MADAME MELBA’S SON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 445, 2 January 1909, Page 4

MADAME MELBA’S SON.

The Story of his Divorce.

The divorce case," in which Mr George ■ Nesbitt Armstrong (Madame Melba’s son) was the I respondent, was heard in London on 13th November, when Mrs Phoebe Georgina Frances Ruby Armstrong obtained a divorce from her husband on the ground of his ciuelty and misconduct. According to the report in the Loudon Star, Mr Barnard, K.C., said Mrs Armstrong, who was the daughter of Colonel Otway, met her husband when she was quite young at school. They became engaged, and were married on 18th December, 1906, at St George’s, Hanoversquare. After the marriage they went to live at Highcliff Castle (where the Kaiser stayed), and they also had a town house in Great Curaberland-place. At the time of her marriage the lady was only 19. There had been 1:0 children. The wife soon found her husband had a most violent temper, and on returning from Australia in May, 1908, she went to stay for a few days with her parents near Brighton. She returned to Loudon on 4th May, and telephoned to her husband. He came and told her he was going to Paris for two or three days. He returned on 6th May, and on the following day his wife noticed her husband looked upset. He eventually admitted he had misconducted himself with a Mrs Hoffman, adding that he had been “caught” at the Hotel Metropole by Mr Hoffman. The husband also told his wife that he was found in a compromising situation, and that Mr Hoffman was trying to get from him. Mr Armstrong asked his wife not to divorce him, and she said she would think it over. She left him, and on nth May wrote to her husband as follows :

“ Dear George,—Ever since last Thursday morning I have been thinking things over very seriously indeed, and this is the conclusion I have come to : We were never really meant tor one another, and I am afraid I cannot have made you very happy, and you cannot really have loved me as yon should, which is patent by your confession. If I were to come back to you, I should never love or respect you. Without these two assets, life would become entirely unbearable.”

Mrs Armstrong, a pretty woman in a violet costume and huge “ Merry Widow ” hat of the same colour, and wearing a beautiful sable stole, then went into the witness-box and told the story of her unhappy married life. Soon after the marriage they went for a trip to Texas. One day he used very bad language to her, and because she refused to kiss him, her husband dragged her into the house, and locked her up. in the bedroom forsome hours. In 1907, when they were staying at Worthing, her husband, after dinner one night, dragged her across the sands by the hair of her head, pushed heir into the sea up to her waist, and held her there. In August, 1907, they went to Australia and on the voyage her husband dragged her out of her bunk and shook her. On the voyage home he nearly strangled her. On the morning after her husband’s return from Paris this year she noticed that he seemed terribly unstrung. I found he had been unfaithful. He said he must have or appear in the Divorce Court.”

Caroline Mary Blundell, maid to Mrs Armstrong, corroborated the story of cruelty. A decree nisi was granted.