SHE MARRIED IN HASTE

NZ Truth, Issue 1192, 4 October 1928, Page 7

SHE MARRIED IN HASTE

Girl -Wife's Second Unsuccessful Plea For Freedom

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) Edna Stuart Jones met Arthur Gordon Jackson m 1926s They were married m June, 1927, and their child was horn m January of this year. But Edna, who is noto only 2 1 , left her young husband last April and m May she applied to the court for separation, maintenance and guardianship orders. : .

SHE i was then unsuccessful, and the case -was again heard before Magistrate McKean last week, i when fresh evidence was brought forward. But once more Edna failed, no order being made. The 'young wife told a story of alleged cruelty, but her husband denied the charge and stated that he would take her >back. It was a sad tale the young wife told And at times she was on the verge of tears. "He was- always hoping that the baby \yoivld be dead. He> used to hit, me on the face . . . and* one night, j because tea. was late, he twisted my nose. "He threatened to break my neck if I didn't go out and get money," were some of the statements Edna made m court. "His mother said to me that her son. had no love for me .and never. . had." To her counsel, _Lawyer Matthews, complainant said that her husband had. treated her . cruelly, all the time, up ..to, the day ishe left him. When she was m poor health he would hot allow her to have a hotwater bag and oh one occasion he had carried her into the kitchen to make her get .his tea. „ . . In the mornings he would make her get out of bed by hitting her m the back with his knee. r He was always shaking his fist m her face and threat- ' ■

ening to break her

neck. This went on right up to , the time she weint

Into the maternity

home. When she returned from the home she was very ill, but her husband made her wash all his clothes. He said that he would heln her.. but. he only started the fire and then went out until midnight. On one occasion he struck her and caused a haemorrhage. She was ordered to rest, but he would not allow it. "He was always using disgusting language," she said. "He used to strip the cupboard when he went away so as I would have nothing to eat. That was done from spite. . . . 'Tve seen -him have tea and I have, had to go up to mother's to get my tea because he had eaten mine." When she had left him at the end of April, Mrs. Geaney (the landlady) had aaid: "I don't blame the little girl ln the least. She is taking a wise step while she is young. He Is becoming intolerable." Mrs. Geaney had also said that she thought Jackson was ''not right m his head." Magistrate McKean: Did any of the other tenants complain of the noise?— Not as far as I know. Edna said later that she often discussed her husband's behavior with Mrs. Geaney. "She knew what was going on," ' complainant added. She had not made a noise because she was afraid she would be turned out of the flat. Mrs. Geaney had said that Mf there was any noise they would, have to leave. To Lawyer Webster, who appeared for the husband: "I knew him a year before we were married. We used to go to dances and sometimes to parties." . Counsel: You were quite frequently at your father-in-law's place before ' miiiiiiitiiiliiiniiiiiiiiniimmiimiiniiiimmimtiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiifiiiiiititiiiii E,ii",i,,,,iiiiii,i, lii1 ii. liiiMiiniMiiiMiiiiiniiiiiMiiiiiiMiiiiiiiniiMiiiiiiiiMii1 iiiMiiniMiiiMiiiiiniiiiiMiiiiiiMiiiiiiiniiMiiiiiiiiMii iiuiimiimmiim i

A Bare Cupboard

the mstrria'ge?— -I can remember being there twice. In your home life before you were married you did not want for anything, did you? — Oh, I don't suppose I did; but I was quite satisfied with the rooms we had. At the time you were married you were. in a certain condition?— Yes. .There was quite a lot of discussion about getting you a home? $ou arranged to take this flat? — Yes. At the time, your husband was not earning good money? — He was working; ' i . Complainant added: "My husband used to see me at the home, but he never brought me a thing. He used to eat lollies, but he never brought anything to me. <t 3 "His father came to see me at the home, but he kicked up such a row that he had to be ordered out." At this stage it was decided that all the evidence of the former case be put Lin. Lawyer Webster stated that he had some fresh evidence. ■•• He called. Ivy Jackson, defendant's sister-in-law, who said that when she first met the two parties they were a courting couple.. They Were very fond of each other. "I cann6t say I was surprised over the hurried marriage," she said. "They had been, fond of each othor and had had a good deal of freedom. When I saw them after their marriage they

she : would not live with her husband long, as he was very cruel. Lawyer Matthews:. "Has your married life been happy?" His Worship: "Never mind that!" Witness, to cross-examining counsel: "She was a very nice girl, but she turned out deceitful. I did not like the reference she made about me ahd her husband. She said something m one of her letters." Counsel: And that is why you are here to-day?— Oh, no. • She is not chasing any other boy, is she? Why doesn't she want to go back to her husband? — That's what I can't make out. To defendant's counsel, witness said that she saw no signs of cruelty when she was at the house. Defendant's' mother: "As soon as I heard the girl was m trouble, I said they should be married at once. They came to me for food. I visited the fiat and they were always happy — very happy. . . . , \ "When the girl told me that my son was cruel to her, I said I wouldn't believe jt until 1 heard it from his own lips. "Her mother said my son was a 'dirty dog' and should be made to suffer as her daughter had suffered. "I told her that she ought to be pleased that he had married her daughter and given the baby a name. Lawyer Matthews: What is your present opinion of the girl? — Well, I have heard her tell untruths to-day. I have never heard my son say anything wrong m his life. The landlady of the flat was called. She said that she had never seen anything to suggest that the young couple quarrelled. Defendant always helped his wife with the washing. They walked out arm-in-arm. f "I never heard a cross word," she said. "If they quarrelled, then I don'J; know how they did it, for' I never heard a word. "She (complainant) was out until the last minute and then would come home to get tea teady . ... and the baby would cry all the time. I told her that I couldn't stand it." Asked if complainant had ever made any serious complaints about her husband, witness said that she could not remember. "I never said that she was taking a wise step m leaving him," she declared. Charles Walter Jones, father of complainant, said that he and a friend went to the flat to take his daughter's things away when she decided to leave. While they were there, the landlady had said that defendant was impossible to liye with, y "I know several things, .but I don't want to be mixed up with it, as my heart is bad," she had said. John William Jones said that he was at the flat when complainant's property was being removed. He corroborated' the statement of the previous witness regarding the remarks made, by the landlady. Later she had said to him that she would not • allow defendant to stay m the flat. After hearing the evidence, the S.M. dismissed the case. .. "I don't understand the matter and I don't want; to make any comment, except to say that there has been perjury on one side or the other," he said.

were still like a courting couple." After the baby was borri, said witness, complainant had told her that