IMPORTER SPEAKS OF HIS SO-CALLED LADY-LOVE

NZ Truth, Issue 1193, 11 October 1928, Page 7

IMPORTER SPEAKS OF HIS SO-CALLED LADY-LOVE

THIS crazy old world is nothing but a jumble 'of misfits and wedding-bell conundrumsold men and flapping girls; mature women and cake-eating youths; wastrel husbands and home- loving wives; female termagants and gentle-voiced men. What a mixture! What a mess! %

•FH E man who marries four times is homicidal or too darn good-natured. His kind-neea-to-animals idea is too much for / the wives— they wither from over-much.- attention. A case of old wine and new ' bottles. Read,' and. see, what application this has to tht marriage of Jackson. ;

Told Fourth Wife There Were So Many Things He Missed-^lfe . .

FELT HE COULD HAVE KICKED HIMSELF A HUNDRED TIMES

T»HRBB questions were before the 1 judge for settlement: (a) The proof of the marriage; (b) whether Mrs. Jackson, between April «, 1926, and June 2, 1927. (the latter date being that of the signing of the petition), had been guilty of misobnduot . with Ballantyne at his house at Nina, N.Z., and also at the Cheviot golf house, Cheviot, N.Z., arid (o) whether Ballantyne had committed misoonduot with Mrs. Jaokson. Mrs. Jackson and Ballantyne appeared m person and denied ,the allegations. ".' Once m the ; witness-box, Jaokson revealed himself as a* man past middleage, with' grey hair, and a faoe upon Which Time's pencil had worked painsHe -prefixed his story with the ani nounoement that he Joined up matrimonially with Jinny Irwin— as she was then-^on February 6,. 1816. ■' ■ This was after the death of his third wife, the surprised court was informed, and he had a lot of young children.to look after,. . . Speaking of his third wife, Jackson remarked: "We were twenty years married— she dropped dead!" Continuing through Counsel Curtis, K.C. Jackson said that he met Miss Irwin by accident. She was a, servant m his own home. ; . To out a long atory short, Jaokson related that the first trouble started a week after the marriage, when he found his fourth wife leaning, out of a window, and 'listening— all the time she was there— to the filthy language With Old 'Friend of the chauffeurs below! We had words over that," he explained. Speaking of another occasion when he and his wife were staying at Wairoa, he said that at the in- '. vitation of the mayor, he spent the ...afternoon and evening at the lat!\'ter'B residence, his wife, declining to come. However, he said when he returned that night, "she, to|d Mr. Cole, tho mayor, and me that she had met an old friend, gone for a swim, and hdd a good time!" "There was unpleasantness over that," recalled' Jackson. , He added that he- walked into his wife's room one day at the hotel and found her embracing the rouseabout! ."I ordered him out," continued Jacksort, "and she said he was an old friend of hers. The next morning she came out on to the verandah with him! She left me" 'lots Off times."-. ■ ■There was one child of this marriage, Irwin Jackson, born m 1924. : : '"Early m 1925 there was serious trouble over a man," . proceeded Jackson. "She cleared out and I went after her, finding her at her. brother-in-law's. She said she wouldn't see me, and gave me a signed document, which I tore. up. "On April 24, 1925, a deed of separation was -drawn up, and liwasI i was to allow her £3 a week. I signed it against Imy solicitor's . advice. I showered her with letters to try and "get her back, but there was no reconciliation. "I subsequently started m business here, arriving m Sydney by the Marama on January 26, 1926." Later, said Jackson', he received a letter from his eldest son— a grown-up —to which He replied, and issued certain instructions. Afterwards he engaged a man named Solomon, a deteotive, who under his lns'tructlons went to New Zealand. Wife's Confession "My wife finally left me on March 18, 1926." Counsel: Was it on your aocount she left?— l'd rather not mention it. Recalling January 12, 1925, Jaokson said he arrived m Pioton, and sent, a wire to his wife asking her to join him for the day, but she replied to this that she could not, on account of her mother. "On the following day I went up there," continued Jackson, "and finally she" agreed to spend the day at Pioton. She had gone down so much m weight and was so ill and miserable that I challenged her that something was wrong. Hovyever, she went home that night, but I was so worried that I pulled up the anchor and returned, getting to Glennie at 6,30 the next morning. "There was a man m the kitchen and he said: 'You're too late!' My wife was iii the room, and I said: Tve come for you!' She said: Tm not coming.' I said: 'You must come!' and she replied that she'd see me — — flrat!" Counsel: You got a confession from her on March 6, 1925?— Yes. Witnessed by your son?— Yes. Witnessed by your son George an 4 a Mr. Woods?— Yes. You state; it is a free statement?— Absolutely. . You admit you wrote a letter saying that you got it out of her by pressure? — I may have. You wrote her a letter blaming yourself for the whole of the unhappiness m your married life? — I don't doubt it. ■■■■',

iiniiuuiuiitiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiuirniniiittitiiitiiiiiifiiiiiiiiiinuiiiiiiiliuiitMtituiiiiiltluiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiitlitiiiiititiiitiiiiiiitiiiiiinniiiiriiiiiiitiiiiiiititiiiniiiiiiiiiiitiiit iiiiNummimHHiiimunmifimmmiliiiiiiiiimiliiiiiiiimim^ miiiimiimiimHiiimiiimimmnuuHHiiniuiiimmnimmiiiinm|g •■.•■■■■ "' ; ■-■■■'■'■ (From "N.Z. Truth's" Speoial^ Sydney Representative.) || Ge6rgeHenrsJackson,64 t importer, of Blen fa If are no limits. What other explanation can there be Jor the fact that m 1916, when over fifty years of jj age, he married—not his first, but his fourth wife, nee fa ff In the evidence before Mr. Justice Owen m the Sydney Divorce Court last week, Jackson asked for tt the dissolution of the knot tied at the Presbyterian manse at Springlands, Blenheim, and cited Gerald |f ! Ballantyne, farmer, as co-respondent. Jackson is at present living m Carey Street, Drummoyne. || I According to the divorce papers, his wife reg^ |f I Over a dozen witnesses will be called before the suit concludes and 'it is expected that the hearing will Jj I occupy the best part of another weel^. The parties arc well foownm tyw Zealand. Both Mrs. Jackson j| f arid Ballantyne deny the husband's allegations^ Th& |I

Between • March .6 and .April '24, 1925,: do you admit writing/ many i lettei s -to her blaming yourself for her unhappy life ?— -I wouidh't doubt it. Are .these .'letters untrue?— -Well, largely so. '..".' Vl .-. . ■.: '.'. ,M , '■..■ You -tell his honor you never inflicted violence lon your 'wife?— Yes, -most cer-tainly-lido.. „ ! : \ Counsel, here read an extract from a letter purporting to have been written by Jackson to his wife, In which he made reference to "physloal violence." Tell me what you -mean: by. that, if you didn't?— lt ? s a mis-statement. You can*t tell ;hjß honor what that paragraph refers •to ?— I may have put "physical" . Instead of "mental." Were proceedirigs taken . against you m respect to ' an assault on your wife ? —No. ■.■"■■■,' : ' ' '■ '' .

You threatened that if she kept the ohild: you would take her to the highest court m the land?— Quite probably. .

You were afraid you would lose Irwin-— that's /why you wanted, her to come -back?— Thatls not the reason. In reply, to v a : further question : "Slie was never 'contehteicl from the first day she. put her foot m my. house," Jackson told the judge. "I grovelled to this woman to induce her to come back arid 7 save scandal!" : •

Counsel, quoting again: "The law is against me and^I r must 'abide by the same:" You say that's a pack of lies? —I "don't know the meaning of it.

I put it to you that you were m the wrong and that you knew it?— No, no. ''I'm-.- sorry to. know that you're still a little afraid of me"?— Yes. "How I have suffered for this highstrung; nervous insanity" ?— I may have written it/ '.,' .• . • .

