The Northern Guardian. — 1898-10-19 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

SEPARATED AT THE ALTAR.  REMARKABLE STORY OF A MARRIAGE. An extraordinary action was heard by Judge Granger, at Penzhnca County Court, yesterdayA widow named Annie Penberthy ;:ned a telegraOust on the Great Western Railway, at Pontypool Road. named Lamson, for four weeks' maintenance of his 'ego, Ethel Mabel Lamson. Mrs PenberthY is Mrs Lamson's mother. .  The parties, aczordino, to Mr Borlase, plaintiff's solicitor, became engaged during the time Lamson was a telegraphist at Penzance. In 1896 he went to Pontypool Road. Within fix months he and Miss Penberthy were marred in a church near Pcntypool; but as soon as the register was Eigned in the vestry, on the bride asking Ler husband for the customary kiss, he refused, and left her without another word. _  From that day ihey have never spoken. He took no house, made no provision for ler, and ever sincp she had lodged with her mother. Applications were made to Lamson and his solicitors for proper proviEion, but they only brought refusal or were unar.sy erred. - . . .  Before the marriage the girl's brother went to Pcrtyrool to see defendant, and a deedi was signed, by shich the parties agreed to be married, and then live apart for eight years, the brother of Miss Penberthy Agreeing to Indemnify Lamson against the cost of maintenance. At the time the girl was not twenty, and the man was under twenty-one. Mrs Lamson gave evidence as to her husband refc:ing to speak to her in the street whet he was in Penzance, since the marriage. In cross-examination, she said that before the marriage she threatened to commit suicide. It was agreed that within a month of her attaining the age of twenty-one she should re-execute the deed, but she had not done so, and did not intend doing so. Mr Cornish, (for defendant): And that is the straightforward way you act towards your husband? Judge Granger: I don't know about "honourable conduct"; IL is a most improper deed to get any woman to sign. On the face it is void, and could not be enforced in any court in the kingdom Mr Cornish said that when the engagement was broken off Miss Penberthy threatened to commit suicide, and behaved outrageously. Judge Granger: He seduced her? Mr Cornish: Yes. Judge Granger: And yet you think she carried on "outrageously?"  Mr Cornish replied that Miss Penberthy's brother took up the cudgels then, and said that if his sister corranitted suicide hers would not be the only death. Ho cowed the defendant, and in consequence the deed was drawn up. and the marriage took place. After a legal argument as to the validity of the deed, Lamson, the defendant, was examined, and said that Mr Penberthy came to him at Pontypool and said that poison had been found in the house, and that his sister had been seen going to the pier to commit suicide. The engagement was re-made because he was Afraid of His Life being taken. He wrote to her as Your ever-loving future husband," after the threats of suicide; he did not want anyone to commit suicide through him. it was true he left her after the caremonv, and he did not intend to make any provision for her. She had since insulted him by calling him names on Penzance promenade. Judge Granger: You deserve it, I consider. His Honour reserved judgment or toe point of law, but said he thought a more despicable ease never came into court. The letter the man wrote after he had seduced her and promised her marriage was the most heartleas he ever sew. The letters were most pitiful which the girl wrote to a man who was hardly worthy of being called a man. If he could decide in favour of plaintiff without straining the law he should do so. But he was of onini-m that the deed was absolutely V (rid. and P VIA public policy he dared net say what he thought of this ntan. 

Article type: NotIncident