FACING PRISON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 236, 5 October 1937, Page 14

FACING PRISON.

CAUGHT IN DILEMMA.

FORMER ARMY OFFICER.

MUST PAY WIFE £2 A WEEK.

(Speclnl.—Hy Air Mall.) LONDON, September 12. With a few pence in the pockets of hU only suit, Captain Walter Nugent Sherlock, former officer of an infantry regi ment, ie walking the streets of London looking for a jot*—and wondering whether he can find a way out of the dilemma in which he is caught. His wife, Mrs. Dorothy Sherlock, ie living with her mother in Mayfair's Park LanJ. If Captain Sherlock doe* not pay her the £2 a week maintenance order made by Birmingham magistrates last year, he may have to return to the prison , from which he was released a week ago when n friend paid up his arrears. Captain Sherlock, son of a wealthy Cumberland landowner, told the extraordinary etory of his life in the Army, in the R.A.F., as a commercial pilot in Australia and in Canada. But he confessed he had never faced sterner obstacles than those which confront him' now. "I have no future and no hope until my circumstances change," he said. "When my wife and 1 first separated in May, 1930, I had an allowance of £17"> a year, and was earning £4 10/ a week as n motor trades inspector. "I consented to an order of £2 a week against me. A few months later, however, I lout my job. and have been almottt penniless ever since.

Friend's Help.

"When I had money I gave friends everything they asked. But now it has even been necessary for a friend to pawn, hex own clothe* so that I could send money to my wife." It wae in 1927 that Captain Sherlock met Dorothy Hardy, then appearing in "Rose Marie." "I was attracted to her from the first," he said, "but. ray father disapproved. I had obtained a divorce from my first wife a little while before. "I went to Australia to 'make a fortune' so that I could marry Dorothv. For 14 months I worked on cattle stations and as a commercial pilot. But when Miss Hardy came to meet me at Tilbury she imagined I was returning first class, whereas I had worked my way back ao an ordinary seaman." A few week* after his return Captain Sherlock majried beautiful Dorothy Hardy. By the beginning of 1930 he hud spent the money his wealthy father gaye him. so he went to Canada, where he flew the Northern Quebec air mail and later flew on mining exploration work. "I was earning £90 a month then, eo Dorothy came put to join me. Later I got a job flying the Arctic air mail to the Far North. "It was a lonely job for both of iw, and it was then too that the first signs appeared of the trouble that ultimately made us part. Then at the end of 1931 I had a stroke of bad luck. . . Awful Tragedy.

"I had to make a forced landing, aiic four children who ran to greet the aero plane were killed. A court of inquirj exonerated me, yet I cannot forget that awfiil tragedy." Two years later Captain Sherlock returned to Britain and started a garage in Muida Vale. About this time Mrs Sherlock gave birth to twins; both died "Shortly after thie," continued Captain Sherlock, "I was broke again through no fault of my own, so I took my job as, motor trades inspector. This job took me all over the country, and the long absences accentuated the differences between Dorothy and I. "In May of last year she obtained a maintence order against me. I mortgaged my allowance of £175 a year to bring my allowance to my wife up to date and to pay my debt*. When that was done I had £100 left. "Ever since then my life has been one long struggle to ruwe the necessary £2 a week to pay her. "Recently I could not raise a penny and applied to have the order varied, but the magistrate refused, and I had to go to Birmingham prison." Ho this ex-Army officer, who was wounded »t the relief of Kut, and was mentioned in dispatches, found himself in a prison cell. "Tfappily," he continued, "I had found n friend, who helped me as far as her means afforded. She raised the money to secure my release." he explained. But now Cnptain Sherlock can see no way out of his troubles. "Friends hnve been kind, but they can assist me no lono-pr " Vw. ucii/?