MRS. TANQUERAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10347, 23 January 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

MRS. TANQUERAY.

APPEARS IN REAL LIFE IN THE DIVORCE COURT. A QUEER STORY. fern Francis Jeone's court was crowded a few days ago, when the proceedings in connection with Mr. Erskine Raymond's petition for divorce on the ground of his wife's misconduct were commenced. The corespondent, Mr. Fenton, otherwise Fitzgerald, was present in court. So, too, was *ho lady. She was very stylishly attired in a navy blue costume, elaborately braided and wore a cape of fashionable cut profusely draped with lace, satin, and jet. Her hat was a petty combination in black and pink. Mrs. Raymond looked about thirty years of age, and decidedly goodlooking. She was perfectly self-possessed, and employed the short interim occupied by the hearing of an undefended case of a peculiarly flagrant character in instructing her solicitor. Jlr. Raymond is an ordinary* looking, clean-shaven young gentleman, about the same ago as bis wife. He also was showily dressed, and, judging by his frequent smiles and easy bearing, seemed to take his position very much a3 a matter of course. He occupied a seat near his solicitor in the well of the court, and took quite a lively interest in the undefended suit that preceded his own. Petitioner, bis counsel admitted at the outsell of the case, was an exceedingly foolish young man. He came of age in 1891, and had placed all his disposal a legacy of something like £4000. He came to London, as young men will do, paternally continued Mr. Inderwick, and some, now became acquainted with the lady whe •was afterwards bis wife. What name she ■was passing under at that time counsel die nob know, bub he understood that slit Belonged to a very decent Somersetshire family. She was an exceedingly prettj young woman, of attractive disposition but at the time the petitioner met her she Was undoubtedly living a loose life. How ever, ho became very fond of her, anc wanted to marry her. He suggested thai ie should go abroad, and that she shoulc come after him; that they should get mar lied, and live a new life away from every one who had known anything about her ir the past. She consented, and in April 1893, ho went out to Canada and built ai: hotel at an out-of-the-way raining town ir the North-West Territory. She joined hire in the following August, and they wen married in Canada. They were happj enough in tho somewhat rough society o: miners and ranchers till early in January o! Just year, when slio complained of the dul We and her own ill-health. She wanted tc go back to England, and as he could nol Persuade her to stay with him he let hei go. The hotel was not a paying property, -bub they had sunk some £3000 in it, and it ■Was necessary that he should stay to sell 'out. Mr. Raymond gave her a sufficient sum of money, and everything was done tc ensure her comfort. At the time slio was undoubtedly very fond of her husband, fo> she wroto him most affectionate, not to say " spoony," letters, hoping to see him in England soon. He sent her money at different times—all he could afford. But both were certainly hard up, and, pending the sale of his property, he suggested that she should try to got a place as companion to somo actress in London. "Wo shall have to face the situation, and make the best of it for a few years till I can get some money," he wrote. "I don't see why you should not be able to got a position as a lady companion to some actress, and study for the stage yourself. You know that Hiss Ellen Terry said you would make a good actress if you went in for the profession.' That was the letter, pursued counsel, upon which the respondent suggested that her husband had connived at the adultery, ■and had told her to go to theatres for that purpose to earn money. The other allegation was that tho petitioner had connived at adultery with a Mr. Harris, with whom respondent had lived years ago. But all Mr. Raymond had done was to write to this Mr. Harris asking him to look after his wife a bit. Mr. Harris was now a *| respectable married" man, and tho petitioner believed there was nothing more between them. Early in the prosent year petitioner sold the Canadian hotel for £800, £600 of which lie immediately cabled to his wife ill London. "Slio received it, and she's gob it," said Mr. Inderwick, "and, as far as 1 can make out, she and the co-respondent have been living upon it." Bub she wrote to her husband that she was living with a " nice married lady" as companion, and when he came over to England in February last he got a letter from her from Hastings, in which she offered to come to London to see him, but said that be could not see her there as her mistress allowed no men about tho place, and if he came she would gee discharged. She addressed him as "My darling Erskino," and told him that it was the "nicest place" it was possible to have, and sho wanted to keep it. And, concluded counsel, in order , to further hoodwink the petitioner, the corespondent-, who was the "nice married lady," with whom she was living at Hastings, addressed a letter to the petitioner, purporting to come from his wife's employer, in which he offered to pay Mrs, Raymond's fare to town, so that she might see her husband, and concluded :■" But you must meet her ab tho station. She is still very young and attractive, and I should not like any harm to come to her." Mr. Erskino North Raymond was the first witness. In reply to Mr. Inderwick ho gave his age as twenty-six, and said ho was educated at the Agricultural College, Suffolk, with a view to becoming a stockkeeper. He went to Australia, and came back in 1891, when lie became entitled to a legacy of £4000. He met his wife in 1892 111 a houso in Kensington. She was then leading an immoral life, and was introduced to him in the name of I .die Sylvester. He became greatly attached to her, induced her to give up her mode of life, and promised to marry her. In 1893 ho went to Canada, and purchased some property at Edmonton, in the North.West territory, upon which he built an hotel. Before Mrs, Raymond left Canada she had sent telegrams lo her husband expressing her love for him on arriving at Montreal on her way home, and afterwards from Quebec. She also sent a letter before sailing in which she said "Do make haste, my love, and come home to England to me. My darling, I miss you so much. I hope you will take care of yoursolf, my love." Letters of a similar character were sent by Raymond to his wife after she had arrived in England, and he constantly sent lier money. Up to this time the most affectionate relations existed between them. In July, 1895, he wroto her a long, endearing epistle, in which ho said "Oh, how I wish I was with you to-night in our old corner in tho Jlonico. Good-bye, darling Edie, with foi.J love and kisses from your devoted Erskino." A letter written by Mrs. Raymond to her husband a week after she reached London was read by counsel. In it the lady gave particulars of certain costumes she had purchased. She .also said:— I am feeling a little better, but I cannot u* eat. I am as thin as a rake. Ido not like ..being,so much alone, but Ido not care to go ... to public entertainment by myself. I think I Will be tempted to go to the pantomime tonight. : Take care of yourself, my love, for W your Edie'ssake. I hope to get a letter from yon soon with some money. You must not leave me here without money. You don't - ■ know how much I love and think of yon. Everyone tells me I have grown much ; . prettier. That shows how well you have . taken care of me. . Mr. Raymond could not repress a smile ■ when the counsel reached the last sentence of his wife's letter. Several other communications were read from Mrs. Raymond to her husband, couched in endearing terms, but almost; invariably asking for money. She also told bow she met some Toronto friends, with whom she had gone about to thoatres. In this connection she paid a high compliment to Mr. .Arthur Roberts. She said he was very funny in "Gentleman' Joe," that the ■ play would not be worth looking at without him. She also wrote: —"I am perfectly true to you. Ilove you so much ■ thab I cannot bear the thought of anybody else." Reference was also made by the lady in her correspondence to the necessity „■. of her going to the seaside for the benefit of her health, but again ■ the difficulty of t"; money was mentioned. She also told her ihusband that.a. friond had bought her V- "such a lovely white boa" for three guineas, .V; -as she could not spare the money for ib herp? self. j, Tile letters concluded with the usual; ;%tcompliroenb of 'love and kisses. Tho sameness of ; the letters which passed between the parties drew forth a mild ; protest from

