THE AUCKLAND DIVORCE CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5995, 3 February 1881, Page 6

THE AUCKLAND DIVORCE CASE.

I The ■Wellington papers'contain lengthy re--.p'orts in the basepHedley- v. Hedley .and v Anderson;' ; The'facts are substantially: j . the', sanie as -narrated by us when the judg- , : , ; merit '■ was ;telegraphed: • ■ We , l'qu'ote': some , : passages of the: evidence-:-^"-Eliza Lathro'p^ •a 1 servant .of, ■ Anderson, ■. at; the , Metropolitan .- ilotel, Auckland, deposed.she.had often seen (Mrs. Hedley and •Anders'ori undressed in a rooiri together. Mrs.--Hedley told witness Anderson was Jierbrother. : Anderson's bed , qftenthad-, the. appearance of .two .persons,. iljaying, slept in.it, and though witriess'coiled .not Hedley' had-slept' in 'it, r she' , jwas liertam'she' : had"iiot slept in ; "'he'i J "owii : :.; bed.' ! '' They were often; hi each other?s rooms; , and' both'* used-to lie" down on '■' the ''same: ;lie'd of ari : afternoon.' -The children always , icalled- 'Anderson' l uncle. ■; Mr. Hedley', , who' , was often away: from the hoiel-'all night,- '• knew" his'wife/called Anderson heiV brother.' ; Every brie in' the house could soe they were yer'y fond of each-other, and said so. - Wit-' ! riess never saw them kiss each other, , but- . they often went out together, and Hedley , did not object..; Never saw them lying down .together while,Hedley,...was.thece,,,., Slie had : never told Hedley of what she had seen.—• Margaret Lathrop; midwife, dejiosedshe liad nursed Mrs. Hedley in her . confinement. ■ Anderson, often came into her room, and , stayed . a long time. Mrs. Hedley always '"called' him brother, but lie was .more affectionate than brothers iisually are. '

t Hedley-put-in the following letter,-which "he.haHlreceived from-his wite when she was ■ ' leaving. Lytteltpn.to join Anderson in, Auck-; ; l|ind :—" Ly'tteiton, May 17,', ; 1850..V-Deav •Husband, —.When you get this I sliall Ije'bn , my'way to'Aucklari.fi to join Anderson, Svho', although he .-.lists 'ruined m 6; .I'still '•';lov6.'i But I cauiibt' leave' you, bad 'as you' may think me,"without' 'asking your forgiveness . for ' all the suffering and disgrace 'I ■' have' brought upon 1 you. If you linew hovfmiserable I 'am you would at least' pity me •' : and, believe me or not,'' Gabe, I was iiot.wil l , fully guilty at first, but he had through his ■ kindness got itte "to care' for' him",' "and in an linluckj' moment he took advantage,, and my peace of mind went at the saiiie time. Oh, Gabe, forgive me. I know I have deceived you, and do not deserve it, but I cannot live away, from him ; only when I think upon i all your kindness and goodness to me I wish we had never'known him. But it is not'too late now. T have taken the children because I cannot part frorn them, and never .will;if I can help it.; and my only hope is that you \von't, come and take them away from me. Oh, husband, have a little mercy on me. I cannot undo the past, and I cannot 'but go to liim, for he has'sent for me besides, , you told me yourself, when I could no longer deny my guilt, that I was no longer your wife. Darling—for I still care for you a : little, although you may not believe me—do hot folio *v me. Leave me in < peace, and try and foi-gef me.' Good-bye, dear ; I' know I shall never see' you ajrain, but will try and : be good to the bairns if you - will only let me keep them;." -It is the only • atonement' I can make now, and you know I have always loved them.—l am, your miserable wife, Haxsah Hedley." .

Mr. Trave'rs, who appeared for the petitioner, said the case was a clear one. There was no evidence-of cruelty, or that the parties had lived otherwise than nine out of ten families did. There might have been little disagreements, but without them 7iiarried life would not be worth twopence. Some people liked married life to be all honeymooning, but that was an insipid affair. There was no evidence of collusion,. had allowed Anderson perhaps . more freedom than was prudenc, little suspecting a man of fifty or sixty ; but unfortunately men of that age were often as subject to the worst passions as younger men. Who' should a man be trustful of if not of his own wife? Unfortunately Hedley trusted too far..