A MYTH, MAYBE

NZ Truth, Issue 1195, 25 October 1928, Page 8

A MYTH, MAYBE

Fruitless Hunt For Third Woman

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.)

Did a mystery woman form the third point of a triangle m the married life of Percy and Jessie Collier? The wife was very decided oh the point, but she could not produce the woman m court when the demand was made. JESSIE made application against her husband for a maintenance, order. The proceedings were delayed while a search was made for the woman, m the case, but although the wife declared that she was kvalitihg' outside the court, and the husband '.'admitted that "she might be," no' trace of- her; was found. ■ The mysterious woman was no myth m the riiind of the wife, for she alleged that her. husband had been living with her,, and . she further alleged, when questioned by her counsel, Lawyer A. J. Moody, that she was known by the name of Mrs. Sankey. As far as the court was concerned she faded from the case, for she could not be produced. , Whether she had been spirited away or was merely an imaginary being conceived m the mind of the wife, was not known, for Jessie left the court full of hope to find her after dropping a verbal bombshell when stating -dramatically: "She is outside now," but returned somewhat crestfallen, and said that she supposed she had been told to go. In spite of her failure to startle the defence by producing this previously unheard of woman, Jessie kept up her story of the third party, and m the end succeeded m obtaining an order against Percy for 30/-.; a week. She told the court thAt she had obr tamed a separation order against her husband, and when she became ill he had taken the children for a while. She had received the children back m June of this year. "Since then he has given me £4 10s. I asked him to, give up the woman he was living with, and he said he wouldn't because he didn't want to put 'one across her.'' To defendant's counsel, Lawyer Fleming: I vfiia giving him nearly all my wages, • The woman he was living with used to send a boy to me to get the money. i ' ■ When Lawyer Moody cross-examined defendant he admitted that he had been to the nj.ces, "not to bet, but just to see the horses run." Counsel: Do you expect me to bor lieve that? — Yoi? can please yourself. Counsel: Well, I don't. Where did 'you get money* from to go to the rases? cost me nothing, a friend paid. Counsel: Who is the lady you are living with?— l haven't been living with a woman. Didn't your wife ask 3 r ou to give her up?— No. Haven't you ever taken a woman out?— Oh, yes. You have spent money oh her? — Wfell, you 'wouldn't take a woman out Avithout spending money on her, would you? "Never mind what I Would do," said counsel, then, after speaking to the wife, he asked: "Your lady friend is outside the. court now, isn't she?" Defendant: She may be. She came with you, didn't she ?— No. r' What is her name?— l haven't a lady friend.

Turning to the wife', counsel asked "What is her name?"

"Mrs. Sankey," replied Jessie,

Then it was that a search was made for the w'om'arV'who had been

thus brought into the case. . "We'll get to the bottom of this," 6aid counsel, and he sent the wife to" find the woman she had mentioned.

But she was not to be found

Turning to Percy m the witnessboXi the S.M. asked:', "if she is not a friend of ,yours hOw did she know the proceedings were coming on?" but there was no 'direct answer 'to this.

The order for 30/- a week was made, no further evidence being brought forward.