A CLERGYMAN IN THE DIVORCE COURT.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 78, 30 September 1881, Page 3

A CLERGYMAN IN THE DIVORCE COURT.

+ In the English Divorce Court recently, the case of O'Malloy v. O'Malley, the petition of the wife for judicial separation by reason of the cruelty of her husband, the Rev. Bryan O'Malley, Reotor of Flitcham, Norfolk, was heard. Mrs. Frances O'Malley, tho petitioner, said that she was married to the respondent on the sth of March, 1872, at Little Walsingham. There were four children of the marriage. He was about 38 years of age at the time, and she was 34. While they were in Ireland he slapped her face, and about a month after the marriage he struck her with a stick and beat her. On one occasion he turned her out at night, and nsed bad language towards her and her children. He had pulled her hair, and threw boiling water in her lap. He made her clean his boots, and constantly threw thingsather. He had spat in her face. She separated from him omng to his conduct ; but, he having signed a paper promising to behave better, Bhe resumed cohabitation. His conduct, however, did not improve, and he again called her bad names. Subsequently he turned her and the four children out of doors. Ihe snow at the time was lying on tho ground, about two inches deep. They went first of all to a neighbouring cottage, and then to some friends in the neighbouring pariah, and since ||i hen she had not lived with him. The] Rev. George Keppell, brother to the petitioner, said that Mrs. O'Malley had shown him tho mark of a bruiso on her wrist. He took his Bister and the children away. Ab fast aB he put the children into the carriage the respondent pulled them out. (Laughter.) A number of other witnesses were called to give evidence in support of the petitioner's case, one of them stating that on one occasion the Key. Bryan O'Malley threw his boots and the Bible after his wife as she was going downstairs— (laughter) —and she had told him that he was not fit to teach religion, and that ahe would report him to the Bishop. For the defence, the respondent went into the witneßa-box, and gave on oath an emphatic denial to the charges brought againßt him. Before the case had finished, the jury intimated they had agreed upon a verdict, and they accordingly found that the respondent, the Rev. Bryan O'Malley, had been guilty of cruelty. A decree of judicial separation, with costs, was granted.