A FLOWER GIRL'S MISTAKE

Evening Star, Issue 15477, 27 April 1914, Page 9

A FLOWER GIRL'S MISTAKE

ALWAYS TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH.

A COMPASSIONATE JUDGE'S GENERAL WARNING. Sick and tired of th© troubles that had crowded her life from her wadding at the age of 16, a flower girl stood on Westminster Bridge almost convinced that the Thames -would " end it all for her and the (.little boy," when a young man drove up in ! a trap, learnt her story, and installed her iin a house at Tooting. From that moment happiness came back to the flower girl, Ada Hampson, arid Richard Wymark, the well-to-do stranger of the gave her every care. Mrs Hampson divorced the husband, who had lived on her earnings, and had goto to prison for treatment so violent that She had entered a hospital, but in her evidence in the Divorce" Court sh© withheld material facts of her relationship with Wymark. "Then, after th© decree had been granted; the King's Proctor intervened to show cause why it should not be made absolute, and On this occasion Mrs Hampson admitted that she had lived with Wymark, but denied misconduct respecting another man. "Until I mot Mr Wymark," she said, "I had never known happiness from the day I was married, and Mr Wymark Will make me his wife as soon as I am free." Wymark in court said h© was willing to marry Mrs Hampson. The King's Proctor alleged that petitioner had falsely sworn at the triaJ that she had led a moral life since March, 1911, and was still doing so at that time; that petitioner had frequently committed misconduct with Riley George, and that for a period from July to in 1911 6he had lived with him at Graveney road, Tooting, and that petitioner had committed misconduct with Dick Wymark. In giving judgment, Mr Justice Bargrave Dean© said th© circumstances detailed before the President were of th© grossest kind. Husband and wife lived > together until th© former was convicted in March, 1911. At the trial of her petition th© wife was asked if she had been living a moral lif© since March, 191 J., and her reply was: "Yes, I am still going out selling flowers and whatever I can get." The King's

Proctor, however, was able to prove that sh© had been, sine© March, 1911, and was at the time of th© hearing of th© suit, leading an improper life. Her statement to th© contrary was a most deliberate bit of perjury, and since the decree nisi was pronounced she had been living with the man Dick Wymark. When the King's Proctor filed his plea she denied every on© of his allegations of misconduct, and it was not until she came into court that oounsel, on her behalf, got up and asked the Court to exercise its discretion in respect of ' her misconduct with Wymark. —Mr Justice Bargrave Deans refused to rescind the divorce, but in giving Mrs Hampson her freedom, h© said : "It is a remarkable case, and on© which has given me a deal of anxiety. Petitioner had said that she was only 16 at the time of her marriage, although at th© registrar's she gave her age as 19. The husband has been guiltv of a number of acts of cruelty towards his wife, and on on© occasion so violently assaulted her that she had to be treated at a hospital. He has undergone several terms of imprisonment, the last conviction being in March, 1911. Wymark has behaved very well in this matter. except, of oqurse, in the relationship that existed. If Wvmark is an honest fellow—and he is stated to be a man of some means—l hope he will see that it is his duty that th© countrv should- not be put. to the expense of this long inquiry, and that the King's Proctor should be paid his proper costs. Every instinct I have tells me that I ought not to exercise my discretion in this case, but there is one other consideration: that is, whether I should give her another chance. If Ido not give her another chance, I suppose it will be said that she will b© obliged to lead an improper life. But I am going to civ© this woman her decree. I will give Mrs Hampson another chance, but, in regard to Wymark's offer 4© maxry the woman, I cannot make that a condition precedent. I am not entitled to 'sell' a decree. I wish it to be clearly understood and thoroughly well known that I will not in future, whatever may be said as to the future_ of th© parties, give assistance to anybody who commits perjury or deceives th© Court by keeping back facts or denies them on oath. People must come to this court honestly." The effect of th© Judge's decision is that the woman is free, and' can be legally married to Wymark, the man who befriended her.