DOMESTIC AMENITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 152, 2 July 1897, Page 4

DOMESTIC AMENITIES.

THE COHEN CASE.

SUIT FOR SEPARATION

At the Police Courfc to-day,* Mr Hutchison, S.M., resumed the hearing of tho case Cohen v. Cohen, in which Mra Fanny Cohon applied for an order of separation from her husband Benjamin Cohen, watchmaker, of Upper Quees-street, on the ground of his alleged persistenb cruelty and noglect. Mrs Cohen also asked for the custody of the two youngest children, and asked for maintenance for them.

Mr Brookfield appeared for Mrs Cohen, and Mr Harrison for the defendanb. The hearing of the case occasioned considerable amusement to the crowd in court.

Mi-b Marks, of Upper Queen-streeb, deposed that on one occasion lately shewent to Mr3 Cohen's place and found her tied in a chair, with the daughter Sarah holding her hand on one sido and Aaron holding hor on fche other, while Bella was tearing hor mother's hair and slapping her face. She thought Mrs Cohen was frequently badly treated by her huaband. The Rev. Rabbi Goldstein, in charge of the Jewish congregation in Auckland, said ho unfortunately knew too much of the caee. Before Mrs Cohen camo here from Australia witness was told by Cohen thafc he could nob live peaceably with his wife. Some little time" ago Mrs Cohen and her daughter Deborah complained to him in greab distress of being turned out by Cohen. Witness wenb to the police station with them, and Sergeant Kelly afterwards tried to get Cohen to readmit them, bub he refused to take them back. On another occasion the daughbsr Daborah said she and hor mother were afraid to go home because the defendant was " carrying on so," and Cohen was appealed to to lot them remain in poace and quietness, bub he would not cease his conduct. Mra Cohen had complained of the manner in which she was treated by her children. Witness heard the eldest daughter say to her mother that she (the mother) was " not respectable enough to go oub with the children." On another occasion, Cohen eaid he looked on his wife as " worse than a common servant." Once Cohen came to him and said " his heart bled " because of his wife, and that he could nob live with her ac hia wife according to the Jewish law. Ho (witness) with twenty-two and a half year'a experience did not know what this Jewish law was (laughter). His observation was that Mra Cohen had "a dog's life" in that house.

Cros3-oxamined by Mr Plarrison, Mr Goldstein said ho had to interfere in tho case as a Rabbi. He could nob see a woman ill-treated without interfering on her behalf. He had received communications from Melbourne certifying to the respectability of Mra Cohen. Mr Cohen had accused his wife of infidelity. Mr3 Phillips, the next witness, said sho had known Mra Cohea in Molbourno and also in Auckland. She know of bho quarrels botwoen husband and wife, and eaid bhab on ono occasion Cohen camo to her place and talked for three hours about Mrs Cohen, so that witnoss could nob say anything ab all (laughter). Thia closed tho cornplainnnt'3 case.

Benjamin Cohen, the defondanb, went into the wibnesa-box and gave ovidence on his own behalf. Ho said thab when his wife returned from Australia aho came and book possession of tho place. (Laughter). Sha accueed witness o[ running away vyith hi 3 eldest daughter, and eho inßultod him generally. At moala Mrs Cohen dined with the rest of the family. He had never Biruck his wifo. Last March she came into his shop when ho was busy with his customer, and kopt looking ab him "like a cat watching: a mouse." She was in a very excited etate, and when she asked him to go out eho attacked him and tore his ehirt. Sbo waa of stronger constitution than ho wae. (Laughter). Sho challenged him and attacked him with violence. Ke only defended himself, and she went away with a mark on her face, but ho didn't do it. His wife then ran away as fast as she could to tell the Rabbi. He had never told his children not to call her "mother.'' Ho was away from home on the day Mrs Cohen was said to have been tied up in tho chair. When witness camo homo in the evening he found nearly tho wholo of Auckland in front of hia houso (laughter), and ho thought there was something very sensational. Ho found thab tho row had originated through Lira Cohen assaulting litblo Aaron, one of the children, whose part tho girls then took. She attacked tho children with the authority of tho Rabbi, who was at tho bottom of it all. (Laughtor.) He had never hoard of tho tying-up until it was stated in Court thab the " youngsters " had tied up Mrs Cohen. Mrs Cohen did nob do the heavy work in the houae; bho hardest work sha did was to run ouD and talk to the Society, and Miss Porter, and the Rabbi about him. (Laughter). If she did not run aboub like that and did nob msddle vyith outsido things and politics (laughter), ho would liko her better. Sarah and Bella looked after tho house and bho shop, and Sarah did "every blessed thing in tho houso." ilo did nob know where his wifo wont So ab night and he didu'b care. Witness boiieved in the laws of Judaism, and did not think Mrs Cohen was worbhy to be his wifo. Ha had never in his life spat in Mrs Cohen'a face, he would nob do euch a thing to a dumb animal. (Laughter). Ho had slopped Deborah's face a fortnight ago becauso eho had insulted him by saying she did nob beliove what he waa saying. Ib was a greab blow to hia feelings, and according to the Jewish law bhe girl ought to have been atoned. (Laughter.) Ho slapped her again ; but ho did nob strike her. He could provo to bho Bench that ho had always acted tho part of an aflectionato fathor. (Laughter.), Mrs Cohan wenb to tho window to raise an alarm, and he wenb to prevent her, as she had been in the habit of smashing windows and furniture and things. Sho struck him, but he did not etriko her; he only pushed her back from the window. His wifo and Deborah then wenb to tho Rabbi, and the Police Station. Defendant would nob admib them again because Mrs Cohen was disgracing him. She had injured his businesa in ovcry placo he had been by her annoying conduct. When he W6nfc down to the wharf bo go on a fishing excursion, bis wife followed him, screaming out, and told all the people that he waa starving her, and feeding her on dry bread, also that he forced her to wash clothes on Sunday (laughter). Sho had even threatened to follow him to tho Chess Club when he went there. Dolendnnb was greatly annoyed and disgusted at her conduct, in fact, he wished he were dead (laughter.) He considered his wifo hud been ill-advised by tho Rabbi bo anuov him.

After tho luncheon adjournment Coiion was cross-examined by Mr Brookfield. He said he considered his wife for over the laab six months as " worse than an utter stranger." Ho always acted towards Deborah as a father, but she did not do her duty to him. Since his wife and daughter left the house he had not taken them back. He would not live in tho house if his wife wenb back. He refused to live under the same roof with his wife. She was always " breaking him up." Ho had no objection to a separation order, and he had no objection to give her anything that would houp her out of mischief. (Laughter.) He could not say exactly what he could pay his wife a week ; he was a rained man.