IT'S A WONDER SHE RETAINED HER SANITY! HUSBAND WENT WITH HER

NZ Truth, Issue 1202, 13 December 1928, Page 1

IT'S A WONDER SHE RETAINED HER SANITY!

HUSBAND WENT WITH HER

TRUTH ia often stranger than fiction. One reads m novels of some innocent and rational person, through the agency of a scoundrel, being cast into a house for the insane, but that such a 7 thing could 1 possibly take place m a country that professes to possess the finest legislation m the world, passes, comprehension. ■ - ■ But when the victim is a mother, grief-stricken through the illness' of her child, and the instigator of the dastardly deed is her husband, more heinous still is the offence. Illogical' as It may seem, Mrs. "Violetta Alma Broughton, of Wellington, the woman who waa so' cruelly wronged, blames that quasi-official organization, the Wellington Society, for the Protection of Women and Children, for the origin of her trouble. ■ Worn out by domestic and . financial worries and the dangerous condition of her ohild's health,' her' own constitution undermined by a recent severe illness, this woman, who had valiantly struggled to properly maintain 'her child and the children of her husband's former marriage, called on the society to seek explanation of a letter she had received from' Miss Kirk, secretary of the society. Mrs. Broughton, her nerves strung to breaking point, when she arrived at the, office of the society, impetuously flung the letter on the desk. Ultimately, she left the office — m tßars. , The next day— while sitting at the bedside of hervsick and ailing child — she was arrested, certified .shortly afterwards by ONE doctor as needing urgent medical attention and hurried away to the Porirua Mental Hospital. Mrs! Broughton states that, following her interview with Miss Kirk, that lady got m touch with the police, and the over-wrought woman's arrest occurred on the following day.' Miss Kirk, when interviewed bj r "N;-Z. {Truth," admitted having rung the police but, emphatically denied that she,. was m any way responsible for the woman's arrest. Although Mrs. Broughton declares that the society is partly to blame for some of . the , terrible experience that, befefl her, the chief opprobrium for her plight must be levelled against the unfortunate woman's husband. Knowing full well what a trying ordeal his wife had been through during.^ the . preceding months, Leslie Weedon Broughtori", affable and hail-fellow-well-met man about town, walked .'into the Magistrate's Court m

Wellington and swore her liberty away, when a little kindness and considei*ation, which he had seldom shown her during the short term of their married life — would have smoothed, most of her troubles away. Broughton Issued an information against his wife which led to Magistrate Salmon signing a warrant for the woman's arrest. Acting m all good faith, and believing he was dealing with a man who had the welfare of his wife at heart, the magistrate signed the fatal document . that deprived Mrs. Broughton of her liberty until after the death and burial of her child. It Is m cases of this kind that a glaring weakness m the Mental Defectives Act is manifest. In cases of emergency, where it is absolutely imperative that somebody should be committed, to the care of an institution, the person applying for such action may sign a request, upon the receipt of which the superintendent of an institution may receive and detain a person. This is the procedure followed m cases of emergency and before a proper reception order can be taken out. A certificate from ONE doctott. only is sufficient medical proof that the person concerned is m urgent need of supervision. A statement that the matter is one of urgency is also required to be sent with the medical certificate. Presumably, this is supplied by a near relative or friend, and it is on the presentation of this statement that a magistrate issues a warrant for the arrest of the person concerned. Medical testimony comes afterwards, as it did m the case of Mrs. Broughton. Here it Is that the Act is open to grave abuse. Even should a medical practitioner refuse to give a certificate that a person is "not responsible" and should be under supervision, the glar-ing-injustice of having a reputable member of society arrested still remains. Carrying out this "procedure .In emergency," mental hospital author!-

ties may detain a person if they think fit. They base their decision to do ao upon the certificate supplied at the time of the request for admission, and also on the general demeanor of the person concerned. ■ ■■ But it is safe- to assume that they would be" more often solely, guided by the certificato supplied by the outside doctor, as m quite a number of cases people suffering from an unfortunate mental disorder have sane and rational moments, and may be quite normal | when actually admitted, to. an asylum. — TiTnEKe''' >T< c^se rr " v of MrsV ; Tßroiighton, thanks to the sound judgment and discernment of the doctors concerned^ the unfortunate woman was not long delayed at Porirua. The doctors there questioned her closely concerning her life and soon learned of the trying period

