JOCKEY FAILS TO STAY THE DISTANCE

NZ Truth, Issue 1189, 13 September 1928, Page 9

JOCKEY FAILS TO STAY THE DISTANCE

• uiiniiMiiiiNiiiiMiiiiiriiiiiiirinuiiMiiliiuuiniMiniiriMililtiiiiilMiHiMintniMUiMiliiiiinurimiiinitnliiiiMt<itHMmiiiiniMMt!»mminnuiuilliiMinii<iiiinuiinitinKiiMMMimiiiniM[|iiimiiiiitiiiiMiii>iiiivE is !e || , (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Dunedin Representative.) || If When John Richard Anderson accepted m the marital handicap || || he probably thought his chances were good. But he failed to a/ay — || || m fact, he finished by parting company with the nomination of his „j| l| choice much against his own will. Now his Susan Eleanor Bertha is || 1 1 galloping around on her own. , g§ IS i iiiiiMiNiiiiiniimiiniii uumiiiiiinnnnn miiiiiimii »»»i«> " l """" 11 ""!!"'!!!','"'! !!!!!!!!!!""'!!!!',!!!', ', l !"""""!"" n "l!'.!SI!H!!!"!"!!!!!!!".!!!!!l',!!Il!!!m!!!!!!!]!MS

PARTS COMPANY EARLY IN MARITAL HANDICAP

I JOHN walked into the Dunedin MainJ tenance Court with his left arm m a sling. When he walked out his heart was ' similarly suspended, this time m the magisterially bound bandages of separation from his tall and handsome Susan Eleanor. John very forcefully opposed his wife's application for separation and guardianship of their one child, because, as he said, he wanted he^r back — he was "very fond of her." But stately Stfsan, or perhaps, we'd call her Bertha — it suits her "much better — wasn't having: any, and Magistrate Bundle quite saw her point. As f^pr the baby boy, his worship decided to leave his fate to the investigations of the Child Welfare authorities. It was the same old story of persistent cruelty and failing to maintain, but told m a very aggressive manner by a couple of youngsters— b;oth twenty-one, and but ten months m nuptial •pastures. Neither 'had counsel, each coming to court it transpired, to have a dingdong go without the curbing formalities of legal guidance. And they had it, with a few off-stage contributions by the girl's father from the public section of the court-room. : At times they might have been m verbal combat m their own kitchen, so vehement was the cross-talk and spit-fire argument. But the bench allowed them to have it out, even, it seemed, almost to the point of encroaching the dignity of the court. John, brunette Bertha told the court, was a jpckey when she married him m October of last year. They lived at Allington only for a few days after their marriage, and then complainant went to live with her parents. It was whilst she was there that John took the bit between the teeth and commenced his rough behavior. "He was always coming and causing trouble,'' told Bertha m a - composed voice, looking straight at the bench. "He got a. job with a trainer at Oamaru m December, and when he came back he caused a great disturbance and tried to take the baby away by force."

Several times, Bertha said, John had threatened to take the lives of his wife and child. Once she had iiad to hide his razor. In Oamaru, although she was not m strong health, Bhe had supplemented the family income by working at an hotel. When complainant came back to Allington two months ago, defendant wanted !her to go out working, but she refused. "He caused such rows that I consented m the end," added witness. , "In Allington I took ill and had to go to hospital. Then I went to my mother's. I have had no money from my husband for three or four months." - Asked by his worship to instance some of the alleged, cruelty, Bertha . complained of having been struck by her husband; "but I do not say that I didn't hit him back," she added with a flashing of dark eyes. John had a Violent «nrl 11nnnnt.rnlla.ble temper which had been manifest since their marriage. Before they accepted nomination for the marital handi-u cap, little John was always decent and polite. Have you been drinking with men? asked the husband when question time came along. It was denied. Didn't I catch youj drinking gin with Cyril Crone m the North Otago Hotel in 'Oamaru? — Yes, as medicine. Or with Archie Gillies ?— John Anderson — you did not! (The answer was frigid.) ■ To a further string 'of queries launched by the excited little husband, Mrs. Anderson said she had not seen the. child since she came out of hospital because Mrs. Johnson of Arrowtown, was looking after the infant, and had offered to do so for a matter of 12 months if necessary. You say I tried to take the baby away by force.' Wasn't your mother there, "and your father ... . The question was directed to the girl m the witness-box, but it proved to be the cue for her father to stand up from his seat m the body of the court.

Mother's Influence

"Here, hholsd s on!" he yelled. "I'm that girl's father." Nobody disputed the fact, although the court orderly, m formal parlance, told him to hold his tongue. Your mother was m the room, lying down drunk, announced John to the bewilderment of his wife. — Excuse me, the girl replied, swallowing her indignation, she was not. . And did she not say — the little fellow meant to ride to a finish — did she not say: "Take the brat away; I'm not going to have my tubs full of dirty napkins and the boarders kept awake at night?" Bertha knew nothing about such conversation. What did you always mean by saying- I had ruined you? — I never aaid that. And were not your father and mother prejudiced against me because you broke off an engagement with a sailor from the H.M.S. Diomedes for me? — (No answer). You lived with me for four months 9efore we were married and I bought you cigarettes and things? We were a jolly sight happier then until you went back to your mother's influence after we were married? — I would never live with you again, I value my life too much. ' And so it went on, defendant putting his questions more m a trump-that-if-you-can manner than a cross-examina-tion. I bought you clothes, he continued, two dresses, a pair of shoes and underclothes. You could have had warm clothes instead of silk fineries. You wanted the best and got It. Bertha controlled herself throughout and held a discreet silence to the latter challenge. William James Palmer Dixon, father of the complainant, left his seat at the back to corroborate his daughter's story. He finalized his stand m the witness-box by telling 1 John he was a "thorough scoundrel."

Anderson denied that he had ever ill-treated his wife. . His -temper was normal, but on the other' hand, it was Bertha who was m the habit of slipping: the halter of control. He had wanted his wife to follow him. to Timaru four months ago when he secured employment, but the last he saw of her was m the company of a man named Dale. He was fond of his wife and wanted to reconcile matters. "When I visited her m hospital," he complained, "she said she hated me and didn't want to see me again. I took her' meals at the hospital — cooked fish, slippers, a writing-pad and a singlet. "The last time I took her anything she told me she didn't want me to bring any more of my rubbish and that she would never live with me again." His worship: Do you drink? — Yes, I drink. To excess?— No, sir. Invited to ask her husband any questions, Bertha lined up to the rail of the box and commenced. Questions ran into accusations. Accusations led on to a reproachful tirade and the tirade turned to tears. She accused John of having caused most embarrassing scenes m the hospital ward, when he had called her all sorts of vile names. John denied it, but Bertha persisted that she was talking the truth: "You did . . . you did . . . you did!" she reiterated with gathering enthusiasm. Furthermore she reminded her husband that his father-in-law had promised him a "horse-whipping" if he ever poked his nose into the inner circle of the Dixons' home. . Mrs. Anderson did not wish for maintenance, all she wanted was the court's sanction to separation. She wiped the tears, and her face brightened as Magistrate Bundle, after eliciting from John that he was earning nearly £5 a week m the Waiutu goldflelds and had no offer to make so long as his wife associated with her mother, made an order accordingly.