DENNISTOUN TO PAY

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 March 1925, Page 5

DENNISTOUN TO PAY

JURY AWARDS EX-WIFE £5OOO. J it ! 4

JUDGE’S OPINION OF COUPLE.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.') ■ ■ LONDON, March 23. The Court was so crowded .with perfumed women when the ■ Deniiistoun case.was resumed that Mr Justice. Ale-. Cardie ordered the windows to be opened. _■ ■ ■ ■ • There were many tense moments, the most notable of which was when Lady Carnarvon protested : “It is a lie,’’ when >Sir Ellis Humet-Willianis tpldi the jury that the defence had been designed to frighten the plaintiff out of Court. >; '!)• ■ Sir Ellis Hume-Williams asked: — Could the jury understand the mentality of a man who was now. . living in luxury, and who refused to pay £iOB • that had been paid out by his wife on his .behalf, including his tailor’s and his club bills. The defendant, instead of repaying her out of the, money that he had inherited from his father, gave it to a solicitor. It, was obvious that most of the twelve thousand pounds that was swallowed' up in the costs of the defence was expended in scouring Europe and raking up everything to the plaintiff. The defence had denied that there had been any .agreement, and ■ yet the defence, ludicrously contended that it Implied that the plaintiff had to lead a chaste ; life. The defence said that it was a case of blackmail, but lie was more justified in saying the defence was dishonest and discreditable

Sir E. Hume-Williams quoted extensively from Lieut-Colonel Dgnnistoun's earlier letters, which, he said,, seemedto suggest that Dennistoun had wish-, ed his wife to continue her relationship with General Cowans, in order that defendant might benefit, therefrom. .Dennistoun could always have settled the case, but he'had elected to submit his wife to a- terrible ordeal.

Mr Justice McCardie, in summing up, said that there was no. greater en. couragement to the bringing of improper claiins than the hope that cases with unpleasant details Would be settled. Personally he felt that the defendant’s conduct in permitting . his wife’s liason w®h General Gowans was gravely condemnable. If largely discredited him. The plaintiff, he* said, was one of tbe most adroit witnesses that he had seen, and if she had decided to invent a claim against the defence she would be a most dangerous witness. He regarded the agreement as the vaguest he had ever seen. The case was adjourned.

LATER. The jury awarded Mrs Dennistoun £5OOO.