DIVORCE "PLOT"

Evening Star, Issue 14307, 4 March 1910, Page 7

DIVORCE "PLOT"

"A DREADFUL STORY," SAYS THIS JUDGE. Mr Oscar Pritchard, a youthfullooking engineer, ivho defended a divorce petition brought by his wife, Mrs Rita Pritchard, an actress, and cross-petitioned for divorce, told an amazing story of an alleged " divorce plot" before Mr Justice Bargrave Deano the other day. He said he lived very unhappily with his wife. On two occasions he accidentally met her with two men. On one of these occasions she was induced to return to her husband, but matters became so bad between them, and the wife was so violent, that when she suggested divorcing him he consented. The witness went en to relate to the Court the story of the alleged divorce "plot" arranged as a result of the promise. Mr Duttson (a friend of the parties) and the wife suggested that he should go to London and compromise himself, lie went to London, and detectives were . engaged to obtain evidence, but he changed his- mind and upset the plan. A week later, under pressure, he again wont to London and carried out the original plan for the purpose of furnishing his wife with evidence, staying at a flat in Shaftesbury avenue. On his return to Tollbridge Mr Duttson and Miss Leslie, an actress friend of the wife, were in the house, and a cruel plot was arranged. This Consisted of his wife screaming in the kitchen, and the witness seizing her arm. AVitness said it took some time to rehearse. The husband then wont into the drawing room with Duttson and Miss Leslie. Suddenly lie left and went to the kitchen. His wife screamed, and lie caught hold of her arm. Duttso;i. and Miss Leslie rushed in and witnessed the "cruelty."

"This is a most dreadful story," Remarked the Judge severely. Cross-examined, witness said that his wife toured in the ' Chinese Honeymoon ' after the marriage. The " plot " was arranged in order that his wife

might bo free to marry another man with whom she was in love. He was fond of his wjfe> and wanted to see her happily married. His Lordship said the case was a gross abuse of the processes of the Court, and the wife's suit and the husband's cross-petition would be dismissed.