/ x^

Here the judge expressed doubt as to the relevancy of this line of crossexamination, whereupon counsel start r } led the. court with the announcement that, "Part of my case is to show that the petitioner's is an absolute frameup!" / The judge then granted counsel leave to proceed. He did! . In reply to a further question, Jackson announced: "My version is that when she married me she lost her head — a servant-girl, out of her.position! I put ; anything m the letters to try and get her back!" . Continuing* Jackson maintained that on one occasion he found ■ his wife to be living at the Old Men's .Home, Blenheim, "with her.man.'f . . Counsel: You suggest she was living with him? — Yes, from what I saw and what she stated! In January, 1925, you engaged Mason, a pi'ivate detective, m New Zealand ?— Certainly not ! When was it?— ln February. I went to Michael Mason for advice; Where was Mason? — In Wellington. Is it correot that Mrs. Jackson was a maid m your house? — Quite true. Not a nurse-girl to the children? — ; She was an ordinary servant in -the house. "There is an unexplainable ; something which brought us together"— l may have! Had you any affection for her when you married her?— Oh, well; there was a bit of friendship! ;. Quoting from a letter dated April 21, >1925 : "I Wish to point out that the whole cause of the trouble m the house is caused by the girls and myself"? — That was untrue. Didn't Mrs. Galliers complain to you about your daughters' treatment of Mrs. Jackson? — 111- leave Jean to say that for herself. . Didn't you acouse your wife . m March of misconducting herself with' your own son George ?— No ; she challenged me and said she had!

nESERTED when this picture was taken, the Supreme ■ Court m Melbourne was once almost overwhelmed by the scrambling, heaving mob which fought its way through the doorways when—

riAltlil 1 11(1(1 1 111 l ltl (till tllftl 111 ill I Mltll ■ lit ill Itl 1111 l 111 l till It 111 11 lilt 1 1 111111 1 1111111 Mini I !

Are all. these letters untrue? — I debased myself to feer her back!

Do you admit you were served with a summons m March, 1925, on the ground of persistent cruelty to your wife?— l don't know what the charge was; I never read it. :

Didn't your children ti-eat your wife with animosity? — Notat all!

You used to. wait outside, your house at .the end of 1,924, and take a lady into Wellington every morning, m the car ? — it's a deliberate untruth. .

Reading from another, of that unending stream of letters: ''The. morning I waited to open the. gate for my so-called lady-love." Who do you mean by that?— There were, neighbors' daughters— yen' respectable girls-— and I used to take them into. Wellington^ jn the morjiing. When I sayr ■ one used to wait for me every morning; I never took her . again ! , But, / "so-called lady-love?" — My wife was a 1 little Jealoußl . "Is it a fact that your first wife divorced you on the ground of- &'■'■ ,— ." Counsel for-Jack-son (interrupting): Walt, a minute! When were , you divorced from your first wife?— ln 1902

Sh q.w n another ' letter:. "The past shall be forgotten"? —Yes.

"On my side there shall be no more petty quarrelling and dissatisfaction?"— Yes. .

All these statements were untrue?-— Yes. ■ :..-..•■■ : ■;■

You had covenanted not to molest your wife? — Yes. ■ . ' .. So there was no need to write. this letter?— l wanted to get her- back.

"The peace and happiness of the home shall be my main. consideration" ?— Yea. . . . .■-..■:.■'..

The Judge (to Jackson): Why, did you tell lies to your wife when you knew they were lies?

Jackson: Your honor, I was prepared to blame myself and save r all ;• the. scandal. . . ;

Counsel for respondent (continuing) : "There are so many, things I miss — your pastry, your cooking 1 . . ." Is that a correct statement ?— No.

The Judge (lightly) : "So you didn't like her cooking!"

