[374] Act of April 13, 1813: Van Ness and Woodworth, Laws of N. Y. (1813), II, 197-201.
[375] Rev. Stat. of 1827-28 (Albany, 1829), II, 141-44. This law provides that no bill for annulment may be brought by the party who was of lawful age of consent, nor by the other if there is voluntary cohabitation after age of consent. Suit on the ground of force or fraud is likewise barred, if there has at any time been voluntary cohabitation; and in case of physical disability, it must be brought within two years after solemnization of the marriage: ibid., II, 142, 143. Cf. Stover, Code of Civil Procedure (1902), II, 1832-33, where the last-named provision is retained. By this Code, II, 1626, 1627, the fourth ground of annulment is broadened by adding the word "duress;" and a woman is authorized to bring action (1) when she had not reached the age of sixteen at the time of the marriage; (2) when the marriage took place without the consent of parent or guardian; or (3) "when it was not followed by consummation or cohabitation, and was not ratified by any mutual assent of the parties after the plaintiff attained the age of sixteen years." Cf. Laws (1887), chap. 22, p. 25, for the origin of these clauses.
[376] Rev. Stat. of 1827-28, II, 144-47.
[377] So required by Laws (1902), II, chap. 364; Stover, Code of Civil Proced. (1902), II, sec. 1774, p. 1863.
[378] It has been decided in Kennedy v. Kennedy, 73 N. Y., 363, affirming 47 N. Y. Supr., 56, that "threats of violence of such a character as to induce a reasonable apprehension of bodily injury, and charges of infidelity, made in bad faith, as auxiliary to and in aggravation of the threatened violence, are sufficient to constitute 'cruel and inhuman treatment.'" Cf. Stover, Code of Civil Proced. (1892), II, 1639, 1640, note.
A "groundless and malicious charge against a wife's chastity, and spitting upon her are gross acts of cruelty, and words of menace accompanied by the probability of bodily violence, if they inflict indignity and threaten pain, are sufficient." See Whispell v. Whispell, 4 Barb., 217; and cf. Lutz v. Lutz, 31 N. Y. St. Rep., 718; Waltermire v. Waltermire, 110 N. Y., 183; Uhlmann v. Uhlmann, 17 Abb. N. C., 236; Mason v. Mason, 1 Edw., Ch., 278; Perry v. Perry, 2 Barb., Ch., 311.
[379] Stover, Code of Civil Proced. (1902), II, 1846.
[380] Gen. Stat. of N. J. (1896), II, 1267.
[381] Act of Dec. 2, 1794: Paterson, Laws of N. J. (1800), 143, 144.
[382] Act of Feb. 16, 1820: Laws of N. J. (1821), 667-69.