found =
that had been advising Mr.. Norton. not his
real case but on a series OF invented fables
which he had strung together and consulted me
upon. Nearly every statement he had made to
me turned out to be untrue" In conclusion.
Bayley stated his belief that there never was
more deeply injured woman than Mrs Norton,
and that NortOns conduct to her certainly has
been marked by the grOssest cruelty, injustice
and inconsistency that ever any man displayed"
1t is OF the curiosities OF English law that
it gave this degraded creature the power TO
keep the children away from their innocent
mother 1t not until after repeated and
painful efforts that she permitted to have
them with her in their holidays
Other tragedies OF English life in the first
half OF the nineteenth century set down in
these volumes; they furnish an effective shadow
for the lively anecdotes the sprightly personal
sketches in which those volumes abound.