THE PRETTY DIVORCE CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14585, 23 January 1911, Page 6

THE PRETTY DIVORCE CASE.

A YOUNG WIFE'S TROUBLES.

HER TRIP TO NEW ZEALAND,.

[from our own correspondent.]

London, December 16. The intervention of the King's Proctor in connection with the Pretty divorce suit, some particulars of which will have already appeared in your cable news, forms an extraordinary sequel to a young woman's marriage to her father's servant. Mrs. Pretty, who is now only 21 years of ago, was the daughter of a rich gentleman residing near Farnham, and in 1907 she married her father's groom. The couple lived in Sunning'dale, where Halfpenny's father kept the Chequers Hotel. Mr. Pretty became a fly-driver, and about May, 1908, Mrs. Pretty made the acquaintance of Alfred Halfpenny, junr., who drove a fly for Mr. Pretty.

Alfred Halfpenny, jun., gave evidence. He said that when Mrs. Pretty talked of New Zealand she said she could raise £200, but. only raised £110. She told him she was sick of her husband. They stayed together at the hotel. He purchased two rings in Putney for Mrs. Pretty, who threw her wedding rings out of the window. During the voyage Mrs. Pretty gave him one of Whistler's books which was inscribed: "To Alf. from Gwendoline." On arrival at Wellington, she parted from him with good wishes, kissing each other. Asked what caused certain quarrels on board ship, Halfpenny said he supposed he was jealous of the engineer. Mr. Alfred Halfpenny, senr., produced the following letter written by his son: —"My Dear Mother,—Just line to let you know how I am getting on. First of all I must say that (no name or space here) and myself are parting at Wellington owing, to a good deal of flirting with the engineers in the boat, and one in particular, which I daresay she will get hold of him and treat him the same as she has done me. What I can see of it is that she used me as a tool to get away from Billy. By the time you get this letter she will be on her way to England, leaving me in a fine hole." Mrs. Gwendoline Joyce Pretty said she was the daughter of Mr. Francis Savoury, of Farnham. In 1906 Thomas William Pretty was employed by her father as a groom. On New Year's Day, 1906, Pretty seduced her, and they were married the following May at a registry office. She and her husband went to Sunningdale, where they had a cab business, for which her father found the money. After a time she decided to leave her husband and accept an invitation of her relations to goto NewZealand, and she consulted Halfpenny on the subject of getting there, but there was no suggestion that be should go to New Zealand with her. She went to London in June, 1908, met Halfpenny at Waterloo, and went afterwards to an hotel. This was the first time she had come to London unaccompanied. Halfpenny come in. He said lie had come to tell her about the ticket for the steamer. He asked her about her finances, and then suggested she should throw in her lot with his. " I was very angry,'' she said, "and told him I would liave nothing to do with him,, and I had left one man and did not intend to have anything to do with another. I added. ' I can assure you I mean what I say,' and, taking up my wedding ring which I had placed ifi my bag I threw it out of the window." "Halfpenny, she said, then threatened to reveal her whereabouts. They remained in the room together discussing the matter until towards, morning. Halfpenny expressed hi 3 sorrow, * and said he had not meant what he had. said, and that he would go as soon as possible. .He went away and witness said she went to bed. The next evening when witness saw Halfpenny, he expressed the wish that she had forgotten his behaviour of the night before. The following day he said he had eecured a nice cabin, and next day she learned for the first time that he was also going to New Zealand on the vessel. Before the voyage was started she threatened to communicate with the captain. Halfpenny promised not to molest her if she agreed to say nothing, so they remained in the cabin, sleeping . fully dressed in different bunks, until Teneriffe was reached, when he went on deck and slept. He did not enter the cabin again until leaving Capetown, when witness had to go to the captain in consequence of Halfpenny's conduct. Another berth was given her. Halfpenny threatened that he ; would get even with her. No misconduct ever took place between herself and Halfpenny, but she admitted wearing the ring given to her, by Halfpenny until the steamer reached Capetown. After she returned to England she made the acquaintance of Mr. Arthur Ralph Stephens, a barrister, a friend of her father's, who was subsequently consulted as to her taking divorce proceedings. If successful in this suit she was going to marry Mr. Stephens. ■• The evidence of Captain Greenstreet, who was in command of the Rimutaka, was read, it having been taken on commission. He said that when the vessel left London on June 12, 1908, there were on board two third-class passengers passing under the name of Halfpenny. His attention was not directed to them until he received a note after leaving the Cape, asking for an. interview, and signed " Gwen Savoury." Up to then the lady had passed as "Mrs. Halfpenny." She made a communication to him of the nature of a complaint. She said that the man Halfpenny had attempted to assault her. She showed him a bruise on her forehead. Sho told him about running away from home, and asking Halfpenny to get a ticket for her. She told him that she had come from Sunningdale, and ho thought she said she had left her husband, there, and that she did not know until she got on board ship that she was going in the name of Halfpenny. He put her in another cabin and spoke to Halfpenny about the matter. He did not remember his saying anything in reply. Petitioner told him that she was going out to her uncle. After seven minutes' consideration the jury found there had been misconduct between Mrs. Pretty and Alfred Halfpenny. Mrs. Pretty, seated at the solicitors' • table with her fiance, sobbed bitterly when she heard the verdict of the jury.

As already stated in our cablegrams since, the mail left London, the judge (who reserved his decision when the jury returned their verdict), subsequently granted Mrs. Pretty a decree absolute on the ground that her husband's cruelty contributed to her misconduct with Halfpenny. Mrs. Pretty has since married Mr. Stephens.