DIVORCE OF MR RICHMOND THATCHER.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3163, 8 September 1880, Page 2

DIVORCE OF MR RICHMOND THATCHER.

In the Divorce Court, Sydney, Mr Want moved fora rule ;mi for a dissolution of tho marriage between Maria and Richmond Thatcher. The issues for trial were—marriage, cruelty, adultery, and desertion. The evidence adduced showed that the petitioner, Maria Thatcher (nde Blount) was tho wife of Richmond Thatcher the well-known theatrical agent and journalist. They were married in January, 1872, atMuswellbrook, and had had two children—a boy and a girl. They soon afterwards came to Sydney, and subsequently went thence to Bathursr, where the respondent commenced iHtreating the petitioner by striking her with his fist, and threatening her with other violence. In February, IS7G, he suddenly left her without any means of support for herself or her two children. He went overland to Melbourne and thence to New Zealand. .After some tirno he wrote to hor froniNewZealand, promising to amend his course of life, whereupon she went there at her own expense and rejoined him. He kept good during a few ; days after her arrival there, but he then again struck her and threatened her. Bearing he might do worse she left him. It was subsequently ascertained that the respondent wont in last December to a boardinghouse iv Cumberland-street, where he" introduced a woman as his wife, and that they occupied tho same bedroom there, as man and wife, until the following January. The boardiug-houEC keeper believed them to be married ; but in court he perceived that the woman in question, named Smith, was not the respondent's wife. Thatcher and the woman referred to loft tho boarding-house shortly after New Year's Day. George Edward Young gave testimony to tho effect that the defendant, with a woman aud child, had left for England. A woman who hai the charge of respondent's children deposed that ho had made no provision for their maintenance,, and they were being {supported by the petitioner. His Honor saw that Mrs Thatcher was perfectly justified in leaviugher husband, and that all the issues—marriage, cruelty, adultery, and desertion—were iiihei favour. He accordingly granted a xulo nisi for tho dissolution of the marraige, making it returnable in six months, aud ordering the customary to bo published in. tho Press, H