DIVORCE SUIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 122, 26 May 1939, Page 10

DIVORCE SUIT.

HUSBAND'S CLAIM.

DENIAL BY WIFE.

SUGGESTION OF "FRAME-UP."

A petition by Frederick Sidney Riddle. bruslimaker. of Grey Lynn (Mr. Spencei for divorce from his wife. Allies (irace Biddle (Mr. Schramm i came before Mr. ■ Justice Callan and a jury in the Supreme Court today for hearing. The mound stated for divorce was respondent's alleged adultery with a man who was named, but was dismissed from the suit on the ground that personal service which could lie trusted to reach him was impossible. Respondent denied the

P« thinner gave evidence that he and respondent were married in Auckland in August. 1!WI. the wife then being l!> years of aire. They had one child, lorn in ISW4. In March. I!>.S7. they separated by mutual agreement, witness having to pay maintenance and the wife having custody of the child.

The Cause of Action. Witness said he weekly visited the (dace where his wife lived with the child, his visits being to see the child. In May. 19.18, he heard the wife had a sailor friend, and made inquiries, which resulted in his watching a seaman. On the evening of September 20. IO.'JS, witness saw this man visit his wife's home, accompanying his wife to a skating rink and back to her home. The man went into the house with witness' wife, some lights showed in the house immediately after the man and respondent went in. and later all lights were extinguished. Witness had two companions watching with him.

Witness left hi* companion* and crept under the house at a spot below a settee in the sitting room and there heard mumbled voices and certain sounds. Witness went back to his companions and suggested breaking into the house, but they were against it. After a time the man came quietly out of tlu> house, the light having lieen put on in tiie sitting room, but in a minute or two the man wetrt back and the light in the sitting room was put out. The man did not re-appear and witness ami his companions left. That was just after 12.30 a.m. The man and witness* wife had left the skating rink at 10 p.m.. and had gone into the house a little before II p.m. Witness had ascertained that the man had left his steamer ami could not be found, so that he was not a party to the present suit.

A "Frame-Up" Denied. Cross-examined by Mr. Schramm, witness said he knew a girl called Josie. but denied that then; was trouble between himself and his wife, before their separation, on the subject of his attentions to Josie. His companions were two brothers named Roberts, one of whom worked with him. Hi* wife's, complaints about different women might have had a bearing on their agreement to separate. Mr. Schramm: 1 put it to you, Biddle. that this story of yours is just a frameup.—Definitely not. "'You've got a girl haven't vol! ?" "No.'' on want to marry someone.—No. Not for a while anyhow. To Mr. Spence the witness said* that he had tried to avoid separation from his wife, but it was practically forced on him by her. The case is proceeding.