"YOU ARE UNDER MRS. BROUGHT INFLUENCE?"

NZ Truth, Issue 1303, 4 December 1930, Page 7

"YOU ARE UNDER MRS. BROUGHT INFLUENCE?"

LICENSEE AND WIFE SAY "NO" ■-.•» . . ■• • ' » ■ • • ■ ■ . . ■«.■■ ■ ■■■ Wife of Ex - Manager, New Zealander Hotel, Says Husband Called Her Immoral Names MeDERMOTT QUERI^ NOTE TO "PAT " (From "N.Z. Truth' s'VSpecial Wellington Representative.) •

I So far as Robert John McDermott was concerned the root of the trouble m his domestic affairs was | | his wife's persistence m remaining an employee of the New Zealander; Hotel, Wellington, because he believed 1 I her to be under the influence of the licensee, Mrs. Cissy Myra Brough, who, he alleged, had instigated J j the separation proceedings taken by Minnie Laura McDermott, his wife. j j •., He countered his wife's allegations of persistent cruelty and drunkenness, and that he had allegedly | | - called her immoral names, by a denial and a declaration that he had not lost his job as manager of the New Zea- | | lander -Hotel' through drink, but he had left because ia young fellow called Harrison at the hotel ordered him | | round as if he was a porter. *..,'"'' \ i aiHimiim'iiiiiiiMiiMiHiMmiiHiiMiiHiiHiimiHMiiHmiiiiiiiHiiimiiiHiiiM

MRS. Mcpermott denied her husband's '■ allegations. ; Sh© alleged that Von one occasion he had almost strangled her with a towel, and that oh 'others he had struck her. She Informed \ Mr.. T: B. McNeil, S.M., that. he was constantly annoying her at '; thefchotel, . where her husband had been .previously employed as manager; and that because of his conduct to .hfer. ;there she was yip. danger of losing 'her /position. , In opening her evidence Mrs. McDermott said that she had met McDermott m England when he was an officer m the army, and? had married him there , on June 3, 1919. There were two'child- ' ren of the marriage, their ages now being ten and seven. After she and her husband had arrived m New Zealand they -had lived happily until about the middle of 1929. McDermott was then employed m an hotel m Hunterville, but he lost his position. ■" '■* He went to Wanganui to look for another situation, and when he returned . to Hunteryi-lle he remained m their room at the hotel for a couple of days. •' ;■ ■ ■ Mr. R; E. Pope (counsel for Mrs. McDermott): Was he in' 'hiding ?-rPro.cfcicsLlly. • ■ l Mrs. McDermott said that her husband then went to Paimerston North' where he remained for , about five months, but during that time she received no maintenance from him. After he left Paimerston North he went to Wellington and there secured a' position as manager of the New Zealander Hotel. t ' ' She also came' to .Wellington, but did not go to the hotel to live until February, 1930. Just after she went to the hotel her husband was dismissed. : "Later he got a position at the Imperial Hotel, New Plymouth," Mrs.' McDermott said, "but he lasted there only ten days. He told me that he left because he was sick, but when;. I spoke to the . proprietor about it- he said that he: had told him he had left because he was unhappy. I asked him if my husband had been drinking, and he said that he had been drinking a little. I received 'no maintenance from' him while : lie was m New Plymouth." ■■■'■...,•■ ... Mr. Pope: What- was his conduct towards you like?— -He has struck me on different occasions. . In detailing these occasions; *of her husband's .alleged ill-treat-. % ment, Mrs. MeDermott" said that one day; he had been drinking and was wanting to go oiit, and he struck her when she remonstrated with him. "About a week ago," she continued, "he had. got' the children's clothes from the boarding-school they were at. I met him, and . understood that he was to get me the clothes from a shop. He pushed me into the house' he was boarding at and threw ; me on the bed. He put a tower around my throat. I cried out for help as I thought he was getting, dangerous." Mr. Pope: Did he strike you then? — No. He had one hand on my throat and he was holding the towel with the other. ' . . . a Fpr ; how long? — About an. hour. The Magistrate:' He was not going on for an hour with, the towel. around your J throat?— He would stop and argue at times. . 'Mr& McDermott said that she finally got away from her husband by promising that she would meet him that night, but she did not meet him. She alleged that McDermott had used bad language to her and had accused her of being "on" with all the men at the hotel. He had called her immoral names, and had told her that she wanted to get rid of the children so that she could lead an immoral life..- --' Continuing .her allegations regard- » ing his cruelty to her, the wife declared that on the day McDermdtt was served with the summons he struck her while she was standing at the entrance to the hotel. . . She said that about four months ago, wlfen she was "at his sister' s place he had. struck her and had half-chok-, ed her. , She had taken proceedings against her husband previously, but withdrew.