Sir Francis Jeune, Hβ asked if ib was really necessary tliab this long correspou.dence should be read.

Mr. Willi?, Q.C.,forthe co-respondent, said for the purposes of the case he wns prepared to admit that the letters were all couched in the most affectionate terms. But he thought he ought to clear the ground at once and state that the position he wuß instructed to take up was that Rftyniond allowed his wife to come to England, not intending to join her again, and knowing that she would bo leading an improper lifo in London. That was the ground of the connivance pleaded. Mr. Raymond then described how he met his wife by appointment in London. He noticed a great change in her manner. She refused to tell him how she had been living during his absence. When she returned to "Hastings she wrote him an affectionate letter, in the course of which she said, "I was only humbugging about what I said of Lord S." " What had that referonce to ?" asked Mr. Inderwick." " She told me when I sawher in London that Lord Southampton had taken a great fancy to her," was Mr. Raymond's reply. The cross-examination was postponed, pending evidence as to the mieeonduot, Mr. Raymond haying no personal knowledge of his wife's relations vrith Fenton, which was given. When the suit was resumed after luncheon it was evident that something unoxpected had taken place during the adjournment. The lady sat at the visitors' table, sobbing hysterically, with her face buried in her handkerchief. Fenton sat beeido her, and tried what lie could to comfort her, and her solicitor could be hoard enjoining her to be calm. However, she seemed unablo to control her feelings, and she was heard to exclaim more than once, "I cannot stand it longer." The judge and the learned counsel engaged in the case were kopb waiting for a considerable time before a start could be made. Eventually Mr. Willis, Q.C., said he had advised his client to withdraw the plea of connivance. She had accepted his advice, and he would therefore withdraw from the proceedings. Mr. Bowen Rowlands made a statement with a view to exculpating Feuton. Ho said Fenton met Mrs. Raymond in the Empire Theatre, wont home with her, and did not know for a long time Afterwards that she was a married woman. Under these circumstances he was informed that the claim for damages would be withdrawn. Mr, Inderwick said in consequence of the plea of connivance his client had been pub ;o considerable expense, and he must ask that a decree nisi, with costs against botli the respondent and co-respondont, be granted. Sir Francis Jeune briefly addressed the jury, who, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict in favour of the petitioner. The jury found for the petitioner. Decree nisi, with costs against the respondent and co-respondent, the claim for damages being withdrawn.