MELBA'S SON DIVORCED

Otago Witness, Issue 2860, 6 January 1909, Page 28

MELBA'S SON DIVORCED

TERRIFIED WIFE.

' (From Our Own Correspondent.) j LONDON, November 20. ' Madame Melba's son (George JSesbitt Armstrong) was divorced in the law courts a tew days ago after his wife had given a remarkable narrative of his persistent cruelty towards her. . I Mr Armstrong is the grandson of an Irish baronet— the late Sir Andrew Armstrong, of Gallen -Priory, King's Couwfcyp? wnose son was «ugar*pl<a»nting in Australia when he meet Madame Melba — then only a eonosrt-hatl singer, and unknown to European fame — and - married her. This marriage was dissolved eight years ago. Mrs Armstrong- is the only daughter of Colonel and Mrs Jooedyn Otway, of Parfc Lane. The -.marriage, which took place an December 18, 1906, at St. George's, Hanover square, was a romantjc one. Mr Armstrong had :been ranching in Texa-s, and met Miss Otway at a garden party while paying a visit to ' EinelaodL Miss Otway was a schoolgirl at the tune, Trat, despite the abjections -of "her -mother; who regarded the young, people as mere children, an engagement was entered into. Oppositon was eventually overcome, and! the marriage was celebrated, the bride- " groom being then 21 and the bride two years younger. Their maa-rded life began under the happiest auspices. The ceremony was aa& of the events of the year. «nd tbeore were 4-00 wedding presents, including a maignifioent collection of jewellery and pold anc! silver plate. Madame MeJba gave her son a castle and -estate near Killarney, a large quantity of furniture, And a cheqrie for .£50,000; and the bride 'had a handsome dowry. The honeymoon -was spent at Higholiffe Castle, where the Kaiser stayed last year, and they afterwards wenifc to -their town, house in Great Cumberland place. 3Sut dissensions occurred almost .at once. According to Mr Barnard, XX/., who represented Mrs Armstrong in court, the -wife soon found her husband had a most violent temper, and unhappinese was the result. "Mr Armstrong treated his wife with gr«at cruel ty,~" Mr Barnard stated. "In, February, 1907, they went to Texas. "While there he used bad language to her on one occasion, and then asked- her to kiss him. She refused, and 'he dragged her into the hotiee at which fhey were staying, and Jockod her in her Tjedrcom Tor some hours. While they were staying at Worthing in 1907 she had further -occasion to complain, of her husband's language, and he twistec! her wrists. There was some slight altercation after dinner, and he drugged' her across the sands, shook her violently, and pushed her in.to the sea up to the arildes. " They padd a visit to Australia, and when they returned in May, 1908, 'Mrs"' , Armstrong went to stay -with her -pareiste near Brighton. She returned to Jxmdcn , on May 4, and telephoned to her husband. | Us came to see her, and informed her j that 'he was going to Paris for two or ( three days. He returned on May -6, and i the next day his wife noticed that ho 1 looked very ill and irp*et. Her suspicions j were " aroused, and she asked him if he •' had been unfaithful. At laet he admitted he had been c-aujpht at the- Hotel Metropole with a Mrs Hoffman. 'Mr Hoffman came into the room, and found me under the bed.' he told her. 'He ie trying to get £7000 from me.' "Mr Armstrong begged hie wife not to divorce him, and she replied that she must think the matter over. ghe left him the next morning, and wrote the following letter on May 11: — _ Dear Oeorge,— Ever sine? last Thursday morning I have been thinking things over very ser.ouely indeed, and this ' is the conclusion I £av>e come to. We were never j«ally .meant ior one another, and I am afraid I cannot .have made you very happy, and you can-not really have loved me as you should. That is patent by ycrar con«h*at ai«3 confeasiexn. If I ever were to come back to you I never could love or - respect you, and without these two aa?ats liie would become- entirely unbearable. " After obtaining information about her husband's conduct, ]Mrs Armstrong filed this petition. There is no child of "the maxriaee." Mrs Armstrong, Who Is a pretty brunette, and was weaning a violet costume, a large viofet b«t, and a- «al»Ie stole, entered the wrtii^eo box amd related details of her husband*s cruelty to her. "He ill-treated _>me amd used fikhy language," she oeolareS. "When he pushed me 'into the -sea at Worthing I fell into the wafer, and 'my heir came down. I was in the water up. to Jny arikles, and he held me there. I was very much upset, and went T>ack &> 't' 1 ® hotel. I werot to my room cryfng, and looked the door?* My husband camp up and tried to force open tho door, saying he would raise the hotel if I did r><rt open the door. The following day mv ?«it,he-r came, and found 1 ,me very depress'sd. On the voyage to Australia in 1907 my husband- dragged me out of my bunk, shook me, an& caught me by the thnoat. On the voyage home he -nearly strangled me. I was iierrlfied. I was com. pelied to consult -a doctor when we returned." *In relating the incident* which ifc to the divorce being brought, Mns Armstrong said she noticed' her hueha»d was terribly overstrung. "I asked him if the woman was Mrs Hoffman, and he said ' Yes,' " she stated. "He said Mr Hoffman made use of a stick, and there was an awful row. He added that he would "have to appear in the "Divorce Court if he did not nay £7000." ' Mr Corrki&h, a medical man of SoutJhwiok <plaoe, Hyde Park, said the disturbed state of Mrs Armetrong's nervous system when he examined Her was eonisfetent witfie the story she had tola m court. Mr Karl Kuhne, a Hairdresser at the Carl ton Hotel, said he accompanied STiHoffman to the HoTJel' 'Metropole At 2 o'clock in the morning. •' Mr HoiTman. went into his room wSare Mrs Hoffman was in her dressing-gown," lie continued. " I noticed a man's pair of boots, and when I looked under tine bed I caw Mr Armstrong tiiere." M»3 Armstrong was granted a decree nisi with

A new rat trap may now be obtained. The bait, a piece of cheese, is attached to an electric wire, and no sooner does the unfortunate rodent take a bite than ii re* oeives a 'fetal shock.