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them when he went to New Plymouth , to get a 'job. McDermott, who was not represented by counsel, then, cross-examined his wife. /v : . v McDermott's first line of crossexamination, was m regard to Mrs. BrougH's' alleged ; influence m the case. Mrs. McDermott denied that Mrs. Brough had instigated the proceedings or that she was m any way concerned m the matter. McDermott: When you first served the summons it Avas on the grounds of habitual drunkenness? — Yes. When I told you that that was l-ather a serious charge you said Mr. Pope had told, you to put it that way ?— No. We decided to v drop that case, and v» J hen we were. .'leaving Mr; Pope's office you said not.to let anyone know that we had dropped it, meaning Mrs. Bi'ough? — =No, certainly not. Mrs.. Brough did not like me because I -would riot letybu serve a' tray?— :No. Have you ever served a tray? — Yes. Why did you. leave Mrs. Brough's the first time? — Owing to a quar-rel-among the staff. What was the quarrel about? Mr. Pope objected to this . question, holding that'it had no bearing on the case> and McDermott explained that he had asked it m order to sho\v that Mrs. Brough and the whole staff were • behind' his wife.,, , "What! did Mrs. Brough call ' you ' when you left?" he asked his wife. Mrs. McDermott: That has nothing to do with it. . . Again Mr. Pope objected and McDermott shifted ground. "Do you know k man called -Cornelius?" he asked.

had written the note.* He handed it to the magistrate with letters she had written to him and asked Mr. McNeil to compare the handwriting. Mr. McNeM (to Mrs. McDermott): Do you say that this is not m your handwriting? — I say it is not my note. He may have copied, my writing. The matter of trouble , on, the staff iiyas again brought up by McDermott! ana he accused his wife of being a back-biter and tale-carrier. He asked her if she had ever called ,fhe girl m the office a Har, and was told that she had not. 'Tasked her not to tell lies," Mrs. McDermott. explained. McDermott'. Didn't Mrs.- Brough tell me that she ,equldn't have , you going around the hotel calling people liars?— No. Mrs. McDermott admitted that there had been trouble between her and the chef, and that a waitress, had also struck her. . ' • She was then questioned, about the maintenance she had received and repeated that she had received ■ nothing from her husband during the time; he was m Palmerston North. McDermott: I gave you £4 to buy a coat' with?— You didn't give me 4d. : I bought it with my own money. .Did you ever punch me on the face? — rl smacked you because you called father a filthy name. Mrs. McDermott then wanted . to know whether he had ever strapped her before her baby was born, arid whether he had a Sam Brown strap he was proud of. McDermott' did not reply to these questions, but asked instead: "Did I ever catch ' you drinking whisky?"

Mrs", McDermott: Certainly. McDermott: What is his name? — Albert Edward. What do you call him?— Everyone calls him "Pat." ' (Do you? — Yes. • Have you ever . been out with him? — If you' mean the time we went to the "Ritz" for coffee for Mrs. Brough. ■ Did you go to a cabaret with "him? I — No. I wenf to a party Mrs. Brough ,gave. All the staff were, invited. Was Cornelius there? — Yes. Was he your partner? — No. ! Did I ask you not to go to that party? — You asked me if I was going. I You didn't tell me not to go. Later j you said that if I .went you would make me unfit to look' at for two days afterwards.- • "Then why did you tell me you never went anywhere,", was the next question. McDermott produced a couple., of letters his wife had written to him and read' the following extracts. "There is nothing to tell you. I never go anywhere, and I am not feeling very well m this job. In fact it is

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rather shaky. If things don't change ! very soon I will have to shift to new 1 quarters." . • • . : McDermott: Why was your job shaky?— You made it so. Mrs. I' Bnough was going to sack. me. You know that you are under the influence of Mrs. Brough?— No. ' • You went out one Sunday to see the", children?— Yes. ' .■■ ; Was Cornelius m the car? — I don't know. ■■•...' McDermott questioned his wife further on this point and she said that Mrs; Brough had engaged the car to go for a drive and that Cornelius was in'it. - He then produced a note which he [alleged that Mrs. McDerniott had written to Cornelius, though it was not addressed to. anyone, or signed. The note read: "Dear, do, come m and get the, oysters. Then I will know you are' not really and tr-uly dreadfully cross. I did think that you said that, Pat, and I was very hurt until I you turned on me so sharpTy. Then I knew v that you couldn't have." McDermott that. he considered that the "Pat" referred to was Cornelius, but his wife denied that she j

