A CHEAP RUBY

NZ Truth, Issue 1186, 23 August 1928, Page 9

A CHEAP RUBY

Ridder Was Stone Too Heavy (From "N.Z. Truth's" Masterton Rep.) While Francis Ridder, a son of the soil at Konini, stood, bareheaded as the stoney earth rattled down on the coffin of his mother, his faithless wife back home was giving -her love to another man. WHEN Ridder found out, he petitioned for a divorce at the Supreme Court at Pahiatua. Petitioner's story was that m August, 1921, he married Ruby Gertrude Stone. She was single and had a child for which she received no maintenance. Ridder adopted it. Of their union, there were two children. Then Robin Adair— or rather, John Robin Bibby, came across the foam. He drifted into Konini, and decided that Ruby Gertrude was the jewel he had come so far to find. It was m May, 1927, that Ridder found reason to suspect the fidelity of his wife. Bibby, whom he had invited into his home as a friend, he found to be a snake. Mrs. Ridder went to Hamilton and Papakura on holiday and Bibby went to see her there. She returned with the co-respondent, and her husband asked her the meaning of it. "I wouldn't have come home at all if it had not been for him," was the reply of Ruby Gertrude. In June, Ridder was called away to the funeral of his mother. He asked Bibby to take his milk to the. factory. He found out later that Bibby slept at the house. In a letter Ridder intercepted from his wife, was the following: "I had a royal time with my Robin while Frank was away at his mother's funeral. He slept here/ Ridder left his wife with -her mother while he was absent, but the mother was called away after one day owing to sickness. In the letter Mrs. Ridder wrote, she asked that nothing be said about Bibby staying at the house, as she thought her husband was getting jealous. She also said she thought more of Bibby than she did of her husband. On November 8, Bibby went away and Mrs. Ridder also. Ridder later saw Bibby m Pahiatua and asked him. where he was going. Bibby obliged by Indicating the opposite direction to which he did go. Ridder found out later that his wife and Bibby had worked on a farm at Te Horo as man and wife, living m a cottage. His wife gave birth to another child of which Ridder was not the father. Evidence was given by H. Waldo Stevens, farmer, of Te Horo, to the effect that a Mr. and Mrs. Bibby worked for him for five months. The photograph produced of Mrs. Ridder was that of the woman he knew as Mrs. Bibby. Mr. Justice Smith granted Ridder a decree nisi, to be moved absolute m three months, interim custody being granted petitioner, with costs against, the co-respondent. '