CONCOCTED DIVORCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 317, 7 January 1909, Page 4

CONCOCTED DIVORCE

JUDGE FINDS THAT SOLICITOR GOT A FALSE CASE. London, November IS. .Mr. Justice llaigiavc Dcane conclud, d on Tuesday the hearing of Hie intcrve'itioii by the King's Proctor lo prevent the divorce of Mrs. .Martha May Thompson, who had obtained a decree nisi on the grounds of alleged cruelty, desertion, and misconduct by her hnsbanif. Enoch Grilliths Thompson, a ship's carpenter. The King's Proctor alleged that r. false case was got up and presented lo the court by Mr William Henry Abdullah Quillis, a Liverpool solicitor, who is now said to be travelling. Mrs Thompson is also said to be abroad. It was put forward on behalf of the King's Proctor that a man George Evans, employed by Quillis as a clerk, iniide the acquaintance of Thompson in Glasgow, and by liberal supplies of drink beguiled him into misconduct wUh a woman, Susan Burns, from whom be afterwards obtained a written admission of the misconduct, which was used for the purpose of the petition. His lordship said he had no doubt about the case, ft was clear that Mrs Thompson employed Quillis to try to get up a case to enable, her to obtain a divorce.

The court had been deceived by the gross misconduct of a .solicitor, who not only put forward a false case, but employed thoroughly unreliable evidence for the purpose of obtaining a decree nisi. That decree could not stand.