£1250 DIVORCE DAMAGES

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1209, 26 November 1919, Page 2

£1250 DIVORCE DAMAGES

I GRAVESIDE SCENE DESCBIBED. In the Divorce Court, Loudon, Mr I Justice Shearman and a spocial jury • hoard the petition of George Felix ; Ronald, a solicitor's managing clerk, residing in Button, for a divorce from ; his wife, Ethel Kul 0 Ronald, on the : ground of her misconduct with - Mr . George Crook, at Purley. ! The suit was undefended, and the I jury found that misconduct bad boon j committed, and awarded the petitioner ' £1250 damages. Mr J. Harvey Murphy, for Mr Roni sild, said the parties were married in I August, 1906, and there was one child 'of the marriage, a boy born in 1912. I They became members of the church i choir at Christ Church ~Sutu>n, aud Mr | and Mrs Crook also became members. I Mr Kouald sent his wife aud child to i the seaside at Bognor in 1910, but I could not go himself because of his ! duties as special nonstable. ! Ho. learned that Mr Crook was also jat Bagnor at that time. .Mr Crook I afterwards explained that Mrs Crcok had advised him to go to the seaside i for his health. ; Ou November 7. 1917, Mrs Crook ; died.' Mr Crook camo to the petitioner jin a great hurry, and begged him to ; come and assist him, as he was brokenj hearted. Mr Ronald wont with him, j and looked after things generally be--1 fore the funeral. Mr Crook then naked Mr Ronald to i'oiuo to the funeral with him in "dsc he was excited and should fall into the gra% e.

As ;i mailer of f;nt, said counsel. Mr Crook, was apparently excited, end displayed such emotion that Mr Ronald took him away from the graveside. 'lf our theory is correct;' said Mr Murphy, 'I am. afraid the whole thing was a piece of acting. If there was an adulteroiirt relationship already existing between (he respondent and the co-respondent at that time I am afraid that exhibition of feeling at the grave side was not bona fide.'

In January, litis, continued eounsol, Mrs Ronald wont away, but returned :iftcr torrcspondeuco had taken place. At Whitsuntide, 1918, she wont to Woston-supcr-ila.ro on holiday, and wrote raying that she, was not to return. However, she tamo back. Suddenly, on June 29, she. went off, and bad not in fact conic back to her husband. It was afterwards found that sho had been living- with tho co-re-spondent as his wife at a house in Purlcy last summer. His Lordship granted tho petitioner a decree nisi, with costs, und ordered tho damages to bo paid into court within 11 days.