through which she had recentlybeen subjected to. They refused to admit her to the institution, and as she had no desire to remain there of her own free will, she was promptly sent back to friends m the city. But 'that was not the end of trouble for this unfortunate woman. The occurrence having . taken place on a Saturday, and Mrs. Broughton still being under arrest, she had to wait for the machinery of the law. .to again function before she could gain her liberty, and remained m custody. It was Monday morning before further independent medical testimony could be secured and the services of a magistrate sought and the arresting warrant cancelled. r In the meantime, Mrs. Brough- . ton's child — the child of her marriage — had died and had actually been buried. Leslie Wesdon Broughton has been marrJed three times. With a suave and polished manner, well groomed and good to look tipon, it is easily understood how women have m the past been peculiarly susceptible to his outward charms. Broughton carries his forty odd years very well. The son of Charles Henry Brough ton, Leslie Weedon was born m an atmosphere of refinement at Prospect Road, Summer Hill, Sydney, and received a good education. When manhood claimed him he went to America and followed, the occupation of a salesman. There, it is believed, he met his first wife, later returning with her to his home country. These early bonds of matrimony apparently weren't to the liking of this globe-trotting young Australian. He cleared out to Melbourne — without his wife. There, his masculine charms captured the fancy of a pretty Melbourne girl, Florence May Ambler, daughter of a wealthy grain merchant m the city. So great did her infatuation for Broughton become, that this girl of

tender years forsook her home to live with him. . Ultimately the' pair drifted to Auckland, where Broughton obtained em-, ployment m the gas works, and where a child was born. In 1916 Broughton was called into camp at Trentham and the girl came down to live near him. On September 5 of the same year, Broughton's wife m Australia received her decree absolute m divorce, thus making the way open for the man, .if he so desired, to marry tho girl whom he took from her home m Melbourne. Insofar as it lay m his, power, Broughton made the amende honorable and married May Ambler at the Wellington registry on December 1, 1916. The couple 'then had two emldr'en ami up to September of 1923 when his wife became seriously ill, Broughton had four children, the eldest of whom is now 14. Early m the same month Mr:;. Broughton No. 2 was taken from the Caledonian Hotel and died m the Wellington hospital. For two years Broughton remained m a state of single blessedness, and then decided to once mor.e venture into matrimony. This third venture proved a failure and resulted m his attempt to send his wife to an asylum. In July, 1925, the marriage was solemnized, and m May of the-fol-lowing year Mrs. Broughton proceeded against her husband m the

court at. Wellington. She sought separation from him and based her claim on alleged cruelty, habitual drunkenness and failure to maintain. She received an order on the ground of failure to maintain. The separation, however, was not a long one, and a reconciliation occurred. ; Lack of cash to carry on brought the wife ; to \ court, again ]'m February of 4SJ7^.nCaga^ from Br6ugHton. " • - Shortly afterwards she returned to her people's home m the Wairarapa, taking two of the children with her, the other three being m various Homes and institutions. Eventually Broughton became unemployed, and followed his wife to Masterton. where another reconciliation took place. For the children's sake Mrs. Broughton was prepared to try to live m harmony with her husband, provided he supplied her with the neces-sary-money to enable them to live. When ,tiie wife ultimately returned to Wellington she nad with, her the child of tneir marriage, then nearly two years old and the youngest child of the second marriage of her husband's. The man secured employment as a barman m a city hold, but when Mrs. Brougiiton routed a. house at Northljiid nor husb:i.nd refused to go and live tnere, tmik'.n£r as hirs excuse the t-,\r.\. Unit it wud tuo l'ar array from his WOi k. . v

Instead, he took lodgings m a private house m the city, allowing his wife £2 a week to live on. The struggle was a hard one, for rent for the cottage consumed most of her allowance and often mother and children went to bed hungry. About September, her own child, always delicate through pre-natal troubles, was admitted to the Wellington Public Hospital. It was 'about .this time that trouble ensued between 'Mrs.' Broughton and Miss ,Kirk, officer, m charge of the Protection "Society:- " ; ( The two were already acquainted, Mrs. Broughton having been to Miss Kirk m connection with her separation proceedings. On . this latter occasion,! though, she did not go near Miss Kirk. Her child was seriously ill and the doctor advised an operation, but before consenting to such a course, Mrs.