Counsel: Do you say your .wife didn t look after you m the; house?— Reasonably: well. "How ;I repent my selfish words! I feel so : dreadfully humiliated . •■.-.' . taking the ■'■■ girls out and leaving: you V. . . I 'could kick myself a hundred times I" Is ';, that an untrue statement ?— Yes: ' Jackson aaid, m reply to a further question:. "One thing she was remarkably good at was darning stockings!" .

Do; you remember writing: "For God's- sake, Jean,' bear with me,' be

and

oome again

the boy who is so near and dear to you." Wasn't that an attempt to get her back to you by. using the boy?— No.. ,

i>o you remember saying: "Restless nights, black with despair, give me soul agony?" Do you deny that is true? — -Yes.

I put it to you that your wife only left you once prior to the final date?— That's wrong.

Did she leave you m August, 1919? — rYes. „ - ,-•:.. ■ • . • '

On that occasion, how long was she away?— Several months.

Is it a fact that you threatened her with an axe? — No. That's a deliberate untruth.

She had no excuse for going away? —None whatever.

And she took a position m Hawkes Bay?— Yes.

Although you were able to provide for her? — Yes.

When you were returning to New Zealand from Australia, didn't you pull her hair out?— Certainly not.

You know a man. .named James Maher? — Yes. I had to order him out of my house.

Didn't your own ohild call him to your •: wife's assistance on account of your; violence?— No.

, You suggest he was carrying on with your wife ?—^lt , looked very suspicious. His wife left him over that.

'Counsel (tartly): "I didn't ask you that!"

Contlnijing his cross-examination: In the middle of the night on the way back to New Zealand didn't you get up and accuse her of misconduct with a man named Norman Patchett, her brother-in-law ?^-No, I did not. I

She Loved Percy

questioned her very closely m connection with Patchett and finally she made an admission about Percy Galliers—that she loved him "such a lot."

Jackson's son by his first marriage, Clifford George Jackson, a master decorator and painter, was then called.

He described Cheviot as a small township about 100-miles from Blenheim. .■■■■.-■

In July or August, 1926, he continued he "heard something," and wrote to his father, from whom he received a reply, this occurring shortly after he 'had been In ■ Blenheim. • ■ ■■ s ■

Making further inquiries, he again wrote to his parent. On October 10 he and one Sydney Jones took up residence m Cheviot, Jackson -adopting an assumed name.

For a number of days, he said, Jones and he watched'the houses of Dr. Mary Ellen Irwin,, a lady doctor, and Ballantyne. ■ On one occasion, after November 2, he saw Ballantyne and Mrs. Jaokson come out on to the poroh the doctor's house.

"On one or two occasions she waved him 'go6d-bye,'" said Jackson, "and on one or two, they kissed."

Counsel: Were you ever close enough to hear what was said? — Yes, she usually addressed him as " 'G,' dear!" Andf how did he address her?— He addressed her as "Dear."

What was the latest you. saw him leaving the house? — 12.30 a.m. In response to further questions, Jackson added, that on the evening of the 7th he saw Ballantyne call for Mrs. Jackson and the two then drove for a distance along the Main North road. When the car pulled up on the' side of the road, Jackson, who had followed,recalled that he heard laughter and talking, and saw cigarette smoke ascending. .

Later, Ballantyne's car turned round and retraced its route, eventually stopping outside the residence of a Mr. Moir, ..where Ballantyne alighted- and entered— later to return with a Miss Moir. '..■"■ : . ; " ' '.'.-■ • ' -■• : - . ./ . .

