A DIVORCE CASE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7399, 15 September 1902, Page 2

A DIVORCE CASE.

The arisrocratic divorce i..ise in which the petitioner i.s Herr Pollacek and the co-respondent Count Wurmbrant—both well known in Viennese society—came on for hearing at .Vienna recently, and v.as certainly up to expectation as Far as sensation was concerned.

Mdme. Pollacek, the resiionueiit, sent a medical certificate io the Court, saying that she was ".ft in a fit state of health •<> :itt-i:rl. Tho judge, however, suspecting that 1 he excuse was not genuine drove lo Mdm Pollacek's apartment with ;>. medical officer, who certified thai slio was perfectly able to come to Court, On this the lady had a fit of hysterics, but the judge was obdurate. He summoned six stalwart men, who carried Madame on a sofa to the Court. Madame's progress in this strange fashion through the streets was a diversion for the Viennese which they enjoyed to the full.

The evidence showed that Hie petitioner, before bringing his suit had amply revenged himself on his co-re-spondent, lie had battered Jho head of the transgressor with the butt end of a revolver until he was unconscious, afterwards shaving oft half his moustache so i.s to make his appearance ridicuLous. Besides this Herr Pollacek had bound up the Count with cords so tightly that he could not move a muscle and while so bound inflicted on him various degrading tortures.

All this occurred at Herr Pollaeck's country villa, where he surprised the guilty pair. To add insult to injury, the petitioner sent cards of invitation to the trial Id all the respondent's relatives and friends, and also to the co-respondent's fa~ mily and acquaintances. On receiving the summons, Count Wurmbrandt challenged Herr Pollacek to a duel. Herr Pollacek ejected the seconds from his house forcibly and denounced Count Wurmbrandt to the police for transgressing the duelling laws. As a consequence the Count will have to answer for this offence.

Most of the witnesses in the divorce .suit belong lo the most exclusive set, and the case excites .such bitter feelings that several wit-nesses declare their intention of taking revolvers into Court- and using them. Instructions have therefore been issued that all witnesses shall bo .searched before being admitted into Court.