Brougrhton rightly clpsired a consultation with her husband. On September 26, not wanting to visit her husband at the hotel where he was employed, the worried woman, about 8.20 m. the evening sought him at the place where he was livmg. What followed may have been regrettable, but for her actions, Mrs. Broughton pleads justification. Before going to the house Mrs. Broughton says she rang her husband at the hotel and was informed that ne was not there. When she knocked at the door of her husband's residence, she told an "N.Z. Truth" representative, it was opened by a woman m her night attire. • . Mrs. Broughton asked to see her husband,., but was told by the woman at the door that he was not at home. The wife was sceptical and said she didn't believe this statement. She was going up to her husband's room. The matter, to her, was urgent— the life <$£ hei- child was at stake. Her entry was opposed and a scene between the two women resulted. No doubt her forced entry was regrettable, but not illogical m the cii'cumstances. In her husband's room she found the other woman's clothes and evidences that the bed had been slept m. In fact, Mrs. Broughton says, the lady , of the house admitted . using Broiighton's room, as, her own two children having been sent to the hospital with some contagious disease, the rest of the house had that day been fumigated. Tins statement was subsequently confirmed by a doctor. Broughton, his wife was informed, was staying that night at the hotel. The distracted woman thereupon left the house and again rang the hotel at 9.15 p.m. This time she was successful m speaking to her husband. In his opinion, said Mrs. Broughton, a consultation wasn't necessary; the child was all right where it was and the doctors knew their business. The next step m the tragedy of errors was a letter of censure to Mrs. Broughton from Miss Kirk)

who wanted to know why the former had gone to her husband's place of abode and stated definitely that she had no right to go to her husband's place at all. Furthermore, such action might prejudice her m any further court proceedings. This letter may have been written with good intentions, but it seemed to Mrs. Broughton to be most unfriendly. Before Mrs. Broughton could call upon the society and offer an explanation of her visit to her husband's place, Bhe contracted pleurisy, which laid her low for nearly a month. At the -little home m Northland, while she herself was ill, she managed to maintain herself and one child. This she was able to accomplish with a little money of her own. Despite this, she became one week m arrear with her rent. On top of Miss Kirk's letter came one from her husband's solicitor Informing her she would have to get out of the house, as Broughton could not afford to pay for it. And then a note from the house agent with the ultimatum to Quit. : . '■ . The child with her then took ill and was also sent to hospital. Broken m spirit and sick m health, Mrs. Broughton, exactly a -month after her unfortunate effort to. interview her. husband, called on Miss Kirk and asked for an explanation of the letter she had received from the society. "My reception was most hostile," Mrs. Broughton told "Truth." "I called Miss Kirk a hard old maid who didn't know anything about children or domestic worries." . After a sharp exchange the worried and distracted wife hurried out of the office m tears. .- : • ■ "You can imagine how I felt," went on Broughton's wif e. "Sick myself and both the children m the hospital, I felt as if the hand of everyone wa"s against me. I thought the society was for the protection of women, but it seemed as if it favored the men." . •• This unfortunate tilt between Miss Kirk and Mrs.. Broughton occurred on October 26 and on the following day, Saturday^ side" of her child;' mils' woman; who' waa [having such an uphill fight, was arrested as insane. : Even if Mrs. Broughton had been laboring under some stress of mmd — herown troubles and the illness of her children would have • .. been sufficient warranty for her being upset— there was no valid

reason for taking the harsh and extreme measures that were employed. A little sympathy and understanding during her time of trouble was what she rightly looked for, if not from the society, then at least from her husband, but she declares that she did not get either. The woman was sitting: beside .h*"* child's bed, when, about 2 p.m. she was notified that her presence was requested m the passage. There soe found a constable and the police -matron awaiting her. -Mrs. Broughton was informed that she had to accompany them .o a solicitor's office and the excuse given was :i vague one. Once outside, she was told where she was going— to the police station. -No reason for her summary appearance -there was given. In relating what followed Airs. Broughton attaches no blame whatever to the police authorities. They were simply carrying out their duties as they had received them, and when it became obvious to them that a mistake had been made, they treated her with deference and respect. At the Central Police Station Mrs.' Broughton met her husband who said: "What have you been doing, Vi.?" She replied: "Nothing." ' ■ "I was at a loss to know what it was all about," said Mrs. Broughton when questioned by this paper's representative. "It was some tnjie later that a. doctor appeared — Dr. Mary Coutts — and my husband had a long , conversation with her. "Afterwards, the doctor came to me and said I had been 'doing things.' 1 told her it was the first I knew of it."' If Mrs. Broughton wasn't "mental" before her arrest, her worries and the terrible experience she had ' undergone would have been sufficient to make her become hysterical at this period, but: she remained perfectly calm.

