REMARKABLE DIVORCE CASE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 236, 22 September 1862, Page 6

REMARKABLE DIVORCE CASE.

Startling as are many of the divorce cases that come befoie Sir Cresswell Creswell, the learned judge was rather surprised at the circumstances detailed in the suit of Spedding v. Spedding and Lander, heard on the 21th of July. The Rev. Francis Spedding, curate of Shiffnal, sued for a divorce from his wife on the ground of her adultery with Dr. Lander. ITie latter wns the medical adviser of Mrs. Spedding. and had taken the opportunity of the confidence thereby reposed in him to seduce her, and subI sequently to elope with her. It was suggested by his I counsel at the trial that the lady may have seduced I him. Before the elopement Dr. Lander called on the Itev. H. Curdiffe, the vicar, and informed him that he had formed an. attachment for Mrs. Spedding, that it was reiiprocated, and that they were going to obtain a divorce and be married. The rev. gentleman reasoned with him against the impropriety of such a step, and pointed out its sinfulness. He, nevertheless, persisted, and after the elopement again called on the rev. gentleman to consult him on tha subject. The whole case was clearly proved, and the jury awarded £JooOdaraa~es. The respondents, it appears, went to Australia, and are now living at Melbourne.— Home ATeies, July 20.

Ctmiocrs Result of Dxino Without Making a Will. —A fe\v days ago, says an Alloa paper, an elderly lady residing in a populous village in the county of Clackmannan, "walked the way of nature," as Shakespeare lias it, and left no will behind. The good lady was the owner of one or two properties iv addition to the house in which she herself Jived and died, and on the day she was consigned to the tomb there were some eight or ten sensible people turned up who* claimed to be the next of kin. Desirous of having the question of priority of cJaim.Bettled amicably, a legal gentleman, holding a high official position, nud in whose judgment all had the fullest confidence, was invited to the house of deceased by the relatives or supposed relatives of the departed lady, the object being a friendly explanation and conversation. Each claimant was buoyant with expectation that die les;al gentleman would give judgment in his or her favor. Tho claims of all and eich were fully argued, and they were as fully though somewhat more dispassionately considered. Theresuit of the contention smongst the friends was that the legal umpire held that neither" one nor other of the disputants had any true claim to either the moveable or heritable properly. The lady had died intestate—none of the^ claimants were closely related to the deceased by the ties of consanguinity, and in the name of her Majesty, therefore, he took possession of the whole effects of the deceased and cleared the house of all the supposed relatives. The chief of the mourners was rather taken aback by tUia announcement, but beliaving the judgment to be a sound one, he asked permission to entertain the company to a parting refreshment, there being abundance of materials for that purpose in the aumrie With some hesitation the request was complied with* the party then drank to each Cher's-very good health, our legal friend took possession of the keys and the happy company then separated.—<7fcfo. ■'";