SOCIETY DIVORCE CASE

Evening Star, Issue 19003, 27 July 1925, Page 5

SOCIETY DIVORCE CASE

THE RAPER PETITION. EVIDENCE FOR WIFE. Frees Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, July 24. When the hearing of the Raper divorce case was resumed Sir Edward Marshall-Hall asked the date of the death of the politician mentioned yesterday. This was given in writing. Sir Edward Marshall-Hall then remarked that it was later than the date of Rapor’s petition for a judicial separation.

Sir William Arbuthnot Lane gave evidence that he had examined the respondent in September, 1924. Witness said that she was of a highly strung, nervous type cf modern woman, looking for pleasure. He saw no traces of alcoholism. Respondent did not suggest the type of secret drinker. She seemed either perfectly truthful or an extraordinarily clever liar, but she left the impression that she was telling the truth

Dr Sidney Bolfrago deposed that the respondent showed no traces of alcoholism in 1918, 1921, and 1922. Later he thought her husband was asking her to load a, life with which she could not cope. When ho examined her in 1923 she was looking ill, and admitted that she was taking more alcohol than was good for her. Since thou ho had seen nothing to suggest that she had not taken his advice to give up drink, or that she was taking drugs, or that her mind was unsteady. Witness nevcr_ expected the Rapors to be happy, since Raper was not the typo of man she would have been wise in selecting as a husband. Petitioner, recalled, said that at one time ho had three detectives watchipg his wife. He never threatened to expose the names of the men mentioned in his wife’s confession.

Sir Ellis Hnme-Williaras, in his address on behalf of the respondent, alluded to the conditions of /modern society. Mr Justice Hill interposed! “I seldom spend an hour in London unless I am obliged to do so. I have no experience of how decent people behave. It is difficult to judge people nowadays by standards which have verv much .altered. I must put myself in imagination into a society which likes this’ sort of life.”

The hearing was adjourned till Tuesday.—A. and N.Z. Cable.