Mrs. Broughtoh's Terrible Ride To Porirua Mental Hospital WAS LOCKED UP "OVER THE WEEK-END

AFTER Mrs. Broughton had l-eceived xTL cursory inspection at the police station she was bundled into a taxi and driven out to Porirua, Leslie Weedon Broughton accompanied the police officials m the car. Just prior to their departure, probably under the prick of a disturbed conscience, he remarked to his wife: "I hope you don't blame me, Vi. I had nothing to do with it," but the police matron rebuked him by saying: "You signed the information, Mr. Broughton." That memorable ride out to Porirua is indelibly stamped on Mrs. Broughton's mind. Each little scrap of conversation between the parties m tne car and m which she sometimes joined, she remembers with terrible clearness. When the car broke down, and they were delayed she even saw the humor underlying the tragedy. It was delaying as long as possible, she told tne others, her admission to the institution.. Her husband, now very solicitous of her welfare, s=aid the rest m the institution would do her good, but his honeyed words then were cold comfort to the woman who had sacrificed her independence and career as a nurse to become his wife. Whan the car arriyed at its destination Dr. Macky interviewed Mrs. Broughton and from her learned of the trouble which, she had lately been through. He called another medical man and explained the position to him. As a case of urgency it didn't hold water, and they refused to admit Mrs. Broughton. r— — — — - — : ~ 1

Her Child's Death

i Leslie Weedon Broughton, who sat next his wife m the taxi during: the Outward journey, occupied the seat next to the driver going back to town. When spoken to by his wife about this, Broughton said lie got m the front purely from force of habit! Once more back at the police station, Mrs. Broughton was handed her purse and other personal belongings. When the purse was taken from her it contained £3 m notes, but on being returned to her it held a little over £2. Asking where the rest of the money* had gone, -she was informed the fare for the taxi was paid by her husband from her purse! It was Mrs. 'Brough ton's desire to see her child at the hospital. "I knew he was dangerously ill," she told "N.Z. truth." • ' "A delicate child from birth, I perhaps knew more about his condition than the people at the hospital." Being under arrest she was denied the inalienable right of a mother to be near her own child m times of illness. Over the week-end, Mrs. Broughton was an unwanted guest of the Government and her child died, without her knowledge, m the early hours of Sunday morning! Broughton was aware of this fact on the Sunday, but withheld the infonmation from his wife. Instead,, he left it to the police matron to impart the sad news to, the already stricken mother. The cruel hand of Fate which deprived this mother of her child at such a time was sufficient to drive her insane if any mental weakness was apparent, but the woman bore this grievous blow with fortitude. On the following Monday morning Mrs. Broughton was taken before the doctor who had recently attended her for pleurisy. He issued a certificate to

The certificate Dr. Mary Coutts supplied concerning Mrs. Broughton's condition provided a striking example of what is commonly called, when a doctor makes a mistake, an error of judgment. Patient and doctor were total strangers to one another, and this fact also helped along the sorry farce that was being enacted. Had the services of a doctor who was acquainted with Mrs.. Broughton's condition been availed of to testify to the woman's state of sanity, the blunder would never have been committed. Knowing the wife, he would also have had some knowledge of the husband, and could have formed his own judgment and known what credence to place on the latter 's story. ' .' ' That Dr. Coutts erred, subsequent events at the hospital proved.

