The Washington times., 1937-03-19
DECREE FINAL
APRIL Il AS
SCHEDULED
Charges Of Collision
Unsubstantiated,
Court Rules
BY DAVID P. sENTNER

LONDON. March 19 qN.SO.
The royal road to romance for
Mrs. Wallis Warfield Simpson and
the Duke of Windsor was cleared
Of all obstacles today when the
London divorce court threw out an
application to block the Baltimore
beauty's divorce on grounds Of col
luSion.
Sir Boyd Merriman, president
Of the divorce court, announced
his decision after Francis Steven
son, a Londoner who filed an in
tervention in the case last De
cember, made known his willing
ness to drop the proceeding.
The action means that Mrs.
Simpson and former King Edward
VIII of England may marry at
any date after April 81, when the
divorce decree nisi she obtained
last October at Ipswich asstzes
becomes final and absolute.
Dropped by Complainant
Today's hearing in the ancient
law courts where the Strand runs
into Fleet Street, London's news
paper row, was held on techni-
cality. Stevenson, an elderly, be-
spectacled barrister of medium
height, with a fresh complexion
and thin grey hair, had informed
the Kings proctor months ago
he had dropped the action fol
lowing Edwards abdication.
He said he had filed 1t merely
as a result of rumor and press
report and that he had no desire
to continue with his single-handed
effort to block one OF history's
great romances.
Charges Investigated
The Kings proctor, however,
felt obliged to ask Sir Boyd Mer-
riman whether it would be proper
to proceed with granting of an
absolute decree in view Of the TACT
Stevenson had dropped his action
for seemingly irrelevant" reasons.
Appearing for the Kings proc
tor, Sir Donald Somervell, attor-
ney general, told the court Steven
sons complaint that the decree
niSi had been obtained by col
luSion had been Sifted to the bot
tom and no grounds whatever
found to subStantiate the charge.
Sir Donald disclosed that the
Kings proctor personally had
interviewed Stevenson and ques-
toned him regarding his charges
the suit was collusive one and
that there had been conduct on
the part of petitioner which, un-
less the court exercised discretion
in her favor, disentitled her to
the relief she sought"
No Pressure for Speed
The interview, however, dis
closed Stevenson had no evidence
Of any sort to support his allega-
tions and that they were based
on rumors which he had heard
from friends and news which he
had seen in the press" Sir Donald
said.
Despite all allegations to this
effect, no pressure had been
brought upon him either to eX-
pedite the divorce or wink at
irregularities, Sir Donald said.
The Simpson divorce case, he told
the court, had been treated no
differently than any other"
Even prior to StevenSon's ap-
pearance, Sir Donald said, the
Kings proctor realized there were
circumstances which in his view
made a proper case for investiba-
tion.
Made Own Inquiry
AS a consequence, the proctor
inquired thoroughly into the case
along these lines: Firstly, whether
the case had been arranged or
was cOIluSlVe one, secondly,
whether the petitioner was acces-
sorry to or connived at adultery
of respondent and, thirdly, wheth-
er there had been conduct on the
part Of the petitioner which unless
the court exercised discretion in
her favor barred her from divorce.
Somervell said
"AS a result Of the proctOr's
investigation, there is no evi-
dence which would justify me in
directing Intervention"
While relating the history Of the
Ipswich decree, SomerVell said:
"It was obtained on the
grounds of adultery by respond
ent with a woman described in
the petition as Mrs. E. H. Ken.
nAdV at the HnfAl he Paris at