SLADE MURRAY, SINGER.

NZ Truth, Issue 122, 19 October 1907, Page 7

SLADE MURRAY, SINGER.

AND HIS CAST-OFF "JESSIE."

"A Wife m Fapt, Tho' Not m Law."

The Coroner's Cutting Castigation.

Every man m the community worthy the name will echo the sentiments of Coroner Cole concerning the dead woman, Jessie Haima, and her residence, while m the flesh, with the" music-hall sinaer, Slade Murray. Such a case is rarely brought m full paze of the public, and the Coroner's remark that the woman would be better buried as Jessie Hanna than Jessie "Murray" was singularly appropriate, says Melbourne '"Truth." Reading BETWEEN THE LINES, it can safely be said that Dr. Cole held very strong views on the developments of the inquest, so far as they concerned Slade Murray. The body of the woman was found m the Yarra, up near Burnley on September 6, and at the coroner's inquest, held a few days later, Widow McArthur, of Burnley. a sister of the deceased, gave evidence. The deceased at that time was known as Jessie Murra- the name she had passed under for years. Mrs McArthur identified the body as that of her sister, Jessie "Murray," wife of Slade Murray, adding that the deceased had not been living with Murray for seven or eight years past. Mrs McArthur gave her evidence conscientiously, HONESTLY BELIEVING at the time that her dead sister had been legally married to Murray. It was not till the result of the inquest had been published m the newspapers that Slade Murray was heard from. Then he sent along the following letter, which appeared m the "Herald" :- Sir, — A cutting from your issue of the 12th inst. has been forwarded to me, reporting an inquest on a woman found drowned and identified as "Jessie Murray " wife of an actor and singer. I trust m justification to myself, as a wellknown public man, you will nut m your next issue this disclaimer, especially as you give it a very prominent headline, "A Singer's Wife."

She was not my wife, or ever was, and should bnvc been inouesied under her. proper name, Jessie Hanna,

Thanking you to justify me, through no fault of yours, according to the evidence given.— l am, etc., SLADE MURRAY. Tivoli Theatre, Adelaide, Sept. 15, 1307. The fresh development prompted Coroner Cole, who had already brought m a verdict of "found drowned," to reopen the inquire. Mrs McArthur, the dead woman's sister, was again called, and was asked to state all she knew about the supposed marriage of her sister Jessie to Slade Murray. But she knew actually nothing beyond what HER SISTER HAD TOLD HER. As a matter of fact, she was m New Zealand at the time, and had merely read a letter from her sister, who was then m Melbourne, stating that she had been married to Slade Murray. Mrs McArthur, continuing, said she supposed the • marriage would have been registered m Victoria if it had actually taken place. But latterly she had doubted if her sister was reall" married, because of the latter's disinclination to do anything m the way of compelling Murray to support her. The Coroner : How long had they been living together ?— About ten or eleven years. Did they have any children ?— No. The witness then went on to state that Murray had never repudiated the marriage until her sister was dead, and whilst m America he wrote to witness's little daughter addressing her as "My dear niece, Mary." The Coroner : Can you give any reason why he should REPUDIATE THE MARRIAGE' now ?— Just to clear his own name, I suppose. Possibly he would think it was a disgrace for his wife to be m such poverty. But I didn't see much of them. They were gay and I was quiet. Witness, also stated that she had two books, one belonjune; to her dead sister and the other to her daughter Mary. In the first was written— "To Jessie, on her birthday, with Slade's love. April, 1590." And m the other— "To" mv dear niece, Mary McArthur, on her uncle's birthday, June 28 1895— Slade Murray." Before the Coroner had made any remarks on the case, it was proved by documents from the ResristrarGeneral's office that the marriage had never taken place m Victoria. Dr. Cole then said that Jessie Harnia had been Slade Murray's wife "m fact, ALTHOUGH NOT IN LAW," for something like ten years. Then, when she was dead, he disclaimed her. Murray's '"otjvo couldn't be a vcrv high one. Maybe he had married someone else, and had taken this step to remove any ban of illegitimacy- from the. offspring of the second woman. It amounted to this, if he was not married to Jessie Hanna he hart done her .a great wron" 1 ; and if he was married to her, then his statement was- a lie. It was one of two things.

Mr Cole's opinion of Slade Murray was Tilainly discernible ; and maybe lie v;ould have Weed lo have said a good deal more than he did. But there was a lot of eloquence m his closing remark, to the effect that he would alter the name m the verdict from Jessie "Murray" to Jessie "Hanna." "Possibly it will be better for the woman herself," lie said, "to be buried as Jessie Hanna than the wife of Slade Murray."