THE FISHER FAMILY.

NZ Truth, Issue 141, 29 February 1908, Page 5

THE FISHER FAMILY.

OBSTINATE OLDSTERS FROM OTAKI. Did Bill Biff His Better-half? And Did the Better-half Imbibe Beer and Other Things?

The married misery of Elizabeth and William Fisher, of Otaki, was advertised m Wellington S.M. Court on Monday, when the lady applied for a maintenance order. Both parties were well past the first flush of youth and had grown-up families when they consented to lead a cat and dog life together two years ago, and ought to have had more sense. Fisher, a white-haired ancient, believed he was married m March, 1905, but his unloved SDOuse declares that it was m March, 1906, and as it is usually safe to accept a woman's date of a birth, burial, or bridal, William's memory must be failing him, According to the missus, Fisher, who is librarian at Otaki, was not a model husband, and no matter what she did to please him he was never satisfied. Towards the end he sulked and wouldn't speak to her, and his deadly silence exasperated her. Also, he struck her on two occasions, and once he started to be cantankerous at 5 o'clock m the morning. "Fqr God Almighty's sake, go !" he said to her. "If you don't there will be bloodshed." This remark was the more terrifying m contrast with the brutal person's habitual silence. On another occasion she had been up the street with a lady of her acquaintance, and when she retired to her room to take off her things, he put out his arms at the door to bar her progress, and hissed, "You swine; I told you not to go up the street with +hat woman." "Good Lord, what Hovf. will you' say ?" rejoined the iaa. with spirit. Then Fisher PLUGGED HER ON THE JAW, as he had done once previously. It was intolerable, and Elizaireth, who is a stout lady with a Scotch accent, left next day. On that morning she got out of bed, and, going to the kitohen, placed her urrobrella m a conspicuous place on the table. The brute followed, and threw the/brolly on to the floor. "Pick that up !" she said to him, with indignation, but his only reply was a blow on the mouth. Questioned as to Fisher's worldly position, Elizabeth said he was supposed to be librarian, but he was very cunning with regard to his means, and she -believed he had made over his , property to his son. Her own sons were supporting Eliza? beth, and a little needlework enabled, her to. keep the pawnbroker from 1 the door: These .facts were elicited by Lawyer Jackson, who . supported the application^ In reply to * Solicitor Kirkcaldie, who is Herdman's -henchman m marital misery cases, Mrs' Fisher said sho married her despised other half on March 0, 1906,, and left him disconsolate m October of the same year, owing to, his excessive cruelty. After taking her hook she remained m Otaki for a while m a small shop there, but she denied leaving her elderly, husband m September, prior to deserting him m October. Did you' leave him on the first occasion because he 1 would not buy beer for you ?— Oh, no. Were' you drunk m Otaki ?— No. Do you drink beer ?— No, certainly not: You have had beer m Otaki ?— I was never m a hotel m Otaki. I had it m my own, house. ' Where have you been living since you left ?-— I have been twelve months m Wellington and the balance m Otaki. Do you know a man named Lincoln ?— Yes. Were you living with him ?— No. NOW, BE CAREFUL ; were you living with a man named Sleet ?— No. Will you swear that you were not living with him ?•— Yes. What house were you living m at Otaki ?— ln Mrs McLennon's shop. Was anyone else living there ?— Mr Lincoln boarded there: Did Mr Sleet board there ?— No. Are you positive you did ,not live with Sleet ?— I am positive. Did your husband ever stop your credit m Otaki ?— He carried the purse, and if I wanted 3d I had to ask for it. , Mr Jackson : They are making aspersions, upon your character. Were you ever drunk ?— I am happy to say 1 1 am not a woman of that kind. They go further; and say you lived with men ; is tbaJt true ?— There is no truth m it. : I -never was m a country town before. Oh, the scandal they do talk ! ! Do you think your husband wants you back m Otaki ?— I would not stay with that man. Mr Kirkcaldie : Why did you not summons him at Otaki ?— I did ask a gentleman, and he told me it was no use doing that. William Fisher -said his wife proved unsatisfactory m the first week o* marriage, when he discovered her penchant for beer. She left %he home three times before departing for ever, and was away from July till Septenvber, / without rhyme or reason. She came back on October 3 and left again on the 14th. He had never been guilty of any act of . cruelty to her, and couldn't account for her dislike of 'him. It was true he didn't care tp converse much with her, but that j was on account of her conduct m leaving him. "I have never raised my hand to a woman m my life," remarked the ancient, "and trust I never may." The old bo?i was under the impression they had been married I three years and that his wife had I been away two years, whereas 12 months only had passed since her disappearance. This slight discrepancy is probably attributable to his ad-, vanced years. HE REMARKED, WITH SORROW, that she, had lived with a man named Harry Sleet and another man named Lincoln, probably a descendant of Abe, a blameless person, now deceased, accused of all sorts of things m America. Mr Jackson : You have not been^ kind to Mrs Fisher ?— I have. (The missus shook her head violently.) Yet you struck her ?— She can't bring any witnesses to prove it. That is it ; there were no witnesses. ! Where is this Lincoln now ?— He's working on Kapiti Island. You say he was living with her— where ?— ln Mrs McLennon's house, i

Did you object ?— No ; she never came near me. Do you say she was living and cohabiting, with him ?— I won't go so far as that. But you want the Court to believe it.?— l saw them' bath eat and serve at the same counter. Do you want her to go back to Otaki ?— The door is always open for her. It would appear, from further questioning, that Fisher draws £10 a year as librarian, and gets three bob a week for looking after the tennis court during ten months of the year. The missus induced him to take on the job of caretaker of the town hall, but the billet was impossible without her assistance. He did have a property (which the discontented woman was af^er),. but that now belonged to his son. He had two rooms free of rent, and firing, and his sons wouldn't let him go short. ' Mr Jackson commented that THE ELDERLY BATTLER, couldn't keep a very happy home on such an insignificant income. Magistrate Riddell said the pro* ceedings should have been instituted m Otaki. Fisher acknowledged that he had refrained from speaking to the woman, but whether silence could be classed as cruelty, his Worship tt«as very doubtful. The Magistrate commented on the fact that she had voluntarily left her husband's home, and that 'hubby was willing to take her back, and m his Worship's opinion the woman had not given sufficient reason for leaving her life partner. Information dismissed.