A SENSATIONAL DIVORCE CASE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 942, 14 May 1883, Page 2

A SENSATIONAL DIVORCE CASE.

The developments in a suit for divorce are causing a sensation at St Louis (U.S.) just now. The plaintiff is William Waddingham, and the defendant his wife Pauline. Mr Wadding ham has been a resident of St Louis all his life, and is the possessor of great wealth, being reputed to be worth from 300,000d0l to 400,000d01. He met his wife for the first time; in St Louis about thirty years ago. She was . then known as Pauline Hulett. They were married on August 30, 1853. A' short time ago he accidentally discovered that at the time be married her she.had : another husband—one Charles R. Qavin —still living, and it was upon this ground that he brought suit for divorce. In 1843 - Gavin, who was then a young mane of twenty, and Pauline Hulett, aged then about sixteen, lived together as man and wife. Shortly after this period Gavin wandered eastward, and, being caught in: an act of grand larceny, waa sent to the Auburn „ Penitentiary for three years. While be was in prison his wife went to the bad, and he became s sort of wanderer, serving shortly thereafter a term in the Columbus (Ohio) Penitentiary for counterfeiting. For the past few years his family and acquaintances have entirely lost sight of him, and his mother,, who had not seen him for thirty years, supposed him dead. In response to these damaging charges Mrs Waddingham enters a general denial She alleges in 'her answer that she was never married to Charles R. Gavin, but that a cousin of hers, who greatly resembled her, named Martha Jane Haskins, was the one who married Gavin. Mr Waddingham was kept busy.for several months endeavoring to discover the whereabouts of Charles R. Gavin. Monday was the day set for the hearing of further depositions on behalf of the plaintiff, and the defendant had been duly notified to be on hand at the office of Waddingham’s attorney's. The purpose of Mr Waddingham was to surprise the defence by the production, of. Gavin. The plaintiff and his attorneys, with Gavin, were on hand before ten o’clock. At that hour the defendant entered with her attorney, and here a scene intensely dramatic in its details ensued. Mrs Wadlingham, who is a.well-preserved woman, seemingly about forty-five years of age, though older, and of small and shapely figure, came into the room with a smile on her face, and entirely unconscious of the trap that had been laid for her. Gavin was standing against the wall, and facing the door. When the woman, who is said to have been his wife thirty years ago, but whom he had not seen for over a quarter of a century, entered the doorway, he looked her directly in the face, - - but gave no sign of recognition. She gazed at him for a moment as if she had suddenly been confronted by an apparition, throwing her hands into the air, and staggering towards a corner of the room, calling out in frantic tones “ Ch tries ! Charles I Charles !” and then fell on the carpet in a hysterical fit.. : Water was dashed in her face, and after being revived she looked wildly around and said, in scarcely audible tones, “I . thought he was dead,” Gavin stood there all the time with his hands behind his back, staring at his wife, but not saying a word. His stolid face betrayed no emotion whatever, and he looked bn with . the indifferent air of a spectator who had - no concern in what was transpiring. When the lady was led away he coolly remarked “ That’s her.” He was then put on the stand, and his deposition proceeded. The most sensational as well as melancholy episode of that extraordinary •* domestic drama is yet to be told. It was ; the intention of plaintiff’s attorney te-t place the defendant on the jtand and try to obtain her admission, under oath, thatshe was lawfully wedded to Charles Garin, and had never been divorced from hint 1 ; • but it was discovered that she bad left " the city on Monday night, tad there was left no further doubt ou the question of the previous marriage. Mr Nichols left for Detroit on Tuesday to procure additional testimony, if not the actual record. He took Gavin with him, and it was a ■ part of their trip there to have him identified as the Charles B. Gavin who lived ' there in 1845. Gavin’s mother, Airs Mary Marsh—she having been married a second time—an old lady of eighty-four, has been living in Detroit for Sty years, her recent home being at 101 Catherine street. When the two callers tapped at the door it was opened by a girl, who conducted them to a room where the old l°dy was seated. She rose to receive them, but the same moment recognised her lost son, and screaming out his name, fell dead.— N.Y. Herald.