A MATRIMONIAL MYSTERY.

Timaru Herald, Volume IX, Issue 339, 26 August 1868, Page 3

A MATRIMONIAL MYSTERY.

A painful instance of domestic es trangement has been disclosed m the Court of Queen's Bench, upon an application for a writ of "habeas corpiit." The applicant was a Mr Frederick Acheson Montgomery Moore, son of a Depnty-lAeutenant of the county Tyrone, and entitled at his father's death to a properly of £3000 a year. In 1859 he became acquainted with Mr T. B. Prosser, a corn merchant m. Waterford, whosejiaughter ' he fell m love with, and whom, at Christmas, 1862, he married, the, union haying been postponed until then m consequence of the youth of the parties. For some time they resided at Mr Prosser's, m Tramoire, within a few miles of Waterford r -but m 1864 Mr Moore took a villa called Towdrhill, near Waterford, and fitted it up handsomely as a permanent residence. After living with him m it for a while, his wife became dissatisfied, and positively refused to remain. She returned to her father's, and left him m the sole enjoyment of : his rural retreat. ■ He sent, it is said, many urgent and af- , fectionate messages, and friends tried to induce her to return, but she was inflexible, and he then resolved to dispose of the place, and adopt other means of overcoming her obstinate . resolution. There were two children, a boy and a girl, the fruits of the marriage, and one of his expedients for bringing his wife to terms was to deprive her of their society. In 1807 angry disputes tfc scurred between Mr Moore, and the lailv's father; who justified her conduct upon grounds which hare not yet appeared, and m the month of June mattes reached a crisis, when Mr Moore, accompanied by a relation, called at Mr Prosser's house, and carried off one of the children, whom he brought- to Dublin. Mr Prosser, who had lent him various Bumß of money, then took proceedings against him, and obtaining a writ of 'ne exeai regrio ' marked for £1000, had him arrested and lodged m tho Four Courts Marshftlsea until the amount, was .paid. For eight months all communication between the parties was suspended, but on the 31st of March last Mr Moore, wrote the following letter tahis'wife:^- l!r 17, Mary-lebone-road, London, Slat March, 1868. —My dear Wife,— Over eight months "have now passed since you 'refused to come to my house' 'or live 'with! me,' I shall not here refer to jthe^unbappiness which you have thus caused mje. My object, {or now, writing is to ask you to consider my proposition, and to request - that you ypill • make yoirf'arrangements to' j6in me' forthwith m, Dublin. If you name. a time, or day I shall meet' you there. , If, however, you still decline to join me after this request, and to live m the. house I am prepared to provide for you ; it is only right to state that matters cannot con- 1 tinue as hitherto, and that I shall be compelled, as an act of duty, to assert whatever legal rights I may, under, such circumstances, possess— among others; my right to >hav.e the sole charge and care of my t wo children. ' You will be satisfied ;tb hear that pur little boy is quite well and strong, . I beg. of you,/ before replying to this lletterr r to calmly and carefully consider' -your position as a wife, a^d' as a mother, and the duties which you attach' to both,' as our future happiness and the.. prospect and interests of pur; children are involved m your decision. . 'May- God direct you, is the sincere pYayer and wish of Your' "Husband. " P.S.^lf you treat this letter' as others tif mine with silence, and* do not reply before Monday, 6th April," I'Eiye' 60. dtlaJr course open to me 1 but "to accept yotir silence as a refusal to iive with' me, and shall act accordingly.— A, M. 1 Moorb." A friend of Mrs Moore; called at the address stated in' the letter, buttfid not see' her husband.' ■ Her written 'reply was m' 1 the* foiiowing'*-teniis r :" — " The Mall,'Bth April, 186a^Ac¥efeon Montgomery Moorej— l recerved your letter, ; out as I thought my 1 relative Mr^— -, Who was m Ldtfd'cmv wciuld be better able ? to- speak and the sobjeot? on* whM yoa <w*tfte,' I 1 asked mm' to call on you, t V hich hef did, i but you were not at the address, you' gave me. .-. ; You can nowy if .youl ynsii, meet him m Dußliny or the m Watef-ford.'-i-MaW Mont^jtieW'M6ort, ? ttia Mall/^at&fora^ M %^Cos c6n^ju- : nication on her part Jiacj been reoeiVed. and apprehending thatifhß: aftemftteu to obtain possession of the 1 second cbild — a : little' girl ludt^tLred^istiMfr Void, ..named Mabel-rshe. would". be jemoTed out of the jurisdiction ofdff. ;Cq«^ (^iei applied; through, the >Solicitoi>General for an absolute 'order for a w*it-'6f 'habeas' cpfmis, ~ "full court,' tiff&r ■consultation,'^ granted ;'tiiß fappfiofitibn, .jantTa tamftowj lßip^ge^|i»t-toS)i'^een joade. . • .i.wU'S «■*£ .\tsFit I