— Ronald Greaves Griggs entered the dock to stand his trial for alleged murder (seepages). ,

The trio then walked to a shop nearby, which Ballantyne entered, emerging with olgarettes. \ "Have one, dear!" he pressed Mrs. Jaokson, aocordlng to her step-son. "Light up, dear!" "When . we get on our way," she replied, but "Don't be silly!" "and she aooordlngly wasn't. Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Jaokson and Ballantyne . drove baok to the doctor's house which was m darkness. "We got through the fence and went up to the back of the garage," continued Jackson. "A light appeared, and then I took my boots off and approached a window. The blinds were drawn and I couldn't see anything, but I could hear voioes speaking m low tones. "After some considerable time Ballantyne and Mrs. Jackson appeared on the poroh. She said, 'Good-night! G, darling! 1 And he said, 'Good night, I dear! Ballantyne then entered his car and drove away." On a subsequent occasion, continued Jackson, he was watohing the house from some pines about 7.30 p.m., when Ballantyne drove up and later, accompanied by Mrs. Jackson, drove oft m the direction of.Mina, eventually coming to his own house, which the two entered. ; . ...■[-. . "A light appeared 'm the house," said Jaokson, "and I tried to get close, but a number of dbgs started to bark and I went back to my car. - "I stayed m my car all night — until 10 a,ni. Then I Saw Mrs. Jackson and Jinny Didn't Care Ballantyne come across to their car and drive away towards Cheviot." The grand climax of all these goings ! and comings came about on the Sun- I day week after the ■, twelfth of that month, according to Jackson. The couple drove away to the golf links after luncheon, where, having followed, one professional and two amateur sleuths watched them play along the face of a hill with the aid of glasses. Eventually, maintained Jackson, after Mrs. J. and Ballantyne had been m the golf shed for 20 minutes or half- ! an-hour, he and his companions, rounded the corner. Said the -leading but unprofessional Sherlock Holme's: "Mrs. Jackson stood up and Ballantyne half turned. My brother, 1 Anthony, and Mr. Solomon were with me. Solomon said, "This is nice carryings' on! ■ Especially so the night you stayed, at Mr. Ballantyne's house! I've been watching you and Mr. Ballantyne for some considerable time." . •" ■ "Solomon then said to me: 'Do you know this woman?' and I .replied, 'Yes, that's Mrs. Jackson, my father's wife! 'That is right,' said my brother. 'Mr. Jackson is going to sue for a divorce, said Solomon.. 'Phew!' replied Mrs. Jackson, .'He can do as he likes — I don't care!" . : , , - | " 'Do you know Mrs. Jackson- is a married woman?' Solomon then asked Ballantyne. 'Of course, I do!' he replied. 'Come on, take no notice of them!' said' Mrs. Jackson, and they walked away." In the course of his cross-examina-tion of Jackson junr., Counsel Hardwick (for respondent), attempted to induce the witness to admit that the confronting, of the couple had occurred Soft { Mpeachment on a green at the course, : and not m the shed, but m this he was unsuccessful. . " Counsel: I suggest to you that Solo- j mon said to Mrs. Jackson; just as she | was' going to play,' "Are you Mrs; Jackson?"— Yes. ' Did he say, "Your husband is m Sydney?"— rYes., . > Didn't she go; on playing her gatne as soon as she recognized you?— -No conversation occurred on the green at all. ■ :■■■■>■■■' •■;.- " ■■ . ■ . .• Have you ever seen anyone else at the doctor's house?— Yes; 1 saw Mrs. Jackson's niece. She is a daughter of Percy Gainer's,? —Yes. -■'.; ";'■. .' '■. i .:.. . Anyone \else?— "-Mrs. Jackson's mother, I who is an invalid. .'■'•' 1 The judge: "Is Dr. Irwin married?— No, your honor, she's single. Do you remember seeing Nurse Wandsborough there ?— No. Before -your father and Mrs. Jackson separated m 1926, he made an accusation against you?— He did hot. — He spoke to me. Didn't .he^akea charge that yoii had been guilty of mi'scbnduct with his wife at week-ends" when he wasaway? — No. Did Mrs. Jackson charge him m your presence with having charged her? — No. '■.:■■■ ' ' . •■■■■■ There was nothing said at all, then? —Nothing. '■'''. Did your father make a charge?: —^He spoke tonic about it; he didn't make a charge. Of course, you indignantly denied it? —I did. - . ' At this stage the •hearing was.Jadjourned.