In 1857 they were "married" by a Catholic priest, in a ceremony which consisted of a renewal of their marital consent previously declared privately to each other.
In 1858, after a miscarriage was suffered by Theresa, Charles met another woman, Emily Forbes, who he intended to marry.
Charles married Emily (née Ashworth) despite Theresa's refusal to renounce her status as his wife.
Theresa then instituted an action to receive a wife's maintenance, which Charles resisted, filing his own claim to have him declared free of any marriage with her.
[3] Maurice Healy wrote that the cross-examination of Yelverton by Theresa's counsel Sir Edward Sullivan, was perhaps the finest in Irish legal history.