Repeated Attacks

NZ Truth, Issue 1195, 25 October 1928, Page 9

Repeated Attacks

under my chin where she hit me with a plate."

Counsel broke m upon his flow of words, asking him about' the letter of farewell m his handwriting.

"I'll admit that I wrote that letter— I was told that I was not wanted," Fussell replied.

Counsel: You have had trouble over a third man, haven't you? — Yes, considerable trouble;

Is your daughter a truthful girl? — She's a cheeky, impudent girl. Do you want to get rid of your wife? — No. Spare the flowers, if I can't have her, I don't want anyone else to have her!

I Lawyer Dickson: You say, then, that the story told against you is a tissue of lies?— Yes. -Has your wife repeatedly attacked you? — Yes. Without cause? — Absolutely. When did you last see your wife with this man Fullerton? — About six or seven months ago. Why does your wife make these allegations against you?— Oh, I don't | know. , S.M.: "Well, Fussell, do you think there is any possibility of happiness between you and your wife? You seem to have a poor opinion of her — and she seems to have a poor opinion of you!" " Defendant: "Well, the whole sum total of it is that I make £6 a week and sometimes £10 and £12 .. . . and I want to know what ; has become of it." S.M. : "Apparently there are faults on both sides." To defendant's, counsel^' the bench remarked: "Is there no possibility of making some arrangement?" Counsel: "They are both excitable people." Lawyer Dickson: "Well, he's a' man who comes home drunk." S.M.: "I don't think he does 'come home drunk." - .: Evidence given by a boarder who had stayed with the Fussells for some years was to the effect that defendant had been provoked -wjhen he used bad language to his wife. Counsel: Have you ever seen thehusband assaulted by his wife? — Yes. On one occasion she knocked him down. I have seen her throw a plate at him. j Do you know if she has deceived him?— Well, even her own daughter her son arid myself have gone out with her to goto the pictures and she has gone somewhere else.. "Is he a model husband?" asked Lawyer Dickson. V The. reply brought smiles from the 'court: "No man is a model, husband as far as the woman is concerned." „ The bench decided that there was not sufficient evidence of bad language having been used to warrant an order being made .on the grounds of persistent cruelty) There was also no. evidence of habitual drunkenness. The case would be adjourned to see wha,t arrangements could be made between the' parties.. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiw