The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1894-04-07 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

NOVELIST AND HIS WIFE.  PAINFUL REVELATIONS.  Mr. David Christie Murray. the famous novelist, appeared at Bow-street Pohoe-court, London, on Tuesday, to an adjourned summons, charging him with neglecting to maintain his wife Alice Lydia Mary Murray.—Mr. Yelverton (for the plaintiff) said that everyone was anxious to avoid entering into matters of a painful character, and it was agreed that the case should stand over for arrangement. Mr. Murray had behaved in a most disgraceful manner, and had acted most scandalously. —Mr. Murray : After this declaration I will hide nothing, and the case must go on its merits.—Mr. Yelverton said that the parties were married in March, 1880, and lived together six years. After • statement as to defendant's subsequent behaviour, he said his client had been driven to earn her living by working as a machinist for 12s. a week, whilst the defendant earned a large income. He was the author of 21 novels, winding up with "In Direst Peril," and he allowed his wife to live as a machinist on 12s. • week. He would only offer £.50 a year.— Mr. Murray: They wanted me to provide £3OO.— Mr. Yelvsrton : I am instructed his income is £l,soo.—Mr. Murray : I would it were, air.— Mr. Murray said that as the matter stood he was paying the penalty a man paid for being an inoh or so taller than his fellows. If he allowed the case to go forth as it now stood be stood denounced before all the world, as • man of impure character. It was his duty to traverse the statement made by counsel. The former proceedings had been telegraphed all over the world, to Australia and America, and the same would be done in this case, so he must go into the box and make a .worn statement to clear his oharaoter.—Mrs. Murray said that before her marriage her name was West. She came to know Mr. Murray from living in the same street, She married him in 1880, and lived with him till 1886. In that year he went to Caton. He made a statement about a lady named Nana. He said he was friendly will her. In 1887, when they separated, she discovered facts about his intimacy with this lady. He mentioned the name of another lady. Ha left witness in 1887. The witness said that since 1887 the money sent her did not represent £1 a week, and was sent irregularly. Defendant told her be left £175 with his brother when he went abroad, but she did not receive it.—The Magistrate said he must have evidence of means, and thought the suggestion of £3OO a year outrageous.-Mr. Murray said that 10 weeks ago it was arranged that he should allow his wife £1 a week, and the summons was sprung upon him. He then proceeded to cross-examine his wife, and elicited that in 1887 she went to Dr. Stewart's, at Clifton, because she took opiates and drank.—Mr. Murray then entered the box, and stated that he was living at 58, Scarsdale-villas, Earl's court.road, a furnished house, at £3 3s. a week. He married at the date mentioned, and lived unhappily for years. At Rochefort, and at the Ardennes, he found that his wife was a dipsomaniac. Terrible scenes took place, and as she said the temptations of a hotel were too much for her they came to Twickenham, where he took a house, and where her oonduot grew worse and worse for eight or nine months. Scene after scene was more and more distressing, and on one occasion he found a number of brandy bottles in a receptacle. He called in a doctor and a trained mires, and there was an attempt at suicide, and an escape to London, followed by a recapture in which the police took part. He then placed her at Dr. Stewart's, at Clifton, but he received a letter from him at the end of six months, asking him to remove her, as it was impossible to cure her, and she was, in the words of the letter, "making the house a hell." It recommended that she should be "let fly with a string." He understood him to mean some plaoe where she would have opportunities of drinking, but would be kept under watch. He knew some people named Avory who kept a hotel at Antwerp, and who were ready to do anything they could to oblige him on account of his friendly relations with their son, ' who had died in his arms. He applied to them, and Mrs. Avery came over specially to Clifton and took ba,.:k Ws wife to Antwerp with her. After his wife returned to England he made various attempts at living together. They did so for six months ia 1888, but one night she was in such a state that he packed up his things and went away, and had not seen her again till last week. fie left her a home and paid her bills, and when he went to Australia left with his agent a considerable sum of money to be applied to her maintenance. This, his agent alleged, was paid over to bis brother.—Mr. Vaughan: What is your income at present ?—Mr. Murray said he had made as much as £2,500 in one year, but tomes and severe illness had brought him to such a condition that he had had to rely upon the assistance of his friends.—The Magistrate ivijourned the case for a week, with a view to an arrangement.  A well•known inhabitant of the French town of Laval is to be tried on a charge of poisoning a domestic servant.  At the International Regatta at Nioe the Prince of Wales's Britannia won the chief event, and the Duke of Leuchtenberg's Roxana name in first in the contact for steam yaciats.  Before the Birmingham magistrates on Saturday Henry Knapp, an imbecile, wtui charged on remand with attempting to break into the Midland Railway Company'. offices in Suffolk-street, and assault • bag Polioe-constable Webb, one of the companies officer.. A couple of professional burglars induced this poor half•eitted fellow to help them in their housebreaking exploit, and when they were disturbed bolted and left him in the hands of Webb, the watchman. The latter violently resisted arrest, and had his head and arm badly injured. The company having ascertained the true facts now withdrew the prosecution.