the effect that the woman "was perfectly sane. There was nothing left to do then, but to escort her into the presence of a magistrate. Magistrate Page asked her what she had said.to Miss Kirk, and was told. The arresting warrant was cancelled and Mrs. Broughton issued forth once more a free woman. There was still another unkind blow of Fate m store for her. When she left the police station she learned that she was never to see her baby again, either alive or dead. The child was Buried one short hour before the woman gained her liberty. Surely Broughton was aware that ■within an hour or two his wife would again be a free woman, and tlv.it she would wish to see her child before it was consigned to its iast resting place. If so, could he not have delayed the burial? Mrs. Broughton As now living with a friend m the city. How sane she is may.be gauged from the fact that she now fills a responsible position m a city office, where she attends to the banking every day. At the end of her interview with "Truth," Mrs. Broughton was asked why she twice returned to her husband. "Solely on account, of the children," she said. "Had it not been for them I would never have gone back to him. The child still m the hospital is a pretty little girl of -six years and I am v.cry fond of her." This paper's representative made a special trip out to Porirua. One of the doctors said he would, tell what he could if the superintendent's permission

was obtained. This was sought, but the superintendent m turn passed tne responsibility for definitely and officially stating that Mrs. Broughton was quite normal on to the Director-General of Mental Hospitals, Dr. Gray. Dr.- Gray was approached, but refused to make any statement. This hush attitude on the part of officialdom is hard to understand. Perhaps the officials were reiving on the assumption that "an error or judgment" by a doctor, even if an outside one, was more quickly repaired by being forgotten. The medical practitioner who eventually certified that Mrs. Broughton was perfectly sane did not view the matter m the same foolish light.' The woman was sane, he said, and that was all there was to it. It would have been criminal had Mrs. Broughton been placed m an asylum. He could not understand why Dr. Coutts gave the certificate she did. Mrs. Broughton's condition, lie told "Truth," -\vtts partly duo to the sickne.-ss of her child, financial and domestic troubles, her own severe illness and also partly through starvation. Tins statement bears out Mrs. Broughton's own — that she. and her children often went to bed hungry. In the information which Broughton signed testifying- to his wife's need of attention, he stated that .she allegred she' was starved and also that he was carrying on with an.oth.er woman and his wife had threatened to kill the interloper. The trouble had been progressive over two years, the information stated.

"N.Z. Truth" asked Mrs. Broughton if she had ever threatened to kill the woman she alleged her husband was interested m. - , Mrs. Broughton gave the assertion an emphatic denial. Such a contention was absolutely absurd, she said. She admitted having a "scene" with the woman her husband lodged with, and was quite frank m her details of this affair. "When explaining her part m the affair to "Truth," Miss Kirk, secretary of the S.P.W.C. said she was quite ignorant of the fact that Mrs. Broughton nad been arrested and sent to Porirua until the Monday she was released. Mrs. Broughton went to her office on the Friday, said the society's secretary, and created a scene. On the stairway Mrs. Broughton became hysterical and threatened "to do" for the woman from whom Broughton was renting a room. "I tried my best to placate her," said Miss Kirk, "but she only became worse and struck me with her umbrella." It was then that Mrs. Broughton voiced her intention of doing for "the woman." (It is fair to Mrs. Broughton to state that she emphatically denies striking Miss Kirk). Miss Kirk said she rang up the police station and asked them to give protection to the woman who had raised Mrs. Brpughton's ire, ' Had she known that they were going to get m touch with Broughton or that; the woman would b& sent to Porirua, she would immediately have gone down and taken steps to prevent it.

Hysterical State

In her opinion it was disgraceful that such a thing had been done, more especially as the mother's baby had died at the hospital during the period Mrs. Broughton was detained. Miss Kirk was of the opinion that when Mrs. Broughton left the society's office sne was hysterical and might easily have caused mischief with the other Avoinan. Miss Kirk added that ,she was unaware that Mrs. Broughton had been tnvough a serious illness or that her child was as .ill. She was also m ignorance of the reason for Mrs. bi'ougiuun's forced entry into her husband's domicile, to consult with him about a surgical operation on their child. Prior to this forced entry-, Miss Kirk said she had advised Mrs. Broughton to keep away from her husband's place of abode. A friendly meeting m thte street resulted m Mrs. Broughton seeing the wisdom of the secretary's advice. Neither her husband nor Miss Kirk have been near the unfortunate woman since she obtained her release on October 29. ' Mrs. Broughton, after the treatment she received at his hands, does not expect or look for sympathy from her husband, 'but she thought Miss Kirk, m the exercise of her duties would call upon her. Miss Kirk, however, while feelingsorry for Mrs. Broughton, doec! not think any good could be gained by going to see her. She would like to explain the position to Mrs. Broughton, but feels that the latter would not be overjoyed to reopen the subject. Mrs. Broughton has instituted proceedings for another separation i'rom her husband, and this time there will be no reconciliation.