MARRIED WOMAN’S ORDEAL

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 71, 17 December 1928, Page 12

MARRIED WOMAN’S ORDEAL

SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS BY WIFE

AGAINST HER HUSBAND Allegations of cruelty and failure to maintain were made by Violetta Broughton against her husband, Leslie Weedon Broughton, iu the Magistrate’s Court on Saturday, when she applied for separation aud maintenance. Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., was on the bench, Mr. 0. C. Mazengarb apepured for Mrs. Broughton, and Mr. J. Scott for the husband. It was alleged by Mr. O. Mazengarb, counsel for Mrs. Broughton, that his client had had a most unfortunate experience recently. She was, he continued, Broughton’s third wife. Broughton had four children of his own, aud Mrs. Broughton had been content to look after them after her marriage, which took place iu July, 1925. A son was born thirteen months later. The marriage proved an unhappy one, and the parties separated. Prior , to the separation, alleged counsel, Mrs. Broughton had had to suffer much worry and also acts of cruelty, in addition to which she found that her husband drank fairly considerably. Prior to their marriage, Broughton had been a hotelkeeper, but when they were married he was a traveller. Ou October 26 Mrs. Broughton was sitting with her child in the hospital When she was told that she was wanted outside. On going outside she was told that there was a warrant for her apprehension. She was taken to the police station, where she was examined by a doctor who decided to send her out to Porirtta Mental Hospital to be examined. The doctor at the asylum, however, refused to admit her, as she was not insane. She was then brought back to Wellington, but was detained in the police station over the week-end. It was alleged by counsel that Mrs. Broughton had to pay her own taxi fare to. the mental hospital. Her husband, he said, was kindly attentive to her on the journey out. but sat away from her coming back.

In the early hours of the Sunday morning, proceeded Mr. Mazengarb, her child died at the hospital, but she was not told of the death till later. Meanwhile she had been examined by another doctor, who said that she was sane. On her release on the Monday she inquired after her child and found that it had been buried. Under such circumstance added Mr. Mazengarb, it was quite impossible for a wife to live with her husband. The Husband’s Version. Broughton, in evidence, said that he was the assistant-manager of a Wellington hotel, his salary being £4 ss. a week, in addition to which he was given his keep. He had been residing at the hotel for a month, prior to which he had a room at a house. He alleged that it was under police instruction that he asked for a warrant for his wife’s apprehension. To. Mr Mazengarb, lie admitted that he had last seen his wife two or three weeks before he applied for the warrant. Mr. Salmon: Do you mean to say that you came to Court to swear an information that a person was suffering from certain delusions when you had not seen her for two or three weeks? Witness replied that he was acting under police instructions. He alleged that the police had said that if he did not apply for the warrant they would do so themselves. He had tried to shield his wife. He said that lie paid for the taxi to I’orirua ami added that his wife knew of the child's death before he did. He stated that his wife was very cruel to him. There was no comfort at all in the home and lie could not even smoke a pipe or a cigarette there. She had assaulted him frequently. “When I was going out she would tear my clothes off,” said witness: -"in. fact she used to make me very miserable.” This was when the parties were living together in Ellis Street. The Wife’s Story. Mrs. Broughton said she had been married since July, 1925. She took three of Broughton’s children to look after, aud also look after the other one on occasions. Iler husband, who at times would drink to excess, had treated her very unkindly. “He has often struck me,” said witness, "and his language was abusive. He would come home intoxicated at times when I was in delicate health and refuse to have his dinner,” In Hill Street, when Broughton was in delirium tremens, she had to call in the police. She had been very badly bruised and knocked about on that occasion and had shown the bruises to the police and a doctor, who was called in to'see ner husband. Witness said thqt she bad not seen Broughton fir three weeks prior to the Saturday when she was apprehended.

'The ease was adjourned until tomorrow morning.