VENTED ANGER ON MOTOR-BIKE

NZ Truth, Issue 1239, 29 August 1929, Page 3

VENTED ANGER ON MOTOR-BIKE

Watched Wife

Shared His Vigil

Husband Kept Vigil Outside Flat Then Punctured Tyre of Alleged Lover's Machine

DIVORCE COURT ALLEGATIONS DENIED

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Sydney Representative) Hilda Adelaide Oulpon was 23, a heart-free, Coromandel (N.Z.), girl when she went holidaying from Auckland to Dannevirke. There she met Edward James Jones, a native of Mold, North Wales, and his blue eyes and fair hair made an instant appeal to v Hilda, who is a pronounced brunette. They met m 1913 and were married at the Methodist Church, Dannevirke, on October 22 m that year.

JONES and his bride arrived m Sydney m 1914, where they have lived ever since. Their matrimonial differences having been aired m sundry lower courts, climbed a step higher recently and reached the Divorce Court. Jones, his wife Hilda, and a corespondent named Charlie Wild, trooped into court behind their respective legal champions to battle out their grievances. Jones alleged against his' wife that she committed impropriety with Charles A. or J. Wild, at Darlinghurst. Both Mrs. Jones and Wild denied the allegations. ' «

Jones, short, alert, smartly tailored m light grey, and hardly looking. his 44 years, told his Honor that he was a meat inspector employed m the Public Service. Although born m Wales, United Kingdom, and married m New Zealand, he had been domiciled m New South Wales since 1914. Mr. Taylor (for Jones): Mr. Jones, at the end of last year you had been living apart from your wife for some time? Jones: Yes; from about October, 1927. But you had communicated with her by letter up to about the middle of 1928?— Yes; but not since then. Jones added that about the middle of 1928 he discovered that his wife was

living at 41A. Surrey Street, Darlinghurst. In January, 1929, he accidentally met his wife's brother, and from something he told Jonqs, the latter went to an address m Barcom Avenuo.

He spoke to a man, whom he now knew as William John Richards, and Richards took him to the address. The place was m darkness, and he, decided to return next day and have a look at

lt. It was m a fiat at No. 53 that Mrs. Jones and her son, a lad of 13, lived. It was a top flat, and when Jones arrived m a car he had borrowed from a friend, he parked it about 25 yards away from the entrance to the flats.

Mr. Taylor: Did you observe anything m the flat?

Jones: I saw my wife sitting at a table, talking to someone near the window. I could see a man's hat on' the table. I had cn lWl for Richards to accompany me, and from one point we saw a man m the room.

His Honor: Was there a light m the flat?

Jones: Yes. "^ Mr, Taylor:. Where was the window of the flat? "■>■•' Jones: On the left as you face the door.

How long 'did you continue this watching? — About two hours. Jones then alleged that he saw his wife kissing Wild. "In a few moments he left and came downstairs from the fiat. I saw him; I had never seen him before." said Jones. "He came down, and another man helped him to carry an ice-chest upIllllllllllilllllllllllllllilllllllllii1lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!lll<lllllll<»t

stairs to the flat. They put it up' against the wall, and then the man! who. had helped went away. I kept watching the fiat."

Counsel: Did you see anything else that night?

Jones: Yes. I saw the wife and the man kissing each other again. Then he left the flat, and into the lane, and I followed him, leaving Richards watching. He went to a soft drink shop at the corner of Womerah Avenue, and I followed.

"What did he do ?— He purchased two ice .creams and a soft drink. I was alongside him. Then he went back to the flat. I joined Richards and we saw the man eating an ice" cream.

Jones then made certain allegations as to what he saw.

Counsel: Did you still remain on watch ?

Jones: We remained until the lights came on again, and we saw the man leave the flats and go away.

Jones went on to describe his and Richards' vigil on another night. On that occasion, they saw Mrs. Jones leave the flat about 8 p.m. and she locked the door when leaving.

After a very long vigil the only living thing seen about the flat was Jones's 13-year-old son, who came home. When young Jones went to sleep his father crept into the flat and

'I had a thorough good look all over it. He even saw the son asleep m bed, but did not awaken him.

On another occasion during January, 1929, Jones said he went along to have a look' over the place, and parked his car as usual near the flats. Not long after he did this, Wild came along on 'a motor- cycle, and he parked it right m front of Jones's car. Counsel: What did he do then? Jones: He went right into the. flats. My wife, we could see, was writing at a table, and the windows were open. "When Wild entered the fiat he walked over to the table, put his arms around my wife, and kissed her. My wife then went out to post a letter and was away only a few 1 minutes. "When she returned, Jones said, certain things occurred. Mr. Taylor: How long did you stay after that? Jones: Until long after midnight. When the light went out m my wife's, flat I went over and punctured the co-respondent's motor-bike, which was standing m the lane near the flats.' Jones, said that later on that night — or early morning — Wild came down and tinkered about with his flat tyre. He came to Richards m the car and asked him if he could lend! him a tyre pump, hut Richards said h e had none, and he had better go to a garage. He did not see

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Wild after . that until he accompanied a process-server, Mr. Whalen, and some friends to a house at Bronte, where he found Wild. Whalen interviewed him and gave him {he necessary documents m the suit. Wild came out and said: "Which is Mr. Jones?" said Jones.

"I said: 'I am Mr. Jones. Are you the man who is . continually at the flats?' He said: 'Yes; can't the matter be fixed up, Mr. Jones? Am I the only one?' I said: 'As far as I know, you are the only one. I am sorry for youj but it can't be fixed up.' "

Jones said that the copy of the writ apparently did not scare Wild, because, seven weeks later, before he went to Queensland, Jones saw him one afternoon sitting at the table m his wife's flat having a meal with her and his son.

Mr. Edwards (for the wife) sub* jected Jones to a lengthy crossexamination concerning his story and his general treatment of his wife.

Mr. Edwards: Where are you living, Mr. Jones?.

Jones: I am living at present with Mr. Richards, while this case is being tried, at Barcom Avenue. But my usual address is Kensington.

And since you have been living at Richards's place you have got a good

mental picture of the whole of the locality? — No, I had plenty of chances before I went there. . Jones told Mr. Edwards that he was accompanied on each visit to the wife's flat by Mr. Richards, who shared his vigil and witnessed what he saw. Mr. Edwards: Are you a violent man? Jones: No. Weren't srou5 r ou charged with assaulting your wife and bound over to keep the peace, towards her?— l asked the Magistrate to bind me over: ' Then your wife took proceedings for maintenance? — Yes. Mr. Edwards: And from that day you have never sent your son a birthday card or greeting? Jones: L did not know where he waa at that time. Jones said that he spent three nights a week watching his wife's flat, and ; had been m the flat a couple of times looking it over. Mr. Edwards: Did you send your son a birthday greeting since his mother sued you for maintenance? Jones: No; but I have given him various sums of money m cash. Since you filed your petition you \ have seen the son and spoken to him? , Jones: Yes; I asked him to come down to Richards' place. I asked, him where he ' and his mother stayed at Tuggerah Lakes on holiday m June, 1929. He told me that Charlie waa up there— that is, Wild. Jones said he saw no woman go up and downstairs at the flat three times j that night. The case was adjourned.