EXTRAORDINARY CASES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2359, 8 October 1880, Page 4

EXTRAORDINARY CASES.

Tlie Buller divorce case, after occupying three days, has ended in a verdict for the Queen’s Proctor, upon the jury finding that Mrs Buller had been guilty of adultery with Mr Herbert Flower. In order to understand this latest scandal of society, we must briefly sketch that lady’s life during the last ten years. In March, 1870, being then Miss Ridley, she was married to Lieutenant Kingscote, but within a year of that marriage she was alleged to have committed adultery with Captain Buller at various places. Her husband accordingly petitioned for a divorce which, upon proof of these charges, was granted, the decree being made absolute in November, 1871. To be divorced some fifteen months after a first marriage is pretty quick, even for a lady moving in fast and fashionable life, but to marry the co-respondent eight months afterwards is quicker still. Captain Buller is, it seems, at,noted athlete and cricketer, besides Ins other qualifications to be called distinguished. He did, at all events live with his wife some five years in some sort of harmony • but in 1877 she "found out that he had been unfaithful, and kindly condoned his misconduct. In 1879, however, she took her turn at the Divorce Court, this time as a petitioner, and upon proof of Captain Buller’s cruelty and adultery with an actress, she obtained a decree nisi last November. This case appears to have been most discreetly handled. The respondent was not called, nor was anything done to dispute the charges made,or in the way of suggested misconduct on the part of the petitioner. All went and the happy pair were only waiting the expiration of the needful six months to get the decree made absolute, and perhaps marry once again. But strange rumors arose as to the lady’s own conduct and character, which reaching the cars of the Queen’s Procter, caused him to intervene. The charges he now brought against Mrs Buller were that she had committed adultery with Mr Herbert Flower and Lord Marcus Beresford. Others were mentioned, but against them no evidence was offered. The result of the verdict is that the decree nisi obtained by Mrs Buller against her husband is recinded and her petition dismissed, so that these two, now found to be equally guilt}', remain in the eyes of the law man and wife.