THE CABARET TICKET!

NZ Truth, Issue 1149, 8 December 1927, Page 9

THE CABARET TICKET!

And What Young Dick Brown Had To Say About It

"MUM BUYS THE CLOTHES "

Asked whether Brown had ever knocked his mother about, he replied m the affirmative and said he "just goes for her with his hands." He was sober the morning the row at the Bay occurred, but drunkenness came m periods of about every three months. Of course he used to have a drink m between that too, added Dick. Dick was very definite about who provided them with raiment. Brown never did so; it was always "Mum who pays for clothes." Lawyer Treadwell: Has anyone apart from you and your mother ever seen your step-father drunk? — Mrs. France came into the room one morning and he was stretched out still with his evening dress suit on. Mother saw him too. The row started m the hall, Dick said, when Brown rushed his mother into a corner. He hopped into the general melee that ensued. The dress suit incident, he knew, was after defendant had come home from the Adelphi Cabaret. Counsel: How do you know? — I saw the ticket. It was a ticket for a table. Mother did not go. Other witnesses followed who boreout m the main what complainant had said. Cross-examining Mrs. Pobar, Lawyer Treadwell had quite a lot to say on the apartment house fracas. Witness said Brown came tearing at her, but she denied leading a noisy deputation to the house. She saw Brown's face after. It certainly was all torn and scratched. Before placing his client m the box, Lawyer Treadwell characterized complainant -as an extremely dangerous woman of ungovernable temper, and said it was against the interests and against the honor of his client to be "Blackmailed by this woman." Arising out of interruptions Lawyer Treadwell said: "Don't descend into the depths of low drama," to which came the retort: "No, get into comedy." "Well, I wish you wouldn't interrupt when I am addressing his worship. You are the only member of this honorable profession I have difficulty m dealing with." (Laughter). Defendant Brown said he had held no shares m Leary & Co. since 1922. His father allowed him £2 a week to "help things along." Lawyer Treadwell: Are you getting it now? Lawyer Sievwright: No. It was stopped a fortnight ago. Lawyer Treadwell to Bench: I wish, sir, I could continue without these persistent interruptions from counsel. The Bench: We certainly, would get along quicker. Lawyer Treadwell to his friend: Dont be so vulgar. — There's nothing vulgar ln that. Continuing, witness said while at the Bay he kept 16/- a week and gave the rest to his wife. He was never drunk nor did he start the row which culminated m the second separation. Percy detailed his version of this incident. He had never been home drunk or while under the influence of liquor, but admitted he was a fined £7 In Auckland for being drunk while m charge of a car. The scratch he received m the apartment house row was still visible m a scar he carried on his right cheek. He never saw anybody with a temper like his wife's. She 'used to lose her head. Lawyer Treadwell : Why did you object to Mrs. Pobar coming to the house? — A further discussion by counsel as to relevancy again arose and the Bench ruled the question out. On four occasions his wife had left him, said Brown, and he took proceedings m the Supreme Court, to bring her back. Lawyer Sievwright questioned defendant at some length concerning his total income, but this he maintained was never more than £7. Counsel: If you were getting that couldn't you keep £3/10/- for yourself and give your wife a like amount?

The False Teeth

Witness demurred; and Lawyer Treadwell asked counsel to give witness time to answer. "I'm giving him time," barked Lawyer Sievwright. "He's had far too much time." When the reply was forthcoming it was m the affirmative. Counsel: Were you drunk when you slept out on the grass at Devonport? — No. Come now, do you expect the court to believe that. When you lost your teeth, your glasses and Yale key. You were as drunk as you could be, Brown, and you know you were?— No. The November 6 incident, Brown said he did not attack them; they both flew at him. Lawyer Sievwright: Mrs. Brown says you kicked her? — I might have pushed her. Then how do you account for the bruises ?— She must have got them, on the chair. Defendant admitted he went into liquidation but his shares with Laery & Co. were not transferred to save them from the liquidator. They were transferred to his father m consideration for the money he had placed m defendant's business. In any caae,

said Brown, he bad only 47 shares. Brown admitted to the Bench he did not want to live with his wife again. A. A. Phelps, co-managing director of Laery & Co., said Brown was never anything but sober and always attended to his business properly. He was cross-examined at some length by Lawyer Sievwright about Brown's shares and the dividendstof the company, but nothing of any material help come to light. Lawyer Treadwell: I think it is scandalous that Mr. Phelps should be questioned m this manner concerning a private business. Lawyer Sievwright: I am not concerned with the thoughts of my friend jin this matter. I only want Justice. Francis Cuthbert Brown, also a director m the firm of Laery & Co., testified to his brother's sobriety. He would not have allowed it, he said, had his brother been addicted to liquor. Witness could not enlighten counsel Sievwright as to Percy Brown's income. He received only £5 from the firm, but his father gave him an allowance. Further than that he did not know. Lawyer Sievwright: As a man of the world, would you say a man who left his home m a large city and sleeps out m the grass m some suburb, loses hls teeth, glasses and his key was sober? — I certainly would not. Well, that ls what your brother did m Auckland. To the Bench, witness stated that Percy's business "came a crash." There were various reasons. He had a partner unto whom some of the blame must go. Has he caused you and the family any trouble? — No. He had only heard of trouble from his wife. Witness said he was older than his brother by four years. There were two other brothers, one (Harold Brown) a wine merchant and hotel broker. The Bench: You see the difference between the brothers' history. There is the history of failure all along the line on one side and success on the other. How do you account for that? Why is he (defendant) a clerk with a subordinate position at £5 a week m your father's firm. There is a history of failure m that. Witness: No. You often see things like that. One getting- on and the other not. The business m Carterton, witness stated, Percy should have done well at. There was no earthly reason why he should not have except perhaps that of internal strife. They had not been up m Carterton two weeks before man and wife started to disagree. "It was enough to take any man off his perch," added Frank. He was perfectly sure Ms brother wouldn't fly over the traces unless there was something inside. In giving his judgment on the matters involved, Magistrate Salmon

Sacrifice

said it was hard to understand why the case was defended m open oourt, the effect of which was only to make feelings more bitter. It was only fair to say that complainant on marrying defendant, had sacrificed a pension of £2 a week for life. The case so far as drunkenness was concerned, was amply proved. The second count of cruelty was only partly proved m a vague sort of way, but no doubt acts of violence do oocur as a result of drunkenness. "The fact that defendant has consistently failed m business has some bearing. It is no good him blaming his partner. H« has brought the same lack of attention to other positions and now we find him ln a subordinate position. "When we look for an answer, we have this story of the wife's." There was no doubt m his mind that defendant had failed to adequately maintain and this was borne out by the Inroads she had made into her own capital. "I think defendant is well oapable of paying £3/10/- per week." So Stoma secured her separation again with maintenance £2/10/- for herself and £1 for the little girl. On the question of custody his -worship said "there was no one more fitted to care for a baby grl than the mother — unless strong proof of immorality could be proved," and he made an drder giving the mother tlie desired custody. j iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifittiiiiifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitirtitiiiiiiiiimitiiinniiiiiiiiitntnmmn