Lickle v. Lickle

Appellant, William Lickle, was married in 1917 to respondent, Margaret Lickle. The parties had not cohabited for many years, although they resided in the same house. In 1937 appellant met Gordon Boone and his wife Edith, the co-respondent. While Gordon Boone was commissioned overseas in the navy, Appellant and Edith became increasingly intimate. Appellant was a frequent visitor to each of Edith’s four homes, and one of her maids testified that appellant was at one of the homes most of the time. Another maid testified that he stayed overnight several times a week at two of Edith’s later homes. Twice during the summer of 1943 appellant and Edith vacationed in Maryland. The first time appellant was accompanied by one of his sons, while Edith and one of her sons had rooms across the hall. The second trip involved appellant and Edith traveling together unaccompanied, with appellant registering for both. They occupied separate rooms but visited each other frequently, someti mes after midnight. At another time appellant vacationed with Edith and two of her boys, registering the party as William Lickle and family. Gordon testified that he had not had sexual relations with his wife since September 1943. On three occasions while on furlough, she refused his advances. He suspected an adulterous relationship and confronted appellant, but appellant denied improper conduct. Appellant appeals a decree granting his wife a divorce a vinculo matrimonii, based on her charge of adultery.