AN EXTRAORDINARY DIVORCE CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6787, 18 August 1883, Page 10 (Supplement)

AN EXTRAORDINARY DIVORCE CASE.

The case of Rosely v. Rosely was recently before the Divorce Court in. London. _ This was the petition heard on Saturday 'of Mrs. Lauretta Roseby, for the dissolution of the marriage on the ground of the adultery of her husband; with her sister. The" respondent, Mr. William'; John Koseby, an ironmaster, living at. Doncaster, answered denying the charge!' Mr. Bay ford said that the cjasewas a very, painful on&. The parties, .who were both in a good position in life, were married in April,. 1574, aod thete were three children, subsequently 'born. Miss Ada Smith, tho sister ,of the petitioner, was frequently stopping, with . Mrs. Roseby. In February, 1877, the respondent, who lived at Doncaster, accompimed his sister-in-law. from Darlingtori, where her parents lived, to Doncaster, she having been to a ball. It was alleged that either on that journey or after, their return to Doncaster he seduced his sister-in-law. In Aptil following the respondent put, himself iu communication with Dr. Griffin, who was living at Banbury, and told him, that he had seduced a young lady, who was enceinte. Subsequently he .told Dr. Griffin that the young lady was his wife's sister ; and it was arranged that she should go to Banbury to b» cenfined, and that everything should be kept quiet. She went over to Baubury, and a child was born on the 10th of November, 1577. A most unfortunate matter then occured. Miss Smith died from a violent attack of pneumonia on the 2nd of December, 1877. The child lived for about a year and a half, when it died of scarlet fever. There was a plea of condonation, and, certainly Mrs. Roseby lived with her husband for some years afterwards. He (the learned counsel) was obliged to rely in this case upon the evidence of Dr. Griffin. , Tho suggestion apparently was that somebody else was the father of" the child, and that' Mr. Roseby. made the arrangements he did for the purpose of concealing the trouble into which hia sis-ter-in-law had got. • The expenses of the confinement and that of the funerals were paid for by Mr. Roseby. Lauretta Roseby, the petitioner, deposed that she wap married to the respondent on the 14th April, 1874. at St. Paul's, Darlington. Her husband resided at Doncaster. Her sister, Miss Ada Smith, was in the habit of stopping at her house; In 1877 her sister went to a ball at Darlington,' and her husband fetched her home. At that time she had no reason to suspect that there was anything improper between them. They all afterwards went to Llandudno, where the respondent paid her sister marked attention. She was very unwell, and witnes spoke to her at her husband's request, and ascertained that she was enceinte. The name of Dr. Griffio ■ was mentioned as a good physician to undertake the case, and witness had an interview with him. Her 'sister went to Dr. Griffin's, at Banbury, to be confined. Inthe'autumn of 1881 witness first hinted to her husband in regard to her sister, after he made an unjust remark to her. The following year she accused him: of seducing her sister, and he said he had proof to show her that it was not the case. She asked him to produce the proof, as it was breaking her heart, but he said no more about it then. Afterwards he said she was suffering under a hallucination. In the middle of last year she first communicated her suspicious to her father. Dr. James Griffin, in prastice at Banbury, said that in April/1877, heßaw the respondent, an old acquaintance, who asked him to procure abortion, but witness declined to have anything to do with the case. He suggested that the young lady should come to Banbury to be confined. At alater interview the respondent stated that the young lady was his sister-in-law, whom he: had seduced substquent to a ball at Darlington. He took apartments for her at Banbury, where she was confined. Ultimately she died of, pneumonia. Just before her death Mr. Roseby came to Banbury, but did not see her, he not knowing where she was lodging. About two years . afterwards tho child died of scarlet fever. Mr. Roseby paid the, Tt hole of the expenses, which amounted' to a.bout £150. Witness had endeavoured to bring about a! deed of sepairation between the parties. At the close of the evidence of this witness a consultation took place betweenthe parties, after which Mr. Inderwick, Q.C., who appeared for the respondent, saidi that a'deed of separation' would' be entered into between the parties. "Mr;"' Justice : Butt thought the arrangement'entered into a very wise one. Mr. Roseby, the; respondent, was then called, and emphatically denied that I he had committed adultery with' his sister-in- [ law, or that he was the father 'of ! her child. It was then arranged that on the execution of the deed of separation between the parties the petition would be dismissed.