THE WALLACE DIVORCE CASE

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9024, 11 December 1907, Page 4

THE WALLACE DIVORCE CASE

CRICKETERS, DOCTORS, AND YACHTSMEN. We gave yesterday the first clay's proceedings in the Wallace v. Wallace divorce suit to which -reference has been made in our cable news. The interest in tin* case lies in the prominent positions of all concerned from the leading Australasian yachtsmen who own crack New Zealand built boats of wide fame to a prominent cricketer, a noted doctor and athlete, and various social lights. This telegram appearing in the last Sydney Morning Herald to hand takes up the thread where our account left off yesterday : Melbourne, Friday. The Wallace v. Wallace divorce case was continued to-day. | The petitioner, diaries Dunkley i i Wallace, seeks a dissolution of Ids i marriage with Ruby Bona Wallace \ ' on the ground of misconduct with. , D<- Henry Robert Strong, who is named as co-rospondeut. The respondent denied the allegations, :>vl alleged that the petitioner hadmi«conducted himself with three different women. The petitioner was further examined. Mr Bryant: Is Dr Strong personally known to j r ou? Witness: No. On the Saturday following November U, 1000, 1 was going to take the boy away to Mornington for a fortnight or three weeks. Mrs Wallace was not well at the time, and .-just beforo I left the house I entered her room, where she was in bed. I said, ' Before I go I would liko you to see either Dr Maudsley or Dr Grant." She said, "Thanks, you needn't bother. Dr Strong will be here soon." I replied that if Dr Strong put his nose inside my gate I would "bash him." I told her that she knew very well that I would not allow her to have nuythirg to do with the man. I know about him. She had told me herself. 'lf lie dares to come in to my house," I added, "I will break his back. " A friend of the respondent, named Mr Loo, telephoned to Dr Strong that lie would not be required. ' I went away with tho child to Mornington, but returned on tho following Wednesday. I arrived home at half-past 11 at night. My wife was out, and did not return till a quarter to J next morning. I told her that it was strange that she was so ill that she had to have a doctor, yet sho could be going out to suppers 'a few days afterwards. One night in 1007 Mrs Wallace stayed out all night. I cannot fix tho month. Next morning siic told mo that sho had stayed away for a riding lesson. YVo ceased to occupy the samo room in July of this year. Cros's-oxamined by Mr Purves: I only allege misconduct on tho part of my wife with the co-respondent. You do not believo she was guilty of misconduct with anyone else? — "NICE OLD WICKED FACE." Mr Purves produced tho following letter :—"Nice old wicked face. The fog, mist, or whatever it was, detained your silly old boat. I was patience on tho bed, making faces at the fog all day. When our 'phono message arrived my sister was out riding. I was to have got back at 0.30. Monkey landed at 10.30. After half an hour I felt sorry for that sister. Never mind; on your return trip we will make up for it captain. Have you hart a nice trip? Have you been good all the time? I heard angels (struck out) fairies say No.' Then, why? Impossible. Enough. Wishes heaps high; all good thing to attend you." Why did you take this rubbish?— Because it was there. Is that the only reason?—No. Mrs Wallace several times said sho would suo me for maintenance, because I would not give her sufficient money. Mr Purves. produced other letters, and asked : Were you searching for evidence for a divorce?—! had no idea of seeking a divorce. Then, why do you do this contemptible act?—She said I was not allowing her sufficient money, and I took; these things to show I had reason for not allowing her more. Mr Purves: When did you first decide to iro for a divorce?—On July 81 of tl'.is year. Was-that when you first went to your solicitor?—Nb ; I saw mj solicitor about our troubles when the cricketers were here, in February, 190-1. ■ Was that about a divorce ?—No, I had no idea of a divorce at that time. I was not satisfied in my own } mind that she had misconducted Jierolf with anyone until July 31. ■ In February, J 904, I saw my solicitor with regard to the way she was carrying on with the cricketer Braund. I secured a private detective named Lloyd to watch Mrs Wallace, and to ' see if sho was knocking about with him. AN INFATUATED MIDDY, g A letter,* dated August 20, I<JO6, from a man "on tho American cruiser Baltimore at Townsville, .was read by Mr Purves. Amongst other things in the letter appeared: "A photo, of a beautiful woman lias a place on my duck, and a much-won-dered-abon't pincushion a place near the fan, just over tho transom. I take my afternoon naps on that transom. Yours sincerely, Deary." Another letter, also signed '' Deary,'' and addressed to "Dearie," written from Cavite on September 14, J9OO, was also read. It contained the following reference :—" Yours of August 4 reached me a couple of days since. I was so glad to hear from you. I had begun to think you had forgotten the sailor lad as soon as lie sailed out of tho bay. The log got hung up in a conspicuous place at tho end of my desk shortly after leaving Sydney, I am very proud of it, and am sorryits former owner is not here, for indeed I think frequently of you and the pleasant hours we spent together. '' Have you ever written letters to young ladies who have been on.board of your yacht?—Never. Nor g'iven them presents?—Very seldom. Mr Purves : After all it's ouly a letter from a midshipman on tho Baltimore. Still another letter, also said to have been written by someone on ! board the Baltimore was road. It I concluded: "Put your trust in the j King and country, and leave the I rest to Fred. Wear flannel next your j skin; keep your feet warm ; straighj ten yourself up; take the. pledge ; 'cultivate early hours; and remember j tho road to hell is paved with good I intentions. (Signed) 'Ever.' " Witness said that another letter, signed 'Anti-lig," was in Dr. Strong's handwriting. It contained the following; sentences:—" I hope they let yoir alone. For myself, I don't care the proverbial. But it is not good enough for your friends to : be mentioned, be it "ever so nicely worded. How's tho face and its blemish?" Mr Purves: By the reference in tho letter signed "Cecil Hawkins" you do not deduce that anything improper occurred?—l thought that Hawkins was sitting on the sofa making love to my wife, that's all. You seem to have thought that everyone was infatuated with your girl-wife?—No. BRAUND ONCE MORE. Witness, further cross-examined, said: I was in Syduey with the respondent and Mrs M'Gillicnddy when Braund, the English cricketer, was thore. I knew of no secret intho respondent and' Braund. I do not remember going ou an excursion or to a picnic with Braund. Wo went to Rickards' once as Braund's guests, and wore once at a theatre. I do not know who paid. Wore you a friend of Braund ?—I never made friends with Braund. We were acquaintances. You took him down to the Bona?— Yes. What had you observed between your wifo and Braund that led yon to tax her with wishing to come to Melbourne to see Brauml?—One evening, while having coffee on tho balcony at the Australia, Mrs Wallace beckoned Braund to join us, aud I afterwards saw them tapping each other's feet under the table. What happened to Braund?—How do you mean? I suppose he could not play cricket for a fortnight?—Why, it was lucky for Braund some other people were there. I was not going to create a scandal in the hotel. You saw Braund afterwards in the smoking room? What happened?— Nothing. What did you say to your wife?—l told her I had seen them foot-pat-ting under the table. What did she say?—She said it was not true Did you speak to her about Braund again?—-Yes ; we h?d frequent quarrels about him. I Did you accuse her of seoieting 1

