NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 157, 9 February 1871, Page 6

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

In the Divorce Court, on November 1 6, a husband's petition for a dissolution of his marriage, on the ground of his wife's adultery, was heard. The facts of the case were of a romantic nature. Mr. Ironsides, who is a person occupying a good position in a silk warehouse, met the respondent at Margate, and became enamoured of her. She confessed that she was not a virtuous woman, but he hoped she would become so, and married. At first they lived happily together, but the respondent deserted her husband, and he then found that she had forged some cheques in his name. She afterwards pursued an abandoned life, and was taken to Marylebone Police Court for stealing L 4, belonging to Mrs. Gordon, the landlady of the house where she lived.

The petitioner refunded the money and consented to obtain employment for the respondeut, and did so. His employers entrusted work to a great amount to her ; but on going home one evening the petitioner found that his wife had decamped, taking with her not only the contents of his cash-box, but also his wearing apparel. After this she went to a house of ill fame. Whilst living with her husband the respondent pretended to be enceinte, and on his return from Windsor one evening he was told that she had been confined. Subsequent inquiries showed that the respondent and two persons named Skelpinghorno, had conspired to foist the child on the petitioner. For this offence the Skelpin^hovnes were tried at the OW Bailey, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Abundant proof of adultery was given. Lord Penzance granted a decree nisi with costs.

On Saturday, November 12, the bodies of a young man and woman were found lying side by side, quite dead, in a bedroom at the Warwick Tavern, Redhill, Surcey. The man appears about 30 years of age, has something of a military look, with a'rather reddish thick beard and moustache, dai-k brown hair, and nose prominent. His height is about 5 feet 7 inches. The woman appeared to be about 21 or 22 years of age, had very good features, with an abundance of dark brown flowing hair. Her height is about 5 feet 2 inches. The left hand was laid upon the bosom, and a gold ring was on the third finger of the left hand. When seen alive she wore a fashionable small bonnet ; black dress, with several stripes at the bottom of the skirt, of purple ; black cloth jacket nearly new. The man came to Mr. Easton's about a week since, and took a bed and sittingroom for himself and wife. He paid a week's lent in advance, and said he had some luggage coming, which, however, did nob arrive. The woman came the same evening. They lived well, and generally went to bed about 9.30 or 10 p.m. Shortly before 9 o'clock on November 12, Mr. Easton went to take some water to the bedroom, and knocked jthree or four times, but received no reply ; and on the room being entered, the deceased were found lying side by side .in their night clothes, life being quite extinct. A paper was found in the bedroom, on which was written that they had both agreed together to poison themselves. One halfpenny in money was found in the room, and a few books, viz., a Church Service, in which was written " Maria Mason, the gift of her cousin ;" a book, " Wooing of Winifred •" and the Waverley Novels. In a directory is written, "The Rectory, Fiddleworth,

near Petworth, Sussex," Two empty phials, which had contained cyanide of potassium, were found on a sideboard in the bedroom.

For some time past the son of a member of the Stock Exchange has been annoyed by the invitations of a foreign-looking man to dine with him, go to theatres, &c, and the suggestion has also been made that he should stay out ail night. The father, dismayed by the termination of the Bolton and Park ease as regards a conviction, determined to take matters into his own hands. The foreign gentleman, when he made his appearance on November 10, was seized and carried into an office in Warnford Court, and whilst two men held him down, a third gave him a most tremendous thrashing with a large stick. His clothes were torn completely off him, and a large bottle of ink poured all over his head. He was then carried upstairs and left in the court in a most deplorable condition, and a large mob assembled, but though policemen were present he preferred no charge of assault against those who had so severely punished him. He eventually rushed away in a cab. It is believed something more will be heard of this extraordinary case.

From the details of a case heard before the County Magistrates at Lancaster, on November 26, it appears that horseflesh occasionally finds its way into the London market as " sausage meat." Under this description the carcases of sis superannuated horses had lately been despatched to the metropolis.

Lately Mr. Bedford held an inquest at the Strand Union Board Room, touching the death of Mary Rufus, aged six years. The deceased was the daughter of a mechanic, and was told by her mother to go up stairs, when she got into a dreadful passion, and refused to go. She felt back and rolled down the stairs. She instantly expired. Mr. Watkius, surgeon, stated that the child had expired from the effect of effusion of serum on the braiu, produced by the excitement of passion, and that her death had been accelerated by the fall downstairs. The deceased was a very passionate child. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.

Dr. Lankester held an inquest on November 14 on the body of Charles Willingham. It appeared from the evidence of Maiy Willingham, daughter of deceased, that he followed the occupation of an emery and glass cloth paper-maker. The -post-mortem showed that the cause of death was exhaustion from bronchits, brought on by the lung tissues being completely filled with emery powder. Verdict, " Death from consolidation of il\e lungs, accelerated by following the occupation of an emery-paper maker.''