Interesting Divorce Case.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4360, 21 December 1882, Page 2

Interesting Divorce Case.

Rather more than a year ago the public were "tartled, and the leaders of the Good Templar organisation in Auckland scandalised by the circulation of a report to the effect that a popular vocalist of the order was intriguing with the wife of another brother, and ere the matter had ceased to engage attention, it was alleged that the amorous pair . were living together. The affair was talked over far and wide, until, like other sensations, it gradually ceased to be canvassed. Now, however, proceedings have been instituted which may lead to a resurrection of all the details, and cause a fresh flutter in the dovecots of society. The matter has been placed in the hands of Mr W. Coleman, and this morning he made application to Mr Justice Gillies (sitting in Chambers) under the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, of 1867, that he should fix the mode and appoint a place of trial for the case of T. S. Wilcock t. Wilcock and Forder. His Honor accordingly fixed the trial to take place before a common jury during the ensuing Civil Sittings of the Supreme Court. In the meantime we give a resume of the allegations which the petitioner, Thomas Spurey Wilcock, embodies in his petition. He states, in the first place, that he is a tea dealer, and that he was married to the respondent, Mary Price Wilcock (nee Mary J?rice Roberts), in St. James's Church, Barrow-in Furness, Lancashire, England, on the 26th of June, 1876, and that from that time up till his emigration to New Zealand he cohabited with her at Dalton-in-Furness in the same county. The fruits of the marriage were four children, all of whom died in infancy. He further avers that on or about November, 1881, the respondent left his house in Auckland, and since then lived apart from him ; that on the 18th March last she committed adultery with Charles Edward Forder, clerk (co» respondent), in a house in Cook street, and that ever since she has been habitually committing the same offence with the aforesaid Forder; first at the house in Cook street during the months of March, April, May, June, and July last, then at a house in or off Symonds street during September, and part of October last, and next at a house in or off Ponsonby .Road during part of October last, besides various other places in tbe province. The petitioner, therefore, prays that the marriage may be dissolved, and that Forder may be adjudged to pay the full costs of the petition, and he also denies on affidavit that there has been any connivance between his wife and himself for the severance of the matriminial tie. The only answer that the respondent and co respondent make to these averments is a denial that adultery was committed by them oq the date mentioned by the petitioner. The parties w r ere connected with the Good Templar , Order, and Mr and Mrs Wilcock frequently sang duets at the entertainments given at the Sir Henry Havelock and other lodges. She is said to have been a little "fast" in her manner, and Forder and she were often seen out walking together. Her husband, of course, grew jealous, and the result of his expostulations was her flight from home. She took care, however, to send an express for her belongings, and Forder, having furnished a house for her, they took up their residonce together. The officers of the lodge were duly shocked at such behaviour, and demanded an explanation from their frail sister. She promptly replied that she valued Forder's little finger more than her husband's whole body V that sho had gone to live with her lorer, and that she was determined to stick to him. The lodge forthwith ex pelled her, and the Good Templar public ceased to be gratified with hey vocal efforts at their periodical meetings. We are informed that the couple are now residing in Vincent street, and that Mrs Wiloock is "as ladies wish to be who love their lords," while Forder is described as a gay Lothario, who has succesfully carried through more than one amour during his residence in thii city.—Star.