A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.

Otago Witness, Issue 642, 19 March 1864, Page 8

A MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

(From the •' Leeds Mercury.")

The ease of Fitzgerald v. Fitzgerald came before the Court of Divorce on Wednesday and Thursday. The petitioner. Mrs Charlotte Georgiana Fitzgerald, prayed for a divorce from her husband. Major Win. Fitzgerald, on the ground of cruelty and adultery, to which the respondent pleaded denial. Major Fitzgerald was the son of Lord Wm. Fitzgerald, and the petitioner was the daughter of a gentleman of fortune named Bettesworth. The marriage was solemnised at St. George's, Hanover-square, on the 12th Nov., 1857, and in about a week afterwards the illtreatment was commenced. It appeared at the time of the marriage Major Fitzgerald was in debt, and receiving only LSOO from his fatber-

jn-law, he abused him and his wife's mother in the hearing of his wife. After the marriage the parties went to Paris and then returned to Dublin, where they resided in Hume street for some months. Major Fitzgerald was Deputy Quartermaster-General, and in the course of his official visits he became acquainted with a gentleman named Mallet, who held a situation in the Castle of Dublin, and it was with the wife of that gentleman that the adultery was charged. The intrigue with this lady was carnea on during the honeymoon, and the neglect and ill-treatment were alleged to have b-een continued during the period of their cohabitation, which lasted until the 23rd of August, 1862 ; and in two instances his conduct produced premature confinement, and the death of the children with which she was enciente. Major Fitzgerald took on himself to decline invitations for his wife while they were in Dublin, and he was in the habit of leaving her alone from breakfast until the evening. The Learned Counsel further stated that the respondent was entitled to between L2o,oooand L 30.000 in the event of surviving his wife. Mrs Fitzgerald said that after the marriage she and her hußband went to Folkstone and then to Paris, where they stayed at the Hotel dcs Deux Mondes for seven or eight days. They breakfasted together at the hotel, but Major Fitzgerald left her alone all day, and only took her out once, and that at the instigation of their landlady. He abussd her parents in the most offensive manner, calling her father a scoundrel and her mother " a sharper" and a " designing wicked old woman." He also treated her very ill while they were in Paris, both by language and contemptuous manner. He took a fan from her, stating that he was going to get it repaired, but he did not bring it back, and said that it had been given to her by some " lover of hers." On their return to London after leaving Paris she wanted a riding habit. He told her that Mrs Mallett had sent one back, and it would do for her, but she refused it. She heard him constantly talking about Mrs Mallet. When he spoke of Mrs Mallet it was in an impressive manner. On their way to Holyhead, on their return from the Continent, he addressed her only in monosyllables. There was something strange in his appearance, and she asked him if he was ill. He replied, " I never did love you, and only married you for your money/ and he censored his father for not having prevented the marriage when he knew the state of his feelings. When they returned to Ireland they remained for some time at Balt Hill Hotel, near Dublin. He had to attend at his office only about two hours in the day, but he was in the habit of leaving her alone. While ht Salt Hill Major Fitzgerald called her "an old screw and a battered creature." He did not ill-treat her before servauts. He requested her to visit Mrs Mallet amongst the first whom she went to see in Dublin. On one occasion he said with reference to their having children that if they were like her they would be "such disgusting little imps." With reference to taking her into society in Dublin, he said, " I am not going about like an ass, with a wife tied to my tail." In May, 1858, they came to England, and ahe took up her residence at Dover for two months, bather husband remainedin London. Major Fitzgerald was in the habit of praising women to her who possessed what she did not in their personal appearance, such as the colour of hair and complexion. He called her an old scarecrow and he likened her to a lump of dirt. He had conversations with her about married women who had intrigues, and advised her if she was not happy, to do tho same. She said she would not, and that if she left him she would return to her parents; and he replied that she had better do so. as anybody else would drop her like a lump of dirt. The witness then detailed a series of acts of violence on the part of her husband, which led to her premature confinements, and the effects of which were visible in bruises and marks on her person, and on one occasion he jammed her between the door of a room. Major Fitzgerald said, with respect to her premature confinement in Chester street, what a fool she must be to live with him after that event. The Queen.-, Advocate cross-examined the witness at great length. She met her husband first at Maldon, aivl she was acquainted with him about three or four months before the marriage. Major Fitzgerald expected to have received LISOO from her fatber at their marriage, but he only got LSOO. It was a misunderstanding on her husband's part. There was LB.OOO settled by her husband's father on her, nnd LIOO a year which her husband received. Her husband had about LSOO a year. She admitted that some letters produced were in her handwriting, but denied that others were. She denied that she ever stated to Ludy Ann Oherson that Dr Perry had caused the death of her child, but she believed that when her husband said so she adopted his statement. With respect to the child to which she had given birth, which died in thirty-six hours afterwards, she did not refuse to see it. Wnen it was moaning in its last crisis she de&ired it to be taken upstairs that she might not be disturbed by its cries. she wrote ft good many letters to the Bisters of Major Fitzgerald, and she expressed herself in terms of affection towards him. Her reason for doing so was this :— So long as they lived together she wished that the interior of their house should not be disclosed, as it might have the effect of injuring her husband with her father.— -Mr Perry, F R.C.S., said that he had been called to see Mrs Fitzgerald at Chester street, in 1859, in order to give an opinion as to her condition. She was eight months in pregnancy. From what she stated as to an altercation between her and her husband some days previously she felt very ill, and from the symptoms she described he felt satisfied she was carrying a dead chid. The witness then stated that he adopted means to ascertain the face, of which he was quite satisfied. The means were of the most simple nature. He could not have killed the child without endangering the life of the mother. — At the Conclusion of this witness's evidence the case, which is likely to occupy some days, was adjourned. Ou Thursday, the petitioner's father and mother were examined, their evidence was chiefly corroborative of that of the petitioner.

According to recent official returns the population of the twenty arondisaements of Paris, including its garrison of 28,800 men, amounts to 1.696,141 inhabitants. There were 52,312 children born in Paris in the year 1862, and there died during the same period 42,185 persons. An uninformed Irishman hearing the Sphinx alluded to in company, whispered to his companion, " Who is Sphinx?"— "A monster, man." — " Oh 1" said out 1 Hibernian, in order not to seem unacquainted with his family, " a Munsterman! I thought he was from Connaught.