A NELSON DIVORCED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17570, 22 June 1925, Page 8

A NELSON DIVORCED.

SECOND HEIR TO PEERAGE. “ CAGED BIRD.” LONDON, Mav 31. A Nelson who may one day succeed to the peerage awarded to the victor of thc Nile, and last year, at thc age of thirty-five, •married a widow of sixtyfive, had his matrimonial and financial affairs detailed in the Divorce Court yesterday. lie is Albert Horatio Nelson, and did not oppose his wife's petition. Mrs Nelson said she was married in January. • 1924, at Paddington Register Office. She was then a widow, aged sixty-five, and her husband was thirtyfive. He was heir to thc title of Lord Nelson of Trafalgar. i Mr Nelson is not heir to the title, but eldest son of thc heir, thc lion Edward Agar Horatio Nelson, brother of the present peer, who is unmarried.) They lived happily till April last year, continued Mrs Nelson. Then her husband left her, saying he was going to Trafalgar (Lord Nelson’s seat near Salisbury) for a few days. M YSTE RIO U S DIS APPEAR AXC ES. He stayed away for a week and came back in a very unkempt condition, refusing to tell her where he had been. She agreed to buy thc Brick worth Estate in order that it might be kept in the Nelson family, and purchased it for £IO.OOO. In May last year he left her again for ten days. After much trouble she got him back, but he refused to say where he had born. Later she advanced him £2,200 to buy a property called White Farm, lie said he had bought it and given a deferred cheque. She gave him the money to pay cash, and he went off with it, leaving a note undated, saying: “My dear Amelia,— I am sorry to do I this, but I hate scenes, and there is bound to be one. I feci like a sparrow in a canary's cage, and 1 must feel free.” She received another letter dated August 17, saying: “I am more sorry than I can ever say, and I don't pretend to explain it. I felt suddenly stilled like a bird in a cage, and I had to go. Forgive me, if you can, but don't ask me to return. Love.—Albert.” PLEA FOR FORGIVENESS. In another letter he said he was sta} ring with his brother Charles, and added:— “I have suffered more misery the last two days than I ever thought it possible to endure, and I am more sorry than I can say that I ever came into your life to bring sorrow. Try to forgive and forget.” That was because he had taken away the £2200, said Mrs Nelson. She found that he was not staying with his brother as he said. She ascertained that he had not purchased White Farm, and had put up Mrickworth for sale. hSe instructed her solicitor to take proceedings to restrain him from parting with the property and money. TELEPHONE APPEALS. lie next telephoned from Chelmsford, saying that he was very ill and wanted to come home. She went there to fetch him back, and found him away yachting. A fortnight afterwards he came back and they lived together until November 28. Then he said that he was going to leave her finally, as he was in love with another woman. Later she received a letter from him dated from a London hotel, in which he said: “Since it appears that we cannot live amicably together again. I think the only fair way out is to give you absolute freedom. If you will have inquiries made at the above hotel, you will get all the evidence necessary.” On March 27, Mrs Nelson continued, he rang her up on the telephone and said he wanted to return. lie wrote her a letter saying:— “My dear Wife, —I am quite prepared to return if you wish it, and it you are agreeable perhaps you will arrange for stopping the proceedings. I trust you are well.—Your loving husband, Albert.” At Easter he sent her a card and a chocolate Easter egg. After evidence from thc hotel, Lord Merrivale granted a decree nisi with costs.