Mrs. McDermott admitted that he had , seen her drinking: whisky and soda one Saturday night when she was not f eeling well. McDermott: You don't drink at the hotel at night with men at all? — No, I never. . :■■■'" ] Your. job is not to stay there and drink With the men and keep them at the hotel? — No. ' ' McDermott . was proceeding further to question his wife along ' these lines but was interrupted by Mr. Pope who considered that the queries were not relevant to the case. The magistrate agreed with counsel. - ■ > This finished McDermott's cross-' examination, and Mrs. Br.ougrh, who was waiting outside the court during the hearing of Mrs. McDermott's evidence, was then called as a witness. She stated, that she was the licensee of the New Zealander Hotel, and had engaged McDermott m November of last year to act as manager of the place. She paid him £6 a week, _and he lived board free on the premises. "He was m my employ for two months, if that," said Mrs. Brough, "but I had to dismiss him because of his drinking. I had given him six chances. He was a good man at his job, and had it not been for the liquor he would not have been dismissed." At the time she dismissed McDermott, Mrs. Br.ough said, she took on Mrs.. McDermott as housekeeper at a wage of £2 a week. Mr. Pope: Have you ever given her clothes? — Yes. She was very shabby. I went around to a warehouse and got clothes for her, and for her children, too. Have you ever seen McDermott strike her? — I have, really, but I .' hate to have to come here and say .these things. The other morning I saw him at the front door of the hotel,' and he was hitting her. McDermott: Did you see me strike her? — Yes, and I sent the porter to tell you to go away. It wasn't a very nice thing for people passing the hotel at nine o'clock m the morning to see a< thing like that going on. ■ .. . "^ '. The children have been at the hotel?— Yes. They were locked up m a room so that I couldn't see them? — Not that I know of. You wouldn't let me In the hotel to see them? — You kick up such disturbances. "You are such a dreadful man," she continued. "You run away Avith the children. The police had to bring them ' back." | McDermott interrupted to j say that Mrs. McDermott had j not said that the police had to take the children to .the children to the hotel. She had said that she had sent them there. . "I don't want the police coming to the hotel about the

children," Mrs. Brough went on. "I don't know what they ' think of me." McDermott: Did you send my wife to Mr. Pope m the first place?— Asas a matter of fact Perry and Perry are my solicitors, and have been for years. She asked me whom she should see, and naturally I advised her to see them. ■ ■ i i ' McDermott then questioned Mrs. | Brough as to his calls at -the hotels, and she told him that if they, continued she would .have- to dismiss Mrs. McDermott. "She is a "very reliable woman, and she does not drink," she said. "I don't want to get rid of her. In fact things are so slack at present that I really could do without her. She is e.asijy worth £3 : < a week, but I can't give her that." McDermott: Why did she leave you the first time?— l don't know. Did you call her a "— — Homie?" —

THE RITZ

I I am not m the habit of using that 'language. You want to keep her on?— She can leave if she wishes. Do you know that she has been out with "Pat" Cornelius?— l don't think 'so. He is only a child. Have you sent him and her to the Ritz for coffee ?— N 6. Who told you that? McDermott: My wife told me. Mrs. Brough: I have sent the porter one night. He might have told Mrs. McDermott to go. There is. no harm ?n that- ..-■ ' ; McDermott then asked Mrs. Brough whether his wife and Cornelius were partners at" the party $he gave, and Mrs. Brough replied* that, they were not. Cornelius, she said, was there with a young lady from Masterton to whom he was engaged. Mrs. McDermott was hot with any man. V. Mr. Pope: McDermott has been hanging around your hotel ?— Yes. I think that I have, lost a lot of bar. trade through him being there. He

has-been hanging around the door from nine to six. Robert Duncan, a porter at the hotel, was then called to give evidence regarding the occasion Mrs. Brough had sent him to- tell McDermott to leave the hotel at the time he had allegedly struck Mrs. McDermott. . He said that he had actually seen McDermott strike his wife,, but only on the one occasion. '■/....■■. In reply to McDermott he said that he had not seen him ■ strike his wife before. Mrs. Brough told him to go to the dopr. Before getting into the box to give evidence on his own behalf, McDermott, m addressing the magistrate, said that he did not want a separation, but was willing to support his wife and children when he could get work. "The position I take up," he said, "is that while she is with Mrs. Brough, my wife will be under her influence. Mrs. Brough ' is a woman who has had much ex- . perience of life, and this is my • wife's first experience. I want the children to go to my mother, and I want my wife to leave the New Zealander Hotel." After getting into the witness-box he said that he had been out of work since February, except for the short time he, had been employed at New Plymouth; He had . paid his wife maintenance whenever he had been m a position. Mr. Pope: Why did you leave the New Zealander? You were kicked out? — I wasn't^ dismissed. I really walked out. ; Did Mrs. Brough have to tell you to leave? — Mrs. Brough- has a friend, a young fellow ' called Harrison, and the New Zealander is the first hotel

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he has been m. He ordered me around as if I was a porter and I left. , Were you ever under the influence of liquor while you were there? — Yes. How many times? — About three. How were you affected? — I was merry. "I'll tell you how it was/ 'he said. "1, was expected to go around all day and get the boys to drink. That was Mrs. Brough's way of doing business. The Magistrate: Did you come here with the idea of saying things about Mrs. Brough?— No. Couldn't you, drink soft drinks and not hard stuff? — No one takes soft drinks. "Several publicans do," remarked the magistrate. Mr. Pope: Isn't if a fact that you go on drinking bouts? — No. Do you know a man called McLeod? —Yes. Have you been on drinking bouts with him?— No. We had a few drinks at a football match. Why did. you leave your job at New tiymouth? — I was ill. Well, the proprietor said you weren^t?- — According to what he to-ld me, he told my wife that I was ill. Did you tell him that you were unhappy? — No. % He told me that I looked unhappy, and that I, looked ill! McDermott also- denied that he was dismissed from the hotel he had been m m Hunterville because of his drinking. He' said that he had been taken on at that hotel because the owner was new, to the business, and he left there because the proprietor could not afford to pay him his wages. He boarded at the place afterwards for a time. • ,

Mr. Pope: You then went to Palmerston North. What were you doing there ?— l was working on bitumen pavements, but I was receiving only 30/- to £3 a . \<reek. You then went 'to Palmerston North. What Were you doing there?— l was working on bitumen pavements, but I was receiving only 30/- to £3 a week. Did you ever send any money to your wife?— l gave her £4 for a ' coat. How long were you working there? — About three months. ■ You used to go to the New Zealander Hotel three or four times a week? — I did last week, but not before. I was out of Wellington until two days before the summons was served. McDermott explained that he had been m the country with McLeod, but denied that he had had any liquor while he was away. Mr. Pope: Do you remember the occasion the trouble arose over the children's clothing? — Yes. : You had arranged to" meet your wife?— Yes. Did you push her into the boardinghouse?—No!, She went m with me. Did she-scream going up the stairs? ■f-No. She screamed m my room. Why?— Because she said that I was accusing Cornelius of being on with her. She was 'like a half-demented woman. Did you have the towel at her throat? — No. . Had you a towel? — Yes. She - bit my finger, and I used it to stop the bleeding. Did you try to stop her from-scream-ing?—Yes. ; I put my hand over her mouth. That is when she bit my. fingerHow long, is it since you paid your wife any money?— Not since I left the New Zealander Hotel. If she had' left the New Zealander we would have got a job. It is easier for a married couple to get work than it is for a man alone. j Who paid your fare to New Ply- j mouth? — My wife. She told me later that she had paid it to get me out of Wellington. Mr. ;Pope read put an agreement which stated that Mrs. McDermott r•.,. . . ■ "

would withdraw the separation proceedings if McDermott got a job m New Plymouth. McDermott again referred, to the note which he alleged his wife had written to Cornelius, who, he said, was a pointer -barm an at the hotel. He said that he had got it from a drawer m Mrs. McDermott's room. "How do you know that she wrote it, or that it "was written to Cornelius?" asked Mr.- Pope. "It is not addressed to him." "It , is not addressed' to me, is it?" replied McDermott. "I don't get letters addressed to me as 'dear." The magistrate said that he was not satisfied regarding the charge of cruelty. McDermott was jeal- % ' ous of his wife, and this might have led to crue(ty, but not to persistent cruelty. • He -had not paid maintenance, but m the circumstances, the magistrate did not think that he was justified m making a separation order. Mrs. McDermott had her keep, and was at present m a better financial position than her husband. . . • . He had had a good position at £6 a week, but had lost that because of his drinking habits, but that was his •fault. • ' ' " / A maintenance order for 15/-. a week for each of the two children was made, and, m order to show that the wife was entitled to maintenance, the magistrate made a small order of .5/--a week on her behalf. Mrs. McDermott was allowed, custody of the children, but McDermott is to have access to them.