Divorce Court.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7923, 3 October 1904, Page 5

Divorce Court.

-MONDAY.

(Before "his Honor Mr Justice Cooper.)

Kate Dender (Mr Innes) v. John Conrad Dender. An answer to the charge was filed, but on the caso .being called on Mr Baldwin, counsel for the respondent, intimated the defence had bqen withdrawn and;the suit'would be undefended.

Mr Innes, for the petitioner, said-' the! parties.* were, married in. Wellington in September, 1595. They went to Sydney where they; lived'for; three '.years and subsequently, they returned to Welling; ton and then came to Palmerston. "Three children were-born;and they were still alive.. In Octoberj-1902, respondent was hot. treating, his wife properly^ and: she remonstrated ' with''hirn upon his' intimacy with th& co-respondent. Respondent declined to sever his relations with the co-respondent and the result was a separation between he and his wife. She went to Wellington, taking the children witH'her j Land earned her own living as a nm.se. Respondent, she ascertained, had purchased a property at Fitzherbert and was. living there with the co-respondent. *

Kate Dender, the petitioner, gave evidence in accordance with counsel's statement.

Francis Greaney said that for three months he was living at Fitzherbert with the respondent. The co-respondent also lived in the same house and occupied the same room as respondent. A decree nisi was granted, with costs on the. lower scale, the order to be made absolute in three months.

Clara Richards v. John K. Richards. Mr Moore for the petitioner and Mr Cooper for respondent.

Petitioner. said she was married in May, 1897, and lived in Bulls for six years. Last year, owing to ill-health, petitioner went on a visit to Wairarapa. She arranged for her second cousin, Miss Anderson, .to look after; the children during her absence. While she was away she heard of nothing wrong, but on returning '.home witness was treated very coldly by her husband. On the night of her arrival air home from Masterton her husband treated her in a way which caused her to ask him i'or an explanation. He told her he loved anotber woman and refused to send the latter away. As a result /witness went away herself .three days later. * . Alice Hands said she' lived* next door to the petitioner at .Bulls. Miss Anderson was looking after the petitioner's children during her absence in the Wairarapa. She frequently saw the respondent and co-respondent out walking and driving together. Generally, from what' she saw, she concluded there was too •much intimacy between them. Petitioner had shown her letters from the co-respondent to the respondent couched in most affectionate terms. Respondent was. asked "not to give her up, she could not live withont him." The letters were signed, "Your loving Eva." The terms upon which the co-respondent and respondent were on was public notoriety in Bulls. ..-.-. .

■Constable Gleeson said that, in the respondent's presence, the petitioner had told him (witness) she could not live with respondent because he was living with another woman. Respondent did not deny the statement.

A decree nisi was granted, with costs on the* lower. scale. The question of- alimony and the custody of the children 'will be decided this 'afternoon.

Petitioner was granted the custody of her daughter, and was also granted access to the other children quarterly. Permanent alimony at the rate of 20s per week was granted. Ellen Comber (Mr Baldwin) v. Patrick Joseph Comber (Mr Cooper). Petitioner stated that after marriage on June 23rd, 1902, in Palmerston, they went to live at Catlin's River. Subsequently they: returned to Palmerston' and lived with their*.uncle. "•They had not ■lived happily, she -was kept without money and without a home of her own. Since the petition was issued witness received a letter from her husband which was put in as evidence. There were no children of the marriage. Mr Cooper, counsel.for the respondent, admitted that the letter was that of the respondent.

A decree nisi was granted, with costs on the lowest scale; order to be made absolute in three months;

Agness Maria Burston r (Mr Innes) v. James Burston.

Petitioner in her evidence stated she was-.married to the respondent at Nelson in 1894. 'They lived in Nelson ait first and then went to Richmond, where they lived for six years. They went to Foxton about, three j'ears . ago. Shortly after marriage petitioner discovered that her husband had been previously married and divorced. Her husband was the son of a brewer and drank very heivily. The whole of his wages were spent in drink and petitioner had to'take in sewing to support herself. She still kept herself and frequently, while they were iiving together, had-to support her husband. He- had struck;, her several times and frequently she had to seek refuge in barns, sheds and at the neighbours. She left her husband eighteen months ago. Mathilde Collins, a resident of Foxton, gave evidence relative to the respondent's drinking habits and cruelty to his wife in Foxton.

Louisa M. Madden, a sister of the petitioner, gave, corroborative evidence as to respondent's'cruelty and drunken habits. She was. aware her sister had been turned out of her house on several occasions and once respondent. had chased petitioner with a piece of lighted wood. --■

Eva Cresswell, a former resident of Richmond, but now in Palmerston, said she had seen petitioner cruelly illtreated. by respondent. "Petitioner had taken" refuge in her (witness') father's barn on one of these occasions.

A. J. Hogg, brother of, the petitioner, also deposed to the drinking habits of the respondent and his cruelty to petitioner. ....„,.

A- decree nisi was granted, with costs on the lowest scale and custody of the child. Order to. be*-ina.de absolute in. three months. '£•■ ,-..'.