Action by Wife: Extraordinary Cruelty Alleged Against the Petitioner In H.M. Supreme Court, on Thursday, Judge Grain began the hearing of the case of Grace Cohen Isaac S. B. N. H. I. Cohen, an action for dissolution of marriage. Mr. N. H. Langley Smith represented the petitioner and Mr. M, Brown was for the respondent.
Mr. Langley Smith opened at. some length on the question of domicile, which Mr. Brown, however, said he would not question.
Mr. Brown then raised an objection based on the divorce practice that, where a petition charges adultery with persons unknown, leave must be obtained to omit naming anyone as_ ce-respondent. In this case, he said, adultery with three persons was alleged, but no such application had been made.
r. Langley Smith argued that the rule only applied to a petition by a husband. -His Lordship said that he would consider the objection.
Mr. Langley Smith then applied for leave to omit naming anyone, li ease the decision on the objection should be against him.
Mr. Langley Smith then opened his case, saying that, at the time of marriage, the petitioner was i7 years of age and the respondent over 30. An unfortunate feature was that, almost from the start, as' was likely to be expected where there was such a disparity in ages, the marriage was unhappy. Within a few months the respondent commenced using very foul and disgusting language and threatened to throw various things at her. This continued until August 10, 1918, when the petitioner requested her husband to take her for a walk. They did not live a very hectic sort of life and she would naturally enjoy a walk with her husband.
The latter replied: '"'No, I am not going out with you. I am going to see my friends.'"' The friends were undoubtedly some girls. She protested and he put her out of the room and pushed her down the stairs. She fell and he then dragged her along, in the most wicked way imaginable, by her hair, struck her on the arms and threw a chair at her. She escaped into the street and got into a ricsha, but the respondent ran after her, swearing and saying: "I will kill you."
Through the intervention of friends a reconciliation was effect-jed and Mrs, Cohen returned to her husband. However, he did not keep his promise to treat her better, but continued to use foul language and threats towards her. This continued until July, 1919, when the first child was born and then one of the most flagrant and without permission.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.