ARMY OFFICER AND WIFE'S ILLNESS.

Bruce Herald, Volume LV, Issue 64, 21 August 1919, Page 6

ARMY OFFICER AND WIFE'S ILLNESS.

DIVORCE COURT . STORY. INPEOTION PLEA PAILS. Serious allegations against her husband, formerly.a major, but now wilder sentence by court-martial, were made by Mrs Lorna Roso Anthony, in the Divorce Court, London, recently. She alleged that he had contracted a certain disease between September and December, 1917, and had communicated that disease to her in December, 1917. [The respondent, Edwyn Archibald Anthony, denied the allegations, and suggested that the petitioner had contracted tho diseaso through committing misconduct with a man unknown. This was also ; denied by' the wife. An interesting point arose during the hearing as to the production of .-Army medical history sheets, even if the person to whom they related desired their production. It was contended by the War Office that these documents were privileged, and the Judge upheld this view. . In the Tcsult the petition was dismissed, a docision which was grectod with applause in courti The petitioner, examined by Mr BayfoTd, said that she was married to the respondent on December 15, 1910, at .the register office, Lambeth. The mar-j riage was without her parents' con £ sent. There were two children. Her

husband enlisted in tho Army Service Corps in August, 1914. Afterwards "" "TuT obtained a commission and wont to - France. He was home on leave for a fortnight an September, 1917, His manner seemed changed. He talked about actresses, and .onco he said to her, 'I should like to go to a night club. Have you over been to one f' 'Some Dreadful Mistake.' -c Mr Bayford: Have you. ever been to a night Club! v Tho Witness: No, of course not. ■ The Witness, continuing: The respondent had also referred to the immorality of French officers. It appeared to amuse him. When she protested, he said: 'A man of the world with all'my experience learns to look at those things differently.' In January, 1918, she developed scarlot fever, and went to a sanatorium in Hastings, When tho symptoms of scarlet fever died away, other symptoms developed. She consulted doctors, and ultimately Dr Heath, from whom on May 4, 1918, she learned that she was suffering from a certain disease. She had never had intercourse, with any man other than her husband. On May 16, 1918, she had received a letter from her husband, in which , he wrote:— 'I thought then and I think now that some dreadful mistake has been made, and that you have not and are , not suffering from this disease at all. I have a perfectly clear conscience on that point, and if you havo made up your mind to divorce me I shall not attempt to stop you. Think it over, dear, and write, me your decision in your own handwriting, and not through your solicitors. Ido not care two- " pence for all the solicitors in the world, and I will not believe your letter contains your true sentiments, neitner can I believe that yo uare suffering as you ... say.' She was aware that in May, 1918, when a letter from her solicitors reached him her husband.was under arrest in Franco' awaiting trial by courtmartial. Dr Arthur Douglas Heath gave evidence as to Mrs Anthony suffering from the disease, which, in his opinion, had been contracted about tho middlo of the previous December. •Cross-examined: It was possiblo, but improbable, that the diseaso might bo innocently contracted. ■ Husband's Denials. The respondent/ examined by Mr WiUK. denied that ho had oyer contracted the'tjiseasej or that he had oyer committed misconduct. . After he heard of the chargo h,© made every H ■ conceivable effort to see hia wife o'hd "*=■'■ to; discuss matters with her. - Dr Thomas Richards, the medical officer at Winchester Prison, where the ~ • respondent is undergoing sentence, said that ho had.examined the respondent in July and November, 1918. He found no traces upon him. of ever hav- .? ing- suffered from the disease. After hearing counsel, Mr Justice ~ Coleridge decided that the respondent \liad removed,.th'c prima facie case made oitt. by the. wife, and in the circumstances -ho must dismiss the .petition.