Another difficult and romantic marriage case is before an Irish
Court—the Court of Chancery. A Mrs. Steuart Gerry petitions the Court for dower out of the estate of her late husband, now in the possession of Lord Cremorne. In answer to this Lord Cremorne declares that Mrs. Corry was not married to Mr. Corry ; that she was a " menial " in his family, and lived with him, but was not his wife. Next he asserts that she is debarred from any claim on the property, because, lest she should be his wife, she was made a party to the deed of sale. Mrs. Corry rejoins that she was the daughter of Mr. Bretnall, a retired linen-merchant and farmer in Suffolk, that she entered the house of Mr. Corry as companion to his chil- dren, that lie offered to marry her, and that they were married in Ireland in 1822, and subsequently in Scotland. Letters were put in showing that Mr. Corry always acknowledged her as his wife. There are two questions involved : the first, whether Mary Bretnall was the wife of Thomas Charles Steuart Corry—if that is proved, Dr. Corry, of Belfast, the issue of the marriage, claims the estates now possessed by Lord Cremorne ; next, there will be the question of the deed of conveyance. Mr. Whiteside is counsel for Mrs. Corry. A second marriage case, arising out of the confused state of the law, came before the Consolidated Nisi Prius Court on Monday. It was an action for the recovery of 80/. from Alexander Gibbons for the support of Anne Gibbons, his wife. He was the proprietor of extensive woollen mills at Tulle, King's County. He was married to a young and pretty girl by a degraded priest ; he induced her to go to America, promising to follow her, which he did not do. She then returned; when lie repudiated her. The jury, by direction of the judge, found upon the issue as to the amount due, and awarded 281., in addition to 16/. 13s. 4d. lodged in Court.
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