FOLLOWED BY NIGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 233, 2 October 1929, Page 7

FOLLOWED BY NIGHT.

MAN AND WOMAN WATCHED.

DIVORCE CASE FOLLOWS

ALLEGATIONS BY HUSBAND,,, Details of a watch kept by a private inquiry agent formed.an important partof the evidence at the hearing of a petition for divorce before Mr. Justice Smith in the Supreme ' Court' this ' morning. Petitioner was Ambrose Hill, a labourer (Mr. Hart) and respondent Dorothy Hill (Mr. Moody). Daniel Mayes (Mr. Finlay) was cited as co-respondent. "The petitioner," said ' Mr. Hart, "alleges that his wife was going out to dances and that she openely expressed admiration for the co-respondent.' As a result, he had her watched, by private inquiry agents and she and the corespondent were found together- in a summer-house, where, it was alleged, misconduct took place."

' In evidence, the petitioner said that he and his wife were married in October, 191-5. They had two children. He was a man who preferred liis home to going out, but his wife, went out as often as three nights a week. "It was no use protesting against that.", he said. His -wife, he declared, had used all sorts of language to him. He had never seen her out with Mayes, although she had often .spoken about him. Witness declared that she had once sa.id, "I would sooner have his little finger than your whole body." Mayes had been to tea at their home. ;•

To Mr. Moody, witness said that he and his wife frequently had rows. His wife was friendly with Mrs. Mayes, who had cometo teavvith her husband.

Mr. Moody: Do -you- know, that your wife made a confidant of Mrs. Mayes — thev were bosom-friends-?

Witness admitted that Mrs. „ Mayes had spoken to him about his treatment of his wife. There had been trouble on the night that his wife, was watched (May 9), when-she had left the house crying and in a temper. Witness iived at the house for a week after that night. He had been sleeping in a room with his son for about a month before May 9.

Witness admitted that he had threatened to kill his wife. On one occasion she had said to him, "Put a gas tube in your mouth and have a. peaceful sleep."

To Mr. Finlay, witness said that his wife had come ;to his •- bedside ■ and wakened him about 4 o'clock one morning, and in reply to a question by Mr. Hart- he said that she had spoken ,of doing away with herself. •

A private inquiry agent, Michael Francis Keefe, said that on the night of May 9 he followed Mrs. Hill to'- Ranf urly Road. She met .a, man whom she kissed, and tliey went into an empty house. He followed them, and asked the woman if she was Mrs. Hill. She said she was, but the man, who did not give his name, said, "And I'm a married man." Witness was cross-examined ,at length by both Mr. Moody and Mr. Finlay. . . ~,.... ... - ; -.. • ■.„ •..'«

"After lengthy evidence' of the watch kept ; on Mrs. .Hill on. the night,of May 9 had been -given by Keefe's' assistant, George Jackson, the case, was adjourned until this afternoon. ■ ' ■ -