THE CASE OF ELUSIVE ARTHUR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 208, 2 September 1899, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE CASE OF ELUSIVE ARTHUR.

SYDNEY AUCTIONEER'S SECRET

MAURI AGE

SOME "PASSAGES

AND—A DECREE

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, July 21

Mr Arthur Bloorc, the Sydney auctionee_ who figured as respondent iv the groat divorce case of yesterday, was so anxious to assist bis spouse to liberty that lie actually gave evidence by affidavit against himself and proved tlie essential "passages." Nor when the curious story of his marriage came out did many blame him. It seems that in his salad days when young, goodlooking, and impecunious, Mr Bloore suffered from a frightful attack of first love. Tbe fever burnt with exceeding violence, both on his side and that of ins adorable .Ada. They defied the stern parent who objected lo their marrying on nothing per annum, and before Bloore was ruthlessly packed off to Australia went and got secretly married at a registrar's office. "Nothing can part us now the law has made us one,'' cried amorous Arthur, as he returned tlie virgin bride to her father's house, and (lien he sailed for the Antipodes. This was in ISBS.

Prom the time of Mr Bloore's arrival in Australia his interest iv his bride became strangely languid and ids love illusive. Mrs Bloore tried again and again to recapture tlie boiling Hood of passion, hut iter letter:. were seldom answered, and her proposals to rejoin "dearest Arthur" did noi. meet, alas! with acceptance. We were not told in Court exactly when Hie regrettable

"passages" began, bid I fancy somehow there must have soon been a suspicion of one. in 1887 Mrs Bloore heard that her husband had been taken seriously ill, and she wrote offering to go out: to him and nurse him. He answered putting her off. In IS!K. she came into a very considerable fortune, and she wrote lo her husband offering to share with him whatever she had. He wrote back gratefully, but of course said he could not touch her money. Finally Mr Bloore candidly and manfully confessed to the—ahem .'-passages. If :ifte,r knowing the facts his wife cared to come out and try to pick up the skeins of their incomplete marriage lie was willing. Mrs Bloore, however, on learning of Arthur's infidelity ceased to love him and filed her petition.

In the course of her evidence Mrs Bloore said she had never cohabited with her hitsbaud. After he left for Australia she wrote affectionate letters to him, and the correspondence was kept up until 18l>2, when she received no answer. At Christmas in that year she came into a considerable fortune, and she wrote to her husband offering to share it with hint. Down to that time she had always been ready and willing to go out to him. In Hie letter he wrote to her slating that he had been unfaithful, but that she had been true be fully believed. Mr Bernard read Hie letter, which ran:—

"Mine the fault, yours the pain, t have often wondered, could the broken links be cast aside and tlie chain mended with a new one? Is it possible or not? Write me unrestrainedly and fully. Tell me all you think and feel, and I will as fully tell you, aud if it be possible to bridge over the gulf we can, if desired, do so. One thing only— the new life must be out here, as I could make a living for two out here, aud at Home I could not, and I think you know me too well to think I could live on yon. Until your next letter, as in days gone by, Arthur."

Evidence, taken on commission, was read to Hie effect that the respondent, who was now an auctioneer in Australia, had beet, guilty of misconduct. His Lordship granted a decree nisi, with costs.