A LOVELESS MARRIAGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 608, 11 December 1909, Page 4

A LOVELESS MARRIAGE.

STRANGE HONEYMOON. In the Divorce Court, Mr Justice Bargrave Deane granted a decree nisi to Lady Emily Frances Stirling, in her petition against her husband, Sir Walter George Stirling, because of his cruelty and adultery. Lady Stirling was the widow of Lord De Lisle and Dudley, and married the tespondent on Feb. 21st 1903. There were no children. From the day of the marriage, said Hr Barnard; the wife’s counsel, the husband treated his wile with the greatest cruelty and neglect. On the day of the wedding, on leaving church, the respondent said to his wife, “You have a cold,—you. I am going abroad for my health, and shall stdrt to-morrow. If you are not well enough to go, I shall go alone.” The same day they travelled to Dover en route for the Continent, and on the journey the respondent refused to speak to her. Next day they went to Paris, where they remained three days. He still refused to speak, and treated Lady Stirling with absolute neglect. Whenever she spoke to him and tried to make herself pleasant, he simply ignored and abused her. Afterwards Sir Walter and his wife went on to Cimiez add other places, where the husband continued the same course of conduct, two or three times telling her he would leave her. On June 9th, 1903, after they had been attending a wedding, together, Sir Walter told his wile he wished to speak with her ; and when she entered his study, he informed her she was to leave, and unless she did so he would put her in a top room in the house and tell all her friends she was mad. The effect of this kind of conduct was to injure the lady’s health. She consulted her medical man, who had known her many years, and he was shocked to find her so altered. As he got no explanation, the doctor examined her for a maligtnnt growth, but could find nothing of that description to warrant the lady’s condition. Ultimately, in answer to questions, the doctor found that the cause was the husband’s conduct towards his wife. The doctor saw the respondent on the matter, and then discovered that Sir Walter had taken a great dislike to Lady Stirling, for no reason that the doctor could ascertain. In June, 1903 husband and wife separated. In July last, the husband, being watched by detectives for some time, was traced to the Great Central Hotel with a lady not the petitioner, who passed as “ Mrs Stirling.” The petitioner bore out her counsel’s statements, saying her husband once said, “ What horrible, disgusting things women are.” Further evidence of the adultery and Cruelty being given a decree nisi with costs was granted.