A WELL-KNOWN ACTRESS. PETITION FOR A DIVORCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 61, 9 September 1905, Page 5

A WELL-KNOWN ACTRESS. PETITION FOR A DIVORCE.

At Melbourne last week, Gertrude Morris, the well-known octrees, who is' known on the stage as Mns. Mac-more Morris, petitioned for a dissolution ' of her marriage with tMaseniore Morris, a miner, of Kimberley, South Africa, on> the ground of desertion. There was (reports the Sydney Telegraph) no appear* ance for retpondent. Petitioner said she was a»m*d' to respondent at Christ ' Church, South YaTra, on the 14th July, 1892. Hs was then an accountant. A_ son, Coljn M»««more, was born in the following year. Before that respondent had , begun, to drink, but after the child was born ho became v.Ty bad, and was frequ«titly violent towards her. In 1895 he -was dis- r missed from his employment, and in tiw following year she realised that ,'_h_ would be pk.ced in a position of taring to support nerself. She told her Iropband that _he thought of going on -th« etage, and he approved of it/'ond interviewed .Mt. J. C. Williamson, with whom <sho entered into a contract. She commenced $o play in 1897 et _he Princess Theatre. For a week or so _er ihusbaad called for her after the performances and took her home, but ihe afterwards neglected to attend or send ' for "lie*. They quarrelled, fc-ut only when ho was intoxicated. Ono night when shJe'Svaa at her father's Tbouse, he" asked a -Mr. Richardson to see 1 her home. When they got to "Maescourt," thinking her husband was at home, she asked Riohnrdson in to have a whisky and soda. Just then 'her husband came in, rushed at her, accused her of gadding about, ,and struck her on ihe face, making her nose bleed. Richttrd_an. .went for him but was flung out of the }io_B.e. On the 4th March, 1897, her husband returned home under tho influence of drink. Ho woke her up and began to speak in an insolent aianner, and as sh_ said nothing he -ecatne violent, lifted up the mattress on which she wos lying *M flung it on the floor, striking her face on the edge of the child's cot and making it bleed. She screamed, and her brother rushed in and carried her away, and locked her up in a bedroom, keeping the key himself. Next day her brother took her away. She went to a rehearsal m the morning, an _ then to her father's house. Her father saw rospondenfc, and after that she got a Jetter, stating, among other -things, that she need not return, as the house would be closed to her. She afterwards met lier husband ia the street, and he asked her to lunch with him. But he never kept the appointment. During a performance at tho Princess Theatre in April, 1897, h«r husband went into „_ etaUs, and whil© (she wa<| speaking her .part called out to her in an insulting manner. He oreated so great a disturbance that he ihad to be removed. On another occasion she hatf to leave the theatre by a different exit, because the doorkeeper had told her h» was outside, and was threatening to uhoot Aer as she Jeft. Sho afterwards toured the various States, and in 1899 went <to England, where she played until 1904, when she joined Mr. George Musgrove's English Comedy Company, with which she was now playing. Her husband had not contributed to her eupnort since March, 1897. /■His Honour grafted the decree nisi, with cosLs, and gave petitioner custody of 4ho child. *

Mr. W. F. Shorlt advertises particulars of a sale of freehold properties to bo held at his mart, Willis-slroot» on Monday, 18th September, consisting of Mr. Bartolo Russo's accommodation house of twentp rooms at Ron* Bay, and a five-roomed residonce situated in Hifgravcs-street. On«. Monday next tho firm will hold ft Mle of housohold furniture.