COOK IN SOUP

NZ Truth, Issue 1180, 12 July 1928, Page 9

COOK IN SOUP

Francois Loved Two Waitresses (Prom "N.Z. Truth's" South Auckland Rep.) , The fact that he was about fifty years of age and married did not deter Leon Constant Francoisj Marie Janssens from marrying again, declaring that he was thirty and a bachelor. OIS first wife is somewhere m England, so far as can be gathered, while his second spouse is at Te Awamutu, where shortly she expects to become a mother. > Despite the fact that m a statement to the police he admitted making a. false declaration to the registrar at Hamilton, when he signed a document to the effect that he was a bachelor, \ Janssens pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before the Hamilton Supreme Court last week. It appears that he is a Belgian, who has knocked about the world a good deal. Born m Antwerp, Belgium, for years he followed the sea as an occupation, but came over to New Zealand from San Francisco some time after the war. He became a naturalized British subjects and found work as camp cook at Tokomaru Bay. It was while dishing up cabbage and potatoes that Janssens met May Law, a waitress m the Tokomaru Bay hotel. He wooed and won her. Finally he accompanied her to the altar of the Roman Catholic Church, where she became Mrs. Janssens. \ After the marriage, the bride went to live with her mother m the same neighborhood, while her husband continued to prepare meals for men on the Government job, spending his spare time with his wife at her mother's home. A few months elapsed and Mrs. Law decided to go to England. She had not long departed when her daughter, on the plea that she was tired of -Tokomaru Bay, cleared out to Auckland, where she remained for some time. Her husband finally gave up his job m the camp cookhouse and accepted work m a ship's galley. While thus engaged, Janssens re-\ ceived a letter from his wife, telling him that her mother had died and had left her some money, adding that she was off to England. May then bade, her husband a sweet adieu. He has never seen or heard of her since. That was over lour years ago. HIS SECOND WIFE \ About two years later, Janssens once again forsook the sea and found a job as barman at the Waikato Hotel. While there he met a waitress m another hotel named Jean Sterling. . His special weakness appeared, m fact, to be waitresses— and once more he brought all the force of his passionate . nature to beal' on his lovemaking. ' In December last, Francois and Jean walked into the registrar's office at Hamilton, where the official m charge read out the prescribed .words, to which both made the necessary responses. Thus Francois departed once again with a wife on his arm. ' ... Before this could be made possible, however, it was necessary for Francois to supply the registrar with certain information. • Francois made such a declaration,' after stating irf?the particulars that he was a bachelor, 30 years of age. When the police finally came to hear of the matter, they accused , Janssens of making a false decla-, ration, which he frankly admitted. He stated that his wife had questioned him on the matter the previous night, when he denied . having been married before. After the case ( for the Crown had been stated, Janssens' counsel said the plea of not guilty had been entered merely for the purpose of bringing out the facts. As a matter of fact, Janssens did not know whether his first wife was dead or alive. Mr. Justice Blair asked what accused proposed to do to straighten out the tangle lie had created. ..,...' Lawyer Johnson said it was possible for Janssens to procure a divorce on the grounds of desertion. His honor said the status of the second wife had to be considered; that of a- third person also had to be con- , aidered. This third person was, m fact, ' entitled to every consideration. ' I Th» judge postponed sentence to enable counsel to consult his client on I this important question. . When Janssens later appeared for ' sentence, his honor expressed the | opinion that he thought prisoner did not intend to do any wrong to the I woman he married. . It was doubtful whether his present marriage was valid; he I would have to put it right. j In admitting , prisoner to probation . for two years, his honor told him he * would have to pay the costs of the g prosecution; further, within that period,, he would have to take steps I to regularize his present marriage and divorce his first' wife; • - ■ ' ; '"• . ■