herself about tho hotel with him?— I thought she was about with him. "FOOT-PATTING" AT THE AUSTRALIA. Then your reason for becoming suspicious was foot-tapping, and that you could not always seo her when you wished to?—Tho footpatting, and because she was always saying Braund was a goutleman, and I was not, and her general conduet towards Braund. What was her conduct? —Making too much of him. You were jealous of him? —I was jealous of my wife. I may have been with everybody. I had no cause till sho came back from New Zealand. When did the trouble about Braund again commence?—After the cricketers came back from Tasmania. Did you ever say that she had walked' through Albert Park with him?—l said that she had met him in Albert Park just before the cricketers wont away. Did you accuse your wife with impropriety with Braund?—No. You had no occasion to suspect her?—No. "COME HERE SAM." When you were on tho Bona at Sydney did you accuse your wife of making o\es at Sam Amess?—She was making a lot of him to annoy me.

How did sho do it?—Oh, by casting up her eyes, and calling out to him, "Come over here, Sam. and sit by me.'' What did ho do?—He was getting playful. (Laughter.) What do you mean by playful?— He was sitting down with his arm on Mrs Wallace's chair, patting her on the arm.

Was there auything vsrong?—No; it was only foolish. Did not Mrs M'Gillicnddy tell you you were making a perfecb fool of yourself when in Sydney?—l do not think she did.

Tho case was then